Youth hockey player inspires team while skating due to injury during tournament in Phoenix

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – It's every parent's worst nightmare, but that's part of playing hockey.

We talked about missing teeth and 12-year-old Cayden Daniel Brotten experienced a toothless hockey glory story firsthand.

Brotten is a defenseman for the South Anchorage 12U Drillers recreational team.

“I started playing on the outdoor courts about four years ago,” Brotten said, discussing his love for hockey.

I got a pair of skates from one of my older cousins ​​and my mom gave me a hockey stick and I went to an outdoor rink, the Lake Otis rink and the stick was too short for me and a few guys out there Finally gave me a stick that fit me and a pair of gloves.

And that night I just fell in love with the sport.

It's that love of sports and his teammates that pushed Brotten to play in the Arizona Cactus Cup in Chandler, Arizona, over Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, despite having a major problem with his teeth.

I was at a top golf course with my team, we all went there on Friday evening, he explained. I was on the wrong side of the red line, right behind my teammate, and the backswing hit me right in the mouth.

I have three broken teeth. They are all shattered. We couldn't find any pieces. I still spit up some.

He had four teeth broken from a backswing on a bat and was quite upset. I went up to him and told him, 'Hey man, toughness is a choice,'” Drillers assistant coach Matthew Schiavi said. And you can be strong, or you can be weak.

It was traumatizing for him, but I thought: this will define you for the rest of your life.

Brotten's coach said the player was taken to a dental clinic, but he did not want to receive an injection of anesthesia to have his teeth repaired.

The next day we had a hockey game in the morning and were at the rink, Schiavi said. He wanted to play hockey and I called his mom about 30 minutes before the game and she was a little unsure about it, but she let us make a decision.

With his father also supporting him, Brotten put on a mouthguard and put on his suit.

I felt I could play, felt no pain, Brotten said. It's a tough sport. You have to be tough to play it.

You can't just sit on the bench and cry when your teams play big games.

He played a lot and helped the team to a 6-4 victory on Saturday morning.

It was funny because he forgot his sticks at the hotel, Schiavi said. Coincidentally, we were able to buy him a stick there at the ice rink.

[We] put him on the ice and he ended up scoring two goals.

Head coach Dave Mills added: I thought it was quite motivating for the kids.

How traumatizing it was at the Top Golf and then for him to show up and tie it up and go out there in front of his teammates and I think it really helped us through that game, especially getting on the ice play, Mills said.

The Drillers would ultimately lose in the semifinals to the team that would win the tournament.

There is very tough competition there, Brotten said. We went two by two in our matches.

I played three games without teeth.

He said he wanted to inspire his team, but his team and coaches are an inspiration to him.

I couldn't have done it without all my coaches and teammates believing in me and being fair [helping] me through the process, he said. It's a great, great hockey family.

Brotten inspired his team to never give up and Coach Mills said it was a very special journey.

“I think all the kids really enjoyed it,” Mills said. Hockey teams don't go without drama.

There's always a little bit of drama with kids, parents and coaches, but in the end we all came together and I think they had a great lifelong experience.

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