-
Kristen Shilton, ESPN NHL reporter
Keanu Reeves is taking a break from his day job — and it’s for a good cause.
The Canadian actor signed a one-day contract with the Ontario Hockey League’s Windsor Spitfires on Thursday to support the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Windsor-Essex branch. The CMHA will auction off items autographed by Reeves, with all proceeds going back into the organization.
Reeves grew up in Toronto and was in the Windsor area to play bass with his alternative rock band Dogstar at a local casino. In his younger days, Reeves (a goaltender at heart) had hoped to play for the Spitfires, but that dream was cut short due to injury. He did eventually get to portray a hockey player on screen when he portrayed — of course — a goalie looking to reach the NHL in the 1986 film “Youngblood.”
In a moment of happenstance, the Windsor Spitfires Hockey Club were finally able to add this former Ontario Hockey League goalie prospect, turned Dogstar bass player, to their roster with a one day contract! Welcome to the #YQG Keanu Reeves!
Signed items will be auctioned off… pic.twitter.com/06kN0rTFO2
— Windsor Spitfires (@SpitsHockey) August 22, 2024
As they say though, every dog has their day, and Reeves finally got to pull on a Windsor sweater, fulfilling his own dream and hopefully helping others in the process through the CMHA’s auction.
“It’s a big day for our organization,” Spitfires GM Bill Bowler said. “We are so proud to finally have Keanu on our squad. If he’s half the goalie he was in ‘Youngblood,’ we should do well this season. We are big supporters of the CMHA and hope the auction for this extremely rare jersey will help such an important cause in our community.”