Pat Kaleta is all about paying it forward and giving back to his hometown Buffalo community.
The Sabres have hired Kaleta to serve in the role of team youth hockey ambassador.
In his new role, Kaleta will implement and manage the "Learn to Play Program" on behalf of the Buffalo's Sabres.
Kaleta, an Angola, NY native, will also serve as a liaison to the WNY area high school hockey community. Kaleta will provide additional support and instruction for other youth hockey initiatives in his hometown. "I'm very excited to have the opportunity to work in the community in which I was born and raised, and to help grow the game of hockey among the youth of Western New York," Kaleta told the Sabres team website.
"As a kid, it was always a dream of mine to become a Buffalo Sabre and now I'll have the opportunity to help other young kids develop the same passion for hockey."
Developed with the help of experts from USA Hockey and Hockey Canada, the NHL/NHLPA Learn to Play initiative aims to be the gold standard for youth hockey programs with the goal of inspiring more families to join the hockey community. Learn to Play enhances the way youth hockey is offered by providing first-time participants from ages four to eight with free head-to-toe equipment, age-appropriate instruction, and certified coaching led by NHL Alumni in a fun and safe environment.
Kaleta joins the Sabres in a front office role after playing for the team from 2007-2015.
Kaleta overcame huge odds and rose from juniors to a sixth-round selection (176th overall) in the 2004 NHL Draft. Kaleta dressed for 348 games as an energy man for the Sabres. Kaleta scored 27 goals and 24 assists.
As a Buffalo native, Kaleta has worked with numerous local charity organizations throughout his career, including The Make-A-Wish Foundation, Operation Backbone and Cradle Beach. In 2009, Kaleta created the Helping Individuals to Smile (HITS) Foundation, which provides financial, facility and program support for underprivileged children and adults in Western New York.
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TSN's Bob McKenzie delivered terrible news on Thursday morning via Twitter.
Tampa Lightning captain Steven Stamkos is heading to Vail, Colorado today and is expected to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery to repair the lateral meniscus tear in his knee.
Stamkos injured his knee in the first period if Tampa's win at Detroit on Tuesday night. Rather than charter to Buffalo with his team, Stamkos was sent home for MRI imaging.
The projected recovery time is 4 to 6 months.
Stamkos has got to be asking the hockey gods "Why me?!!!" right now.
In his NHL career, Stamkos has had to endure the pain and suffering of recovering from serious injuries. He missed 45 games with a broken leg is 2014-15. He missed 16 playoff games last season with blood clots. Now he needs knee surgery.
The Bolts are going to have to win games AGAIN without their leader.
Stamkos is in the first year of his newly signed eight-year, $68 million contract with the Bolts.
Stamkos is leading the Bolts with nine goals and eleven assists in seventeen games played.