The Minnesota Wild along with the NHL and NHLPA and partners Minnesota Hockey, CCM, Total Hockey and Hy-Vee announced that registration for the 2017 Little Wild Learn-to-Play program, presented by Hy-Vee, will open at 10 a.m. (CT) on Tuesday, May 23 at wild.com.

Five new locations have been added for 2017 bringing the total this year to 16 participating communities across the State of Hockey.

The Little Wild Program, presented by Hy-Vee, is designed to introduce the game of ice hockey at the beginner level by offering a low-cost, low-commitment opportunity in an effort to increase participation in youth hockey and grow the game. The NHL and NHLPA fund the program and provide equipment for participants. The program also promotes the importance of regular exercise, teamwork, and developing leadership skills while having fun experiencing the game of hockey.

“This past season, we saw another unprecedented jump of 8 & Under registration numbers, with more than 18,000 players in that age group joining teams across Minnesota,” said Minnesota Hockey Executive Director Glen Andresen. “Little Wild Learn-to-Play has played a huge role in that growth and it is increasing each year with the growing popularity of the program. We are very excited to add five new locations so that we can increase numbers in those communities and surrounding areas.”

The Little Wild program will begin in September when more than 1,000 kids will have the opportunity to take part. Each participant will be outfitted with gear from head-to-toe and receive four hours of professional on-ice instruction for $100.

Learn more at wild.com.