Rogers held a Screen Break Unplug and Play event at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on Thursday during March Break.
Toronto Maple Leafs player Easton Cowan and alumnus Tomas Kaberle attended the free skate to meet with fans.
Rogers Screen Break is a new national program aimed at helping Canadian families address excessive screen use among youth.
The program partners with professional athletes to engage teens in conversations about healthy screen use through a national school program and Unplug and Play events.
A recent Rogers study found youth aged 11 to 17 spend 5.2 hours per day on their phones, far exceeding the Canadian Paediatric Society's recommended two-hour recreational screen time limit.
Thursday's event was part of the national launch of Rogers Screen Break Unplug and Play this March Break.
An event was held earlier in the week at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, and another is scheduled for March 30 at Rogers Place in Edmonton.
“Our Unplug and Play events encourage Canadian teens and tweens to put their devices down and help build a balanced relationship with their screens,” said Sarah Zupnik, program director of Rogers Screen Break.
“As March Break brings more free time, and more screen time, we’re giving youth a different option — skating in an NHL arena with their hockey heroes. This is the first of many opportunities Rogers will create to offer healthy screen alternatives.”
