Blind hockey player hopes sport can grow to Paralympics

When Simon Richard laces up his skates and takes the ice for Canada's blind hockey team, he hopes more countries will be inspired to invest in the sport. 

Canadian Blind Hockey announced the first half of its national team roster on Dec. 14. It will decide which other players to add to the team at the Canadian National Blind Hockey Tournament from March 22-24 in Toronto.

"It's always an honour to represent Canada for sure," said Richard, of Dieppe, N.B. "You dream of it as a kid, of course, and you try to play the best you can. And then somehow an opportunity comes to you, and obviously you're going to take it."

Luca DeMontis, the national team's general manager, said in a press release: "We're excited to work with this great group of players who are role models in the sport of blind hockey."

For Richard, the tournament in Toronto will help him prepare. He is already on the roster that will go to the 2024 International Blind Ice Hockey Series in St. Louis in April. There, Canada will try to defend its title against the U.S.

Richard says the U.S. and Canada are the only countries with national teams. But he says the sport seems to be catching on. 

"It'll be a good little stretch of hockey there to promote the game and obviously try to play the best hockey we can," said Richard. 

Blind hockey has a few adaptations.

The puck is three times bigger than a regular puck, and it has ball bearings inside that allow players to hear it. Players are also blindfolded, so if they do have some sight, everyone is on an equal footing.

The nets are also smaller. To score, the offence is required to make at least one pass before shooting. There is also no hitting allowed. 

Richard says it requires a lot of focus, especially in an arena