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BOSTON, MA, June 25, 2007 – Young Skaters Face Off
The Republican
By: Fran Sypek
He's only 9 years old, not eligible for the NHL Entry draft until 2016, but Joe Mercadante had a unique opportunity this weekend to practice his skills in select company of his favorite sport.
Mercadante, of Agawam's Feeding Hills, was in the New York City borough of Brooklyn over the weekend, participating in the Ace Bailey Children's Foundation Got Skills Competition. The youngster has played youth hockey for the past three years for Bay West and also plays for the Junior Dirt Dogs.
Mercadante, who will enter the fifth grade at Robinson Park School this fall, won his region's competition in Marlborough to advance to the nationals. He competed against other regional winners in an event modeled after the NHL's and AHL's All-Star Super Skills Competition.
In the national event's age category, Mercadante tied for third in the one-on-one shootout after scoring three goals in the round one final.
Other events were shooting accuracy, hardest shot, and skating time.
Mercadante was to play in an East-West game last night, and get to see the Stanley Cup, escorted by a member of the champion Anaheim Ducks.
Mercadante represented the Boston Bruins at the competition. As an added note, Bob Kudelski, also of Feeding Hills, did make it to the NHL, but it might be too early to determine whether a 9-year-old is a prospect.
Part of the "Ace's Got Skills" registration fees go to the Ace Bailey Children's Foundation, a charity dedicated to the well-being of children receiving major medical treatment. The foundation seeks to improve hospital programs, environments and professional services that reduce the stress of hospitalization for newborns, older children and their families.
The competition and foundation's namesake, Garnet "Ace" Bailey, played 11 seasons in the NHL on five teams and won two Stanley Cups with the Boston Bruins in 1970 and 1972 - the last two won by that franchise.
After his playing career, Bailey joined the Edmonton Oilers (the current parent team of the Springfield Falcons) scouting staff before serving as the director of pro scouting for the Los Angeles Kings for seven years. He was killed, along with fellow scout Mark Bavis, on Sept. 11, 2001 in the twin towers terrorist attacks when he was on board a flight from Boston to Los Angeles heading for the Kings' training camp.