Free kids' hockey scheme to find next superstars

The UK is a "sleeping giant" on the ice hockey landscape, according to Henry Staelens

Thousands of children will have the chance to play street hockey for free as part of a UK scheme to find the next generation of ice hockey champions.

Sheffield-based Ice Hockey UK (IHUK) and America's National Hockey League (NHL) will deliver sessions in schools in six cities, to children aged between five and 11 years old.

IHUK CEO Henry Staelens said street hockey, played on foot on a hard court rather than an ice rink, was an accessible way to get started in the sport.

"We would love some of these children to be GB ice hockey superstars in 15 years, and if not, we will produce healthy active kids with great life skills and teamwork," he said.

"To start with it's about getting children comfortable with the concept of the game, then, if they fall in love with it, we will help transition them onto learning to skate."

The programme, called NHL Street Hockey, will launch in six major cities with the help of the local clubs: Belfast Giants, Cardiff Devils, Glasgow Clan, Guildford Flames, Nottingham Panthers and Sheffield Steelers.

It aims to remove barriers to the sport, such as high costs or not being able to skate, and find new talent in the process.

Bill Daly, NHL deputy commissioner, said street or ball hockey can help ice hockey fans "grow in their love for the game".

"We have a long history and successful track record of using ball hockey to introduce new fans to the sport," he added.

The NHL already runs programmes in Sweden, Finland, Czechia, Australia and China, and plans to expand the UK scheme in 2026/27, following the pilot this year.

"The NHL sees the UK as a sleeping giant," Mr Staelens added.

"We want to get people excited by ice hockey who maybe haven't played the game before.

"We have laid the groundworks at IHUK, so now it's on us to deliver and show them how big the UK can be in terms of the next generation of ice hockey players."

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