After a successful debut last year, the Ogden Mustangs hockey team is thinking even larger this month as they prepare to host an autism awareness and fundraiser weekend from Jan. 19-21.

The weekend features a special dinner with former NHL goalie Olaf Kölzig, two Mustangs games at the Ice Sheet, auctioned game-worn jerseys and a silent auction to raise money for two autism foundations: Kölzig’s, which is named after his son, and the Northern Utah Autism Foundation.

Kölzig, a former 17-year NHL player who last played in 2009, is at the center of the week’s events.

“It’s kind of like if John Stockton came to a Salt Lake City Stars game to promote something,” Mustangs owner Sean Wilmert said. “It’s kind of the same thing when you look at the career Kölzig had in the hockey world.”

Last year’s efforts raised about $10,000 and Wilmert says he’s aiming for at least $15,000 this time around.

The first event is a dinner and expert panel on Thursday, Jan. 19, held at 6 p.m. in the team’s VIP room at the Weber County Ice Sheet. It’s open to the public but seating is limited. A ticket of $25 gets a person dinner (provided by UTOG Brewing Company) and into the room where Kölzig and the Mustangs’ coaches and goalies will speak and take questions.

All money from that dinner will go to the Carson Kölzig Foundation.

Olaf Kölzig, also known as “Olie the Goalie,” became a beloved player in the Washington Capitals organization where he played all but eight games of his 719-game NHL career. A first-round draft pick in 1989, Kölzig went on to win the Vezina award in 2000, given to the league’s best goalkeeper.

His son, Carson, has autism, and Kölzig has spent the last two decades promoting education and fundraising for resources. He won the King Clancy award in 2006, given to the NHL player who best exemplifies leadership and humanitarian work, for those efforts.

The Kölzig Foundation raises money to enhance treatment and therapy options, educate communities, and empower families challenged by autism spectrum disorders.

Then come Ogden Mustangs games Friday, Jan. 20, against the Vernal Oilers and Saturday, Jan. 21, against the Rock Springs Prospectors. The puck drops at 7:15 p.m. for both.

Kölzig helped design special autism awareness jerseys that the Mustangs will wear in both games. Those game-worn jerseys will then be auctioned to the highest bidder.

Some will be auctioned live on the ice between periods, others online. Interested fans can sign up to participate in the auctions at the arena before each game. Jerseys will be cleaned and, if the auction winner desires, autographed by the associated player, Wilmert said.

Last season’s high-ticket jersey was for the mascot, Murray the Mustang, and this year Kölzig will have a custom jersey included in the auction as well, Wilmert said.

Fans will also be able to participate in a silent auction to win a suite in the arena for Mustangs games, Mustangs season tickets, Ogden Raptors season tickets and other items donated by local businesses, he said.

Money raised in these auctions will go to the Northern Utah Autism Foundation and the Kölzig Foundation.

Additionally, the Mustangs have created a GoFundMe page to raise money directly for the Northern Utah Autism Foundation. It can be found online at https://gofund.me/d71eddac.

Newsletter