The Colorado Avalanche hosted their 25th annual Charity Golf Classic on Tuesday at The Ridge at Castle Pines North to kick off the 2022-23 campaign and their first event of the season. There was much to celebrate for all involved in what was the first time since 2019 that players played in the tournament due to missing the last three years due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“The last time that we were able to have the current team in attendance was 2018,” Deb Dowling, Vice President of Community Relations and Executive Director of Kroenke Sports Charities said. “Thankfully, the alumni and Altitude stepped up, so we were able to have the tournament in person, but it just brings it up another level to have the current team here. We also had a very special guest named Mr. Stanley here, who was an addition to all foursome photos. Since its inception, this event has raised $1.6 million for Kroenke Sports Charities to support our community programs for children and adults in Colorado. That’s the reason we do this. It’s fun and fund raiser. It’s a wonderful kick off to the Avalanche season.”
For the Avalanche players, it marked the first event of the season in which the group was reunited following their brief offseason – as a byproduct of hoisting the Stanley Cup this past June – and a chance for new additions like forward Evan Rodrigues and goaltender Alexander Georgiev to become even more familiar with their new teammates off the ice.
“This has always been a fun event,” Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog said. “It’s something you always look forward to. You get the chance to spend the day outside and spend time with some of our corporate sponsors, you get to know new people, you get some sunshine, it’s great. I’ve never won this tournament .”
Upon arriving and eating a quick breakfast around 8:30 am each player joined their assigned golf group of sponsors for the day. Similar to the makeup of the Avalanche team, the sponsors in attendance featured a mix of veterans, who had been participating in this event for several years and some newcomers.
Went Alex Newhook, who will be entering his sophomore season with the Avalanche and was participating in his first-ever Golf Charity Classic with the Avs, he was paired with long-time Season Ticket Members and Kroenke Sports Charities donors Barb and Gary Reece of PBJ Reece Charitable Foundation . For about 15 years, the Reeces had previously lived at one of the houses and shared a story of how back in the day Milan Hejduk sent an awry golf ball into the patio of their neighbor’s house, who proudly kept the souvenir.
Newhook, who is an avid golfer especially in the offseason and enjoys attending courses around Boston – where he previously attended Boston College for two seasons from 2019-21 – and on the stunning greens of his hometown of St. John’s, Newfoundland, shared his appreciation of the event and of his lively group.
“It’s great to give back to the community,” Newhook said. “They’ve been so supportive of us and always are. It’s great to be outside, spend some time with them like this, and get to know some of the sponsors. Just getting to know some of the people who help us out as a team and help out the community. It’s great to be involved, good to have everyone back in town, and get [the season going] with such a great event.”
The 21-year-old was also eager to engage in some friendly competition among his teammates, whom he had heard boast some talented golfers among the group including Cale MakarGabriel Landeskog, Coach Jared Bednar and the universally noted top golfer Nathan MacKinnonwho began his day by inking an eight-year contract extension.
When discussing his teammates’ strengths on the golf course, Newhook, who is a left-shot in hockey, pointed out the discord of how hockey players shoot the puck versus swing a golf club. Newhook questioned how teammates like Landeskog, or Darren Helm shoot left in hockey, but implement a right-handed golf swing using, “I don’t get how guys go righty when they play hockey lefty, a slap shot, and a golf swing seem pretty similar to me.”
Landeskog shared his insight on the mechanics of a golf swing and how the influence that his first set of clubs may have played.
“My dad was a lefty in hockey and a righty in golf,” Landeskog said. “I started using some of his leftover clubs, they were all righties and just started hitting the ball that way. I’ve never really thought about it until people started asking questions. I never really realized it was more uncommon than I thought originally. I think it works for me. In hockey, it’s all wrist. In golf, it’s no wrist. It’s the rotation in golf and there’s some timing involved. If I was lefty it would feel so awkward, even though that’s how I play.”
For the players and sponsors alike, it was nice to resume some normalcy with the return of the annual event that is a mutual favorite and a nod to the upcoming season’s on the horizon.
“This has always been a fun event,” Landeskog said. “It’s something you always look forward to. You get the chance to spend the day outside and spend time with some of our corporate sponsors, you get to know new people, you get some sunshine, it’s great.”