NHL star Ryan Getzlaf is finally getting a chance to wear the Rider green he grew up cheering for.
On Thursday, the Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation announced that the recently retired all-star centre will be taking to the ice as part of their annual Winter Classic charity hockey game next month. The 38-year-old Regina native will play for Team Getzlaf in the event which is captained by his older brother Chris, who played 10 CFL seasons as a receiver with the Riders.
“I can’t wait to return to the province of Saskatchewan and take the ice with my brother Chris,” Getzlaf said in a statement. “The Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation does amazing work with youth across the province, and I am excited to be a part of this incredible event.”
Getzlaf was a first-round selection in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft and went on to enjoy a 17-year career with the Anaheim Ducks, retiring in April of 2022. The former minor football tailback made a wise decision to focus on hockey, finishing his career with 282 goals and 737 assists for 1,019 points in 1,157 games played. He is the Ducks’ all-time leader in goals, assists, points and games played, while also holding playoff records in the first three categories. The three-time NHL all-star won a Stanley Cup in 2007 and owns two Olympic gold medals from when he represented Canada in 2010 in Vancouver and 2014 in Sochi.
The Getzlaf brothers will face off against Team Lauther, captained by kicker Brett Lauther. Current and former Riders players already confirmed to be participating in the event include receivers Brayden Lenius and Jason Clermont. Former NHLers Eric Gryba and Byron Bitz are also in line to lace up their skates.
“We are thrilled to have a player of Ryan’s calibre joining us for this year’s Winter Classic,” Lauther said in a statement. “The area of mental well-being and its impact on youth is something that resonates with so many people, and it means so much to have Ryan and all of the Roughriders, Rider alumni and NHL alumni join us to give back to the kids in our province.”
The Winter Classic is scheduled to take place on Saturday, February 3 at Merlis Belsher Place in Saskatoon, with puck drop scheduled for 12:30 p.m. local time. Proceeds from ticket sales and the charity auction will go towards the Win with Wellness presentation series, which brings trained Roughrider player ambassadors into Saskatchewan classrooms to speak on and promote mental wellness.
