Jordan Boyd’s legacy continues to live on during the Jordan Boyd Celebrity Hockey Challenge.
It has been nearly one year since the 16-year-old hockey prospect died on the ice in Bathurst.
“Ithas been a real tough year for us, of course,” says Boyd’s father, Stephen Boyd. “This event has created some excitement I guess and given us something to plan for.”
Boyd collapsed on the ice during the Acadie-Bathurst Titan training camp last August.
An autopsy later revealed Boyd suffered cardiac arrest caused by an undiagnosed heart condition.
“It's going to be a hard time, but we have a lot of support through the hockey community, through our family, and through our friends,” says Boyd’s brother, Greg Dobson. “I think without them, we wouldn't be where we are today.”
One of those supporters is Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand, who spent time at the Boyd house as a child and later trained with Boyd while Marchand was a member of the Moncton Wildcats.
“It's something I think everyone in the community wants to be a part of,” says Marchand. “It's a great thing what we're doing here and to be a part of it is a big honour.”
“Basically what we want to do is create a day of fun and hockey to celebrate what he loved to do,” adds Dobson. “And at the same time raise funds for two great charitable organizations.”
Saturdays event has raised nearly $100,000, much more than the $40,000 the Boyd family was hoping to raise.
All of the donations will go towards helping either The Heart and Stroke Foundation or will be given to student athletes as university bursaries.
“We look for qualities that Jordan had in these students, and we have a committee thathas been put together to administer this,” says Boyd. “As a matter of fact, we gave out six $1,000 scholarships this past May.”
There were ten different games happening at the BMO Centre, giving amateurs a chance to test their skills against local talent that includes Marchand, James Sheppard, Andrew Bodnarchuk, and Nathan MacKinnon.
“We’re here for a good cause obviously,” says MacKinnon. “Thereare some competitive juices that come out of everybody, every hockey player is a little competitive. At the same time everyone is friends on and off the ice on both teams.”
The Boyd family plans to continue hosting this hockey tournament for many years to come.
With files from CTV’s Matt Woodman.