By Scott Kinville

The Connecticut Hockey Foundation is holding an online fundraising auction on January 24, 2025, but it is not ordinary.

Up for bid, amongst many other items, are autographed jerseys from Hockey Hall of Famer Ray Bourque, Miro Heiskanen of the Dallas Stars, and Ryan McDonagh of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Also up for bid are a Boston Bruins jersey signed by the entire 2024-25 team and a pair of tickets to the March 5, 2025, Washington Capitals at New York Rangers game donated by the Rangers.

If you are a college hockey fan, the ECAC and Hockey East have donated ticket packages to their conference championships. Yale and Quinnipiac have donated tickets to a Men’s hockey game as well.

Why would all these high-profile teams and conferences make these donations to the Connecticut Hockey Foundation? The answer, simply put, is in honor of legendary coach Jason Pagni.

The Connecticut Hockey Foundation was started in 2014 in honor of Pagni after he tragically died in a car accident at the age of 43. It began with a couple of benefit games to help fund the late coach’s daughters’ college funds and now has grown to help hockey players and their families across the state. You can learn more about Pagni and the beginning of the Connecticut Hockey Foundation by clicking here.

Eric Opin, the foundation’s Executive Director, appeared on a recent episode of The Central New York Hockey Podcast to discuss the auction. He explained Pagni touched so many lives in a positive and meaningful way, not just in Connecticut but across the hockey world.

“So many of these donations are personal to people,” Opin said. “The passion of the donors, the passion of the families continues. I think what’s kind of amazing is it really hasn’t let up. It’s been unmatched. Something that kind of marvels people around them, and everybody knew him (Pagni).”

“The word gratitude comes by often,” Opin added.

Friday’s auction is also a part of the CT Ice Weekend, which has been described as Connecticut’s version of Boston’s famous “Beanpot Tournament.” CT Ice Weekend is being held at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut. The teams participating are the #13 UConn Huskies, #15 Quinnipiac Bobcats, Yale Bulldogs, and Sacred Heart Pioneers. The auction starts at the rink at 4:00 p.m. EST.

You can also scan the QR code shown in the X post below.

Listen or Watch the Show

Here is the entire interview with Eric Opin. In it, we not only discuss the auction but also the Colgate Raiders Men’s Hockey Team (he is a Colgate alum and is still close to the team), as well as Hartford Whalers legend Kevin Dineen.

You can listen to the podcast, watch the video on YouTube, or view it below.