Victoria Royals Team up with CMHA Victoria in #TalkToday Campaign
WHL Victoria Royals

Victoria Royals Team up with CMHA Victoria in #TalkToday Campaign

Published on January 30, 2026 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Victoria Royals News Release


The Victoria Royals Hockey Club and Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Victoria Branch are teaming up to raise awareness about the importance of mental health during an upcoming Royals home game.

The Victoria Royals game on February 4th at 7:05 pm will feature:

- A CMHA-run kiosk so fans can learn more about mental health

- Videos featuring Victoria Royals players talking about the importance of mental health

- Public address announcements about mental health

- 50/50 proceeds in support of CMHA

The awareness campaign is part of the ongoing commitment by the Victoria Royals and CMHA Victoria to implement Talk Today. Talk Today provides mental health support to players and raises awareness about mental health and suicide prevention throughout communities across the Western Hockey League.

A key piece of the Talk Today program has been to educate players about mental health and suicide prevention. Every team has received mental health training specific to suicide prevention. Each team is also now linked to a CMHA Mental Health Coach, who provides support and mental health resources to individuals in need.

"Mental health matters, on and off the ice - and the first step is to talk about it," says Antonia Kalmacoff Jennings, CMHA BC's Senior Director of Development and Communications. "We are excited to partner with the Victoria Royals team, administration and foundation for the Talk Today game on February 4th and beyond. Together we can help athletes and community members connect with the mental health support they need to thrive. Thank you to the Victoria Royals Family and fans for your generosity and helping us strengthen community mental health and connections."

"Mental health is something we need to keep talking about, and we're proud to continue this important partnership with CMHA through our Talk Today game each year. It's a meaningful reminder of how critical it is to take care of your mental health and to support one another. This initiative matters to our players, our staff, and our organization, and we're grateful for the opportunity to help raise awareness and keep the conversation going." - Tim Leighton, Director of Business & Strategic Marketing, Victoria Royals

In addition to the CMHA game on February 3rd, Goaltender Ethan Eskit has teams up with Canadian Mental Health Association's (CMHA) local branch in Victoria in support of spreading mental health awareness in sport. The Victoria Royals Foundation is donating a dollar for every save Ethan Eskit makes for the remainder of the season.

"I'm honored to partner with CMHA through the Saves for Mental Health fundraiser to help raise awareness, reduce stigma, and support mental health in our community" said Eskit.

The funds raised from this initiative will go directly to local CMHA programs, including several that focus on helping individuals build mental health strategies, assisting new parents navigating the postpartum period and de-stigmatization amongst young people.

To donate, visit Ethan's fundraising page.

Tickets for the game are still available, starting at $19.00.

For ticket information, visit victoriaroyals.com.

Check out the Victoria Royals Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from January 30, 2026


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