Winnipeg Jets hockey stars took a break from the ice Wednesday to deliver an important message to hundreds of Manitoba high school students.

Members of the city’s NHL club, currently facing a historic but high-pressure start to the season, spoke to the kids about mental health, getting support and how they deal with the stress of the NHL.

“I get away from the game and talk to my family and close friends. So to take my mind off the stressful parts of the day and immerse myself in what makes me a friend and a family member,” Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck said.

The effort to connect hockey greats with kids in a popular way is part of it Project 11. It was established in honor of the late Jets forward Rick Rypien and has been running for more than a decade, with 2024 marking the 11th year.

Providing students and teachers with lessons and support to track their mental health, alongside coping mechanisms, the project aims to promote mental health wellbeing, whether you’re an NHL star or just trying to get through a tough day at school . , everyone needs a helping hand from time to time.

Jets forward Gabriel Vilardi spoke to the students — who came from 38 high schools in Manitoba — about how they deal with stress.

“I’ll call my mom if something’s wrong or just to vent about something,” he said. “Even the dog, the dog is good to talk to, there is nothing wrong in talking to the dog.”

Hearing from professional athletes about how they too struggle from time to time was important to the youth in attendance, said Suzi Friesen, director of educational programs at the True North Youth Foundation.

“We had such a positive impact on helping students reach and feel good,” she said of the event. “Obstacles come to the surface (but) I will build my resilience or call on my coping strategies.”

And she is not the only one who says that the event was a powerful one.

“We need to talk about real-world issues,” said Kevin Landreville, a professor at St. John’s Ravenscourt School. “And it really starts with understanding ourselves more and understanding that we control a lot more than we give ourselves credit for.”

He believes that Project 11 has had a positive effect on promoting the conversation about mental health among his students and would like to see more students take part.

“Be comfortable being uncomfortable. It’s okay to not be okay. It’s not just talk, it’s true,” he said. “If we can get more of the province to take advantage of the resources that Project 11 has, I think our young people, and our teachers who lead them, will be better off going forward.”