The North Dakota jerseys worn during its Oct. 13 game with Maine — each bearing the name “Walsh” in honor of Black Bear coach Shawn Walsh — will be auctioned online at Hockeyeastonline.com to benefit the Coaches Foundation.
The auction will run from 8 a.m., Jan. 19 to noon, Jan. 25 and will be based on jersey number. Bids begin at a minimum of $150. Individuals may bid on multiple jerseys but will be limited to winning only one.
The Coaches Foundation is a charitable organization set up to serve as a resource for coaches who might need financial help in the face of devastating illness. Although initiated during Walsh’s fight with kidney cancer, it is designed to assist any coaches in such need. It is the official charity of the American Hockey Coaches Association.
“Shawn wanted to get [something] going, he was just trying to find the right way to do it,” said Joe Bertagna, Executive Director of the AHCA and commissioner of Hockey East. “Doing this on-line seems like the perfect way.
“The irony is, [North Dakota coach] Dean Blais’ daughter has [since] been diagnosed with leukemia. So you just never know.”
