APX News / APX PROUDLY SPONSORS HDMN and the UHL

APX IS A PROUD SPONSOR OF HOCKEY DAY MINNESOTA 2026 AND THE UNITED HEROES LEAGUE.

APX is proud and excited to be one of the leading sponsors of Hockey Day Minnesota from Jan. 17 - 24 in Hastings at the United Heroes League Complex. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the annual event and the city of Hastings will have a large influx of hockey fans that are excited to watch all of the games that are scheduled over the next week. Learn more about why APX is passionate about supporting HDMN and the UHL and the partnership that has been created between the organizations.

JANUARY 16, 2025

Author SYDNEY WOLF

“APX Hockey is honored to be a sponsor of Hockey Day Minnesota and, more importantly, to continue our support of the United Heroes League,” said APX Chief Executive Officer Joel Owens about the decision to become one of the leading sponsors of Hockey Day Minnesota. “Providing military families and their children with the opportunity to play hockey and other sports builds the foundation for friendships, community, and strong character traits. In the military, it is not if but when a spouse will get deployed, and that time away can become very challenging.”

The main outdoor rink for Hockey Day in Hastings is the United Heroes League Complex and there are plenty of events scheduled over the next week that will feature those in the military and their families, including a UHL Military Kids Hockey Clinic on Jan. 21 and games played between the Minnesota Warriors, a U.S. Military team and a Canadian Military team.

The mission of the United Heroes League is to ‘actively work to ensure that children of military service members are afforded every opportunity to participate in sports’, and they provide free equipment, game tickets, cash grants, sports camps and other special experiences to military families throughout both the U.S. and Canada. You can find out more about their organization and how to support it, here.

“The United Heroes League is a symbol of hope and support for military families, providing these children with the same opportunities as other civilian families to play the sport they love,” added Owens. “What Shane Hudella [the President and Founder of the UHL] and his team have done is humbling, and we remain steadfast in our support of their mission.”

The APX team was able to take a guided tour of the Hockey Day village in Hastings with Hudella. Watch the video below to get a sneak peak of what the facilities look like at the complex and the meaning behind various structures featured at the event.

APX is passionate about supporting the mission of the United Heroes League and of Hockey Day Minnesota 2026. The event in Hastings will be a special one for our entire staff and for many of our high school-aged athletes as well who will get to participate in games on the outdoor rink throughout the week.

“Sponsoring Hockey Day Minnesota and the United Heroes League reflects APX Hockey’s commitment to growing the game while giving back to the hockey community,” said APX General Manager Erik Rasmussen. “These partnerships support grassroots hockey, celebrate Minnesota’s hockey heritage, and help ensure access to the sport for youth and military families. Together, they reinforce APX’s mission to make hockey more inclusive, meaningful, and impactful beyond the rink.”

All of the staff at APX are excited to watch the events unfold over the next week and can’t wait to see how everything plays out, but everyone is above all honored to be supporting such a great organization in the United Heroes League and a great event in Hockey Day Minnesota.

“Our team’s support and involvement in Hockey Day this year is about much more than just the event itself,” said APX Director of Player Development Wes Jirovec. “For a long time now, we have been inspired by Shane’s mission and everything the United Heroes League has accomplished. The service & charity they provide to veteran families in need through hockey is incredible. So to us, this event is a celebration of their amazing organization.”

The APX staff is incredibly excited to watch the all of the games over the next week at the United Heroes League Complex, including plenty of high-level varsity hockey contests featuring many APX Athletes. Some of the match-ups that we’re most excited about that include Rosemount vs. Holy Angels on Jan. 17, Lakeville North vs. Chanhassen on Jan. 19 and Rock Ridge vs. St. Thomas Academy on Jan. 24, just to name a few. Rosemount and Holy Angels in particular will feature over 15 APX Athletes combined out on the ice that night.

Make sure to stay tuned to APX Hockey’s social media pages over the next week to see exclusive post-game player interviews, top-notch photography and videography from the event, and the latest news and notes about all of the match-ups from Jan. 17 - 24. The full Hockey Day Minnesota schedule can be found here.

View a photo gallery of the APX team visiting the United Heroes League Complex below to get a sneak peak of what things will look like for Hockey Day Minnesota 2026.

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About APX Hockey

APX Hockey is a staple in the hockey community, offering high-caliber training programs for aspiring players. With a focus on player-centered development and cutting-edge performance training methods, APX Hockey is committed to helping athletes of all ages refine their skills, build resilience, and achieve excellence on-and-off the ice.