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WHL Saskatoon Blades

Saskatoon Blades Hosting Mental Health Awareness Game in Partnership with CMHA

March 7, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Saskatoon Blades News Release


Saskatoon, SK - The Saskatoon Blades have partnered with Canadian Mental Health Association-Saskatoon for a mental health awareness game Wednesday, Mar. 8th when the Blades take on the Swift Current Broncos at SaskTel Centre.

The game day experience will have several features to promote the importance of mental health, including:

A CMHA-run kiosk on the concourse where fans can learn more about mental health and the organization's community-based services

A ceremonial puck drop and photo opportunity with CMHA-Saskatoon

Videos featuring Blades players talking about the importance of mental health

Public service announcements about mental health and CMHA-Saskatoon

A CMHA fundraising component

This mental health awareness game is part of the Blades ongoing partnership with CMHA-Saskatoon and its Talk Today program. Launched across the Western Hockey League in 2016, Talk Today provides an important opportunity to address the mental health needs of players. Through this program, over 800 WHL players and over 100 coaches, billets and staff have received mental health and suicide prevention training across the league.

The key piece of the Talk Today program has been to educate players about mental health and suicide prevention.

Each team is also linked to a CMHA mental health coach, who provides support and mental health resources to individuals in need.

"CMHA Saskatoon is proud to be partnered with the WHL in the Talk Today program," said Jenna Neufeld, special events coordinator and communications specialist for CMHA Saskatoon." "This partnership recognizes the pressure young athletes are under and matches the support needed for all athletes to feel grounded and perform at their best. The culture around sports is changing. We are excited to be part of a healthy, new narrative in which athletes are encouraged to speak about mental health issues and inspire each other to take care of themselves on and off the ice."

Check out the Saskatoon Blades Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from March 7, 2023


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