A group of blind and partially sighted kids throughout the Fraser Valley got to try skating and play hockey for the first time, thanks to Canadian Blind Hockey and funding from a Vancouver Canucks charity.
“The idea is to introduce the sport to those that haven’t tried it before and let them know that hockey is available for them,” said Matt Morrow, executive director with Canadian Blind Hockey.
“A big part of the para-sport movement in general is about trying to use sport as a catalyst for social change, and blind hockey is no different.”
On Feb. 5, visually impaired students in Grades 3 to 12 from Surrey to Hope laced up skates and took to the ice at Sardis Sports Complex in Chilliwack.
The free event was open to everyone in the Fraser Valley who is blind or partially sighted. They had 18 people register.
“I’ve had such a good time,” said nine-year-old Gauge McGregor from Langley.
He was born with five per cent (20/800) vision. It was his first time playing hockey and his third time skating.
“He loves to try everything,” said Gauge’s grandmother Eva McGregor, adding that he also plays soccer and baseball.
At first it felt “funny” holding the hockey stick, Gauge said, but then he figured it out.
“It was good. It was easy,” he added with confidence when asked what it was like to shoot and pass the puck.
Pucks used in blind hockey are bigger than a standard puck. They’re made of steel and are hollow with ballbearings inside so players who are blind can hear it, while players who have some vision can also see it more easily.
A regular puck is 3 inches wide by 1 inch high, while blind hockey pucks are 5.5 inches by 1.75 inches. They are as big as possible while still fitting a standard hockey stick.
Players with Canadian Blind Hockey wear black or bright yellow jerseys, plus they use a lot of verbal communication.
“The nice thing about the rink is it’s always the same – 200 feet by 85 feet – and the two nets are always in the same position. They don’t have to worry about running into something that’s not supposed to be there,” Morrow said. “They do need to learn their position and they need to learn where their position is supposed to be on the ice.”
Helping out that day were about 20 volunteer students with Sardis Hockey Academy. They were there to guide the blind and partially sighted kids around the ice and practise hockey drills with them.
“I’m sure that the Sardis Hockey Academy students will leave with a newfound appreciation of the athletic abilities of athletes that are blind or partially sighted,” Morrow said.
Canadian Blind Hockey has hosted more than 300 ‘Try Skating’ and ‘Blind Hockey’ events and is celebrating 15 years of programs across Canada.
“It’s wonderful to give them a chance – all of the kids. It’s wonderful,” Gauge’s grandmother Eva added.
In November 2025, Canadian Blind Hockey announced a partnership with the Vancouver Canucks through the Canucks for Kids Fund, the charity’s largest partnership with an NHL team to date.
“Our partnership with the Canucks and the Canucks for Kids Fund helps to make these programs possible across B.C. communities like Fraser Valley,” Morrow said.
Because of the partnership, Canadian Blind Hockey was able to bring its skating program back to the Fraser Valley on Feb. 5.
Last year, Canadian Blind Hockey set a record with more than 2,000 students watching a game in Toronto.
As part of the partnership, Canadian Blind Hockey’s Lower Mainland youth program has been officially re-branded the Vancouver Jr. Canucks Blind Hockey Team while the new all-ages program in the capital will be named the Victoria Canucks Blind Hockey Team.
“If you see a person with 10 per cent vision, or less, competing at one of the fastest sports in the world, what else can they do? You can do anything,” Morrow said.