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The HPIB Minnesota Chapter is proud home of a very special member – former NHL All-Star, Minnesota North Stars left winger, Steve Payne. Steve was drafted by the North Stars 19th overall in the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft. During his illustrious career Payne played 613 NHL games, scored 228 goals and had 238 assists for 466 points. At the time of his retirement he stood atop the leader board as the team’s all-time highest scoring left wing as well as the all-time leading playoff scorer and led the North Stars to their first Stanley Cup final appearance in 1981. He played in the 1980 and 1985 NHL All-Star games. He also played for Team Canada in the 1979 World Championship and the 1981 Canada Cup.

While these accomplishments are incredible, Steve is not sitting on his professional hockey laurels in retirement. Instead he serves as Outdoors Director of the United Heroes League, a non-profit that helps children of active military families participate in hockey, baseball, football and basketball. The United Heroes League’s mission is to empower military families to stay healthy and active by battling the financial burden associated with sports. UHL provides, at no cost: free sports equipment, pro game tickets, financial grants, and skill development camps to military families across the US & Canada.

Steve’s passion outside of Hockey and supporting the US Military has always been fishing. He is ecstatic to use his position with UHL as an opportunity to merge these passions together and will be taking service members and their children out on the water starting in March of 2019. There are 10 nationwide fishing events scheduled coast to coast for a service member parent and one of their children. Service members are encouraged to apply to attend these events at no cost. 10 team sponsorships are available for each event.

To learn more about sponsoring or attending these events and United Heroes League in general click here.

 

Photo Caption: Matt Hendricks of the Minnesota Wild and Zach Bogosian of the Buffalo Sabres spent the day fishing on Lake Minnetonka with Garrett & Drake. The boys lost their dad to the war in Afghanistan.