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Tragedy to Triumph: Hockey Team Honors Victims at NHL Draft
27 Jun
Summary
- Blackstone Valley team members will present NHL sweaters at the 2026 NHL Draft.
- The team captain's family members died in a tragic shooting.
- The team won the Rhode Island Division II championship after the tragedy.
At the 2026 Upper Deck NHL Draft, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced special guests who would participate in the ceremony. Members of the Rhode Island Division II High School champion Blackstone Valley Schools team were invited to present the inaugural professional sweaters to each drafted prospect.
This honor holds profound significance as the team overcame a severe tragedy earlier in the year. In February, a shooting incident at one of their games claimed the lives of three family members of team captain Colin Dorgan. Despite this immense loss, the team, led by Dorgan, rallied to win the Rhode Island Division II boys' high school state championship.
The players attended the draft event in Buffalo, proudly wearing their white Blackstone Valley Schools jerseys as they took the stage to fulfill their role.
