Sold-out Eastside Elite All-Star Game a huge success in Mount Clemens
By @MichaelCaples –
MOUNT CLEMENS – Steven Oleksy wasn’t quite sure of how the hockey community would respond to the Eastside Elite Hockey League’s inaugural all-star game.
After a sold-out event on Saturday night, it seems safe to say that Oleksy’s league held the first of many Eastside Elite All-Star Games at Mount Clemens Ice Arena.
Fans lucky enough to get their hands on one of roughly 400 tickets – the game sold out three days before puck drop – watched a charity game featuring a collection of professional, college and junior players highly familiar to hockey fans across the state.
The game raised money for the Mount Clemens Hockey Club, and showcased some of the best players from Michigan at the same time. After the skate, fans were treated to an acoustic concert by former Eastside Elite skater turned Nashville musician Cooper Anstett, as well.
“It’s really special,” said Oleksy, the founder of the Eastside Elite league, after the game. “I think not only to raise money for the organization here in Mount Clemens, but to draw awareness to the league and to Michigan hockey in general. Michigan hockey is really known as one of the hockey hotbeds. To shine some light on how many players come from Michigan, it was incredible. For the people to support that and to see guys they might not see throughout the regular season, I think it was incredible for everyone.”
Photos by Michael Caples/MiHockey
The game featured a mix of Eastside Elite current and past participants, as well as some special guests – Dylan Larkin, Zach Werenski, Andrew Hammond (Senators) and Derrick Pouliot (Penguins) to name a few.
“It was unbelievable to get the response and to get the kids involved and get the organization, Mount Clemens Ice Arena was great hosting this and helped out a lot,” Oleksy said. “I had some great people working with me, too. Obviously, my parents helped me a lot, Matt Williams was incredible and a lot of other people that helped make this run so smoothly and allowed me to play in the game. And then obviously the summer league is great, but it’s the guys in those locker rooms that make it what it is and the people that help, so I can’t thank them enough.”
The additions of hometown stars Larkin and Werenski certainly helped with the exposure for the event. Larkin, in the midst of running his own hockey school with his family at Lakeland Ice Arena, said that his friendship with all-star game co-coordinator Matt Williams led to him earning a special roster spot.
“I knew Matt Williams pretty well, good friend of Steve’s, so I got the call from Steve earlier this summer, so he asked if I wanted to come out and I thought it was a pretty cool honor,” Larkin said. “It was a great event and I hope to come out next year. It’s a bit of a drive from where I live in Waterford, so I don’t know if I’ll be joining the league or making guest appearances, but it was pretty cool what he had going on today and for a good cause.”
Added Werenski: “It was an awesome time, it was a good crowd, good turnout for a summer game, good pace and a lot of goals so I had a lot of fun…I don’t play in the league, but just from following him on Twitter and seeing all the work he does, texting him and getting to know him, he seems like a really good guy. For him to invite me to this was real special, and I guarantee I’ll keep in touch with him after this for sure.”
Longtime Eastside Elite participant Matt DeBlouw, a Chesterfield native just like Oleksy, said he was blown away by the fan turnout.
“I think it was amazing,” DeBlouw said. “The fans came out, they supported. It’s good to get all the guys out of the league together, who we play against each other during the summer and during the year, but it was great hockey. I thought Steve put it on phenomenally. Everyone that helped out, too, and the sponsors. It was a great experience.”
DeBlouw said that the popularity of the event even made it difficult for players to get tickets for their friends and family.
“Steve was saying, ‘Do you need any tickets?’ and he’s like, ‘Yeah, we’re selling out fast, so I’ve gotta know right away’ and I couldn’t believe it. They didn’t leave’ they were engaged. It was amazing. It was awesome.”
Oleksy said the event wouldn’t have been possible without the help of Williams and the rest of the Oleksy family – Steven’s parents were running around taking care of things throughout the entire day on Saturday, and his brother Dan worked as one of the referees when he wasn’t helping out Steven with other tasks for the event.
It was unbelievable to get the response and to get the kids involved and get the organization, Mount Clemens Ice Arena was great hosting this and helped out a lot. I had some great people working with me, too. Obviously, my family helped me a lot, Matt Williams was incredible and a lot of other people that helped make this run so smoothly and allowed me to play in the game. And then obviously the summer league is great, but it’s the guys in those locker rooms that make it what it is and the people that help, so I can’t thank them enough.”