K-Wings Are First Pro Hockey Team with NHL Street League Teams

The unfortunate thing about hockey is, there isn't ice on the ground at all times, and you can't rely on Mother Nature even to follow through and keep the lakes frozen around here anyway. So Playing a fun pickup game of hockey isn't exactly easy to do.

But Street Hockey is much easier, AND can be played just about anywhere. Good News for for Kalamazoo and the K-Wings since they just became the first Professional Hockey Team to add an NHL Street League Team in the country.

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To start things off, the NHL Street League and K-Wings will host two camps on the north side of Kalamazoo to introduce the game to the public. This will be geared toward the youth mostly, on Wednesday, July 17th, and then again on August 14th. The idea is to get people interested in the league, and get them signed up for the 2025 summer season.

NHL Street was started last year, and according to their own bio, they're the premiere ball hockey experience designed for children, agest 6-16. It keeps kids who are interested in hockey, active during the off season, and interested in playing the sport.

The K-Wings involvement marks the first professional hockey team to participate in the NHL Street League, according to ECHL Commissioner Ryan Crelin.

"The launch of the NHL Street Program by the Kalamazoo Wings represents an exciting new chapter for our communities and the sport of hockey. It opens the door for countless young fans to experience the joy of playing hockey in an accessible, inclusive environment. This initiative not only aligns with our mission to grow the game at the grassroots level, but also embodies the spirit of innovation and community engagement that we strive for in the ECHL."

The K-Wings are now the affiliate of the Vancouver, Canucks, which is why they're able to participate in the NHL program. They're also partnering with RCX Sports and local nonprofit organizations to make sure the program can succeed, and be introduced to children who might otherwise not have the means to participate.