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Blackhawks and took in an NHL game before heading to Madison, Wis., to meet with Tony Granato, the head coach at the University of Wisconsin. This is the third straight year of the cooperative effort between FIHA and USA Hockey. Plans are in the works for several USA Hockey ADM regional managers to visit Finland in the future. "This is further proof that we can com- pete hard against one another in the rink, but once we step off the ice it's all about friendship and cooperation," Jablonic said. "The Finns do a great job of developing players, as you can see from the number of high-end players they have in the NHL. We can learn from them and they can learn from us as well. At the end of the day this is going to make our game better because of their visit here." P 8 // JANUARY 2019 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM O F F T HE D R AW k OVER THE YEARS the Finns and Americans have waged some fierce battles on international ice. But away from the rink the two countries have a longstand- ing relationship based on mutual respect and a strong desire to improve their respective player development systems. The friendship was recently on display when USA Hockey, along with various local hockey organizations, welcomed a pair of Finnish hockey coaches for a whirlwind tour of the upper Midwest. This latest exchange program was another opportunity for the Finnish visitors and local coaches from around Chicago, Michigan and Wisconsin to exchange of ideas and best practices cen- tered around player development. Over the course of 10 days in November, Pekka Peltola and Jari Saastamoninen, two regional managers with the Finnish Ice Hockey Association, were thoroughly immersed in the U.S. development system from the associa- tion level through the Junior and colle- giate ranks and up to the NHL. "Our game is a global game and any time we can get two countries together it's a great thing," said ADM regional manager Dan Jablonic. "This is a chance for us all to be better and work collec- tively to improve our player develop- ment systems." Activities on the agenda included visit- ing several youth associations in Illinois and Michigan; running on and off-ice body-checking sessions; discussing coach and player development, and shar- ing ideas on player recruitment and girls' hockey development. Among the many highlights of the trip, the group spent the day with the Chicago Steel, learning every facet of the USHL team's operations from general man- ager Ryan Hardy and head coach Greg Moore. They also met with the Chicago Exchange Program A Win-Win For International Rivals PHOTOS BY Dan Jablonic; Peter Heidorn ADM k Finnish hockey coaches Pekka Peltola and Jari Saastamonienen go over practice plans with a local hockey team as well as coaches during their visit to Chicago. NHL 3 Minnesota Wild forward Jason Zucker and his wife Carly hosted #Give16 Suite Night at a game at the Xcel Energy Center on Nov. 21, where they filled 16 suites with local nonprofits and charities for a special night of giving back. Several local companies and individuals made the night possi- ble by hosting suites for patients at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital and Children's Minnesota, DinoMights, ACES, Play.Laugh. Love, Arthritis Foundation, CentraCare, MN Special Hockey and Smoke Signals. Over the past two years, the Zuckers have been fundraising to build the Zucker Family Suite and Broadcast Studio at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital. The suite will include a state-of-the-art broad- cast studio and theater where children and families can view Wild games on a large projection screen to simulate the experience of being at a game. Zucker has been committed to the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital since visiting the hospital with his team- mates during the 2015 season. The space was made possible by donations from the Zucker's 2017 #Give16 campaign that led to his nomination for the NHL's 2018 King Clancy Memorial Trophy. Suite Gesture Part Of Zuckers' Quest To Give Back