Giving back to the community has become routine for athletes, and sports organizations to adopt throughout the world. Charity in most cases brings smiles to people’s faces, and it really makes those donating for a cause feel good about themselves. Just ask Kurtis Gabriel as he would pay visits to hospitals and schools, greeting those that needed help before the pandemic began. Helping with advice, or helping people overcome some challenging odds.
Gabriel is a vocal advocate for the LGBTQ community. He attended festivals, parades, would tape his stick with pride colors before the Covid-19 shutdown the hockey season. You name it Gabriel was and is there to help people who may need a voice, or just someone they could relate to. He continues that work through social media for those that may need an outlet, or a place to find themselves. Simply put, Gabriel has become a community hero, but still plays a solid game of hockey in the same token.
“Gabriel has worked closely with the Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center in Allentown, Pa., showing up for events and even appearing in a video for its upcoming virtual Pride festival. Adrian Shanker, executive director of the centre, says other athletes who may have concerns about being vocal allies for the LGBTQ community can look to Gabriel as an example,” David Singh wrote in an article for Sportsnet last week.
Kurtis Gabriel, a Forward for the Flyers/Lehigh Valley Phantoms, was brought in by General Manager Chuck Fletcher to provide some physicality and grit for the orange and black, but be a voice in the locker room, as well. Hockey is about more than just representing the team on the ice, how a player represents the organization off the ice is just as important as playing the game. Fletcher wanted to make the Flyers and Phantoms locker rooms vibrant once again. If Gabriel wasn’t on the ice, then he was more often than not in a school or hospital throughout the Allentown area helping kids, and staff alike. He just appears to have a lot of devotion to helping the youth succeed, and become good individuals in the future.
The 27-year-old Gabriel was a solid Forward for the Phantoms this season. He tallied five goals, and four assists in 53 games played, and laid some heavy hits. Gabriel managed to put some fear in his opponents, as he could lay a big hit at anytime he was on the ice. Gabriel proved to the Flyers top brass, and the Phantoms brass that he could play valuable minutes for the Phantoms.
Gabriel hails from Newmarket, ON, CAN. He was born on April 20, 1993, and that was the day a hockey player was born. He started playing hockey practically from birth I’m sure, and really just has a keen hockey hockey sense. Gabriel is very good at anticipating plays, and just has a knack to be in the right spot to deliver a bone crushing hit, or pot a big goal. For the most part he plays a mistake free game, and won’t blow you away with his stats offensively (2g,3a in 38 career NHL games). However, he is that reliable Forward most teams covet in the NHL/AHL.
There is not one player on the Phantoms that would have anything bad to say about Gabriel. Gabriel is a community hero in Pennsylvania and abroad, and it’s great to see this type of player rewarded for his efforts off the ice. It’s not always about performing on the ice, a player has to perform off the ice, as well. A player like Gabriel doesn’t come around often, and the Phantoms are blessed to have him around the vibrant locker room. For his strong community efforts, Gabriel was named Lehigh Valley’s 2019-20 IOA/American Specialty AHL Man Of The Year.
Just remember everyone, at the end of the day hockey is for everyone:
