Terry Ryan Shoresy hockey dreams come alive at fall classic UBS arena

The roar of the crowd echoing through a professional hockey arena isn’t new for Terry Ryan, but this time it hits differently. Nearly three decades after the Montreal Canadiens made him the eighth overall pick in the 1995 NHL draft, Ryan is skating onto big-league ice again—not as a struggling prospect, but as a television star living out his hockey dreams in the most unexpected way. On December 10, 2025, the Shoresy Fall Classic rolls into UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, bringing Ryan and his castmates face-to-face with New York Islanders alumni in an event that blurs the line between sports and entertainment.

What started as a half-joke about putting the hit Hulu show “Shoresy” on ice has evolved into one of hockey’s most unique fan experiences. The tour, now in its second year and expanded to eight NHL cities, features the hockey-playing actors from the fictional Sudbury Blueberry Bulldogs taking on former NHL greats in real, competitive games. For Ryan, who plays the lovable enforcer Ted “Hitch” Hitchcock, it’s a full-circle moment that few could have predicted when his playing career ended prematurely over twenty years ago.

From first round pick to Shoresy star: Terry Ryan’s unlikely journey

Terry Ryan’s path to the UBS Arena spotlight began with enormous expectations. The St. John’s, Newfoundland native was selected eighth overall by the Montreal Canadiens in 1995, joining a prestigious list of first-round talents. His junior career with the Tri-City Americans showed flashes of brilliance—he was named WHL Rookie of the Year in 1993 and posted an impressive 50 goals and 60 assists during the 1994-95 season. The hockey world seemed open to whatever he wanted to achieve.

But professional hockey rarely follows a straight line. Despite his draft pedigree, Ryan appeared in just eight NHL games across three seasons with Montreal, recording no points and struggling to find his footing. A career-ending ankle injury in 2001 sealed his fate as what many labeled a draft bust. The majority of his career unfolded in minor leagues—the AHL, IHL, WCHL, and ECHL—where he made his mark as much with his fists as his scoring touch, leading the Fredericton Canadiens with 34 fights in his rookie season.

The transition from failed prospect to working actor didn’t happen overnight. Ryan worked in the film industry in various capacities, landing small roles in productions like “Republic of Doyle,” “Frontier,” and even appearing as Zombie #22 in Zack Snyder’s “Dawn of the Dead.” He wrote and published his memoir, “Tales of a First-Round Nothing,” in 2014, finding catharsis in telling his story. The hockey world wasn’t done with him yet, though—on his 47th birthday in January 2024, Ryan signed with the Newfoundland Growlers of the ECHL and played a game, picking up seven penalty minutes after instigating a fight and proving his competitive fire still burned hot.

When the Sudbury Blueberry Bulldogs became real

The magic of “Shoresy” lies in its authenticity. Created by Jared Keeso, the half-hour comedy became a cultural phenomenon by capturing the raw, often profane camaraderie of hockey dressing rooms. What started as a “Letterkenny” spinoff evolved into something much bigger, attracting fans beyond Canada’s borders. Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman Jonah Williams invited cast members to an NFL game, while Dodgers pitcher Evan Phillips called it “one of the best sports TV shows ever.”

The Shoresy Fall Classic was born when New Metric Media CEO Mark Montefiore half-jokingly suggested a “Shoresy on Ice” tour. Executive producer Kara Haflidson took the idea seriously, reaching out to NHL alumni organizations. The inaugural edition in 2024 featured five games against Bruins, Red Wings, Maple Leafs, Blackhawks, and Sabres alumni, drawing over 25,000 fans total. The Toronto game sold 7,500 tickets in less than 30 hours, with fans treating the cast like hockey royalty.

This year’s expanded tour includes stops at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, TD Garden in Boston, Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Rogers Place in Edmonton, Rogers Arena in Vancouver, and the UBS Arena event on December 10. Boston Bruins Alumni president Frank Simonetti recalled the shock of last year’s players when Agganis Arena exploded for the Bulldogs’ introduction: “It was like Bobby Orr, Wayne Gretzky and Jesus Christ were introduced. The place went bananas.”

Inside the UBS Arena showdown: Islanders alumni versus the Bulldogs

The December 10 matchup at UBS Arena promises to be a highlight of the tour. The Islanders alumni roster reads like a love letter to Long Island hockey fans: Cal Clutterbuck, Josh Bailey, Matt Moulson, Benoit Hogue, Steve Webb, Rick DiPietro, Matt Martin, Radek Martinek, Eric Cairns, Thomas Hickey, and Thomas Greiss will take the ice, with legends Bryan Trottier and Shawn Bates serving as coaches. For the Bulldogs, Ryan will be joined by Jared Keeso (Shoresy), Jonathan-Ismael Diaby (JoDolo), Andrew Antsanen (Goody), Ryan McDonell (Michaels), and the Jim trio—Jon Mirasty, Brandon Nolan, and Jordan Nolan.

The game format features two 25-minute running clock halves, creating a fast-paced, high-energy experience. Don’t expect scripted Harlem Globetrotters-style antics—though there will be entertainment elements. “It’s not the Harlem Globetrotters,” Ryan emphasized. “We’re competitive so we get out there and it’s a real game. We want to go out there and win.” Last year, four of five games were decided by one goal in the final minute, proving the competitive integrity remains intact.

Fans will experience more than just hockey. The event includes a fanfest atmosphere with Shoresy-branded merchandise, exclusive video content during intermission, and demonstration areas for the new “Shoresy: Legends of the North” video game. VIP packages offer meet-and-greets, preferred seating, moderated Q&A sessions, and autographed photos. Best of all, cast members stay until every last picture is taken and autograph is signed. “We don’t leave until every last picture is taken and every autograph is signed,” Ryan promised.

Proceeds benefit the Islanders Children’s Foundation, continuing the tour’s charitable mission that also supports the Boston Bruins Foundation, Detroit’s East Side Youth Sports Foundation, and several other local organizations. As retired Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard noted after last year’s exhausting matchup: “The charity aspect is just the cherry on top. It’s a feel-good game, for sure.”

Hockey dreams redefined: Terry Ryan’s second act on his own terms

What makes the Shoresy Fall Classic special isn’t just the novelty of actors playing hockey—it’s that these actors can actually play. Jonathan-Ismael Diaby was a third-round pick of the Nashville Predators who played 82 AHL games. Brandon Nolan played six NHL games with Carolina; his brother Jordan won two Stanley Cups with Los Angeles and appeared in 375 NHL games. Jon Mirasty logged two seasons with the infamous Danbury Trashers, setting minor-league penalty minute records. These aren’t Hollywood pretenders; they’re hockey players who found a different path to the spotlight.

For Terry Ryan, the tour represents a redemption story he never scripted. “I’m as much of a fan at these games as the people who are paying to come see us,” he admitted. “Even though we were part of it, you still have unbelievable respect for players who have been there and done it.” The man who once carried the weight of being a “first-round nothing”—his own self-deprecating memoir title—now gets to share the ice with the very players he grew up idolizing, all while making fans laugh and cheer.

The show’s fifth season has wrapped filming, bringing the Bulldogs back to their hockey roots with more on-ice action, chirping, hitting, and fighting. “We’re back to the good old Shoresy and Sudbury Bulldogs hockey,” Diaby confirmed. But the real magic happens when the cameras stop rolling and the skates hit real NHL ice. The competitive juices flow, the alumni bring their best, and for two hours, the line between fiction and reality disappears.

What this means for hockey fans and the future of sports entertainment

The Shoresy phenomenon and its live tour represent something new in sports entertainment—a property that honors the game while parodying its culture, created by and starring people who truly understand hockey. When Islanders broadcaster Cal Clutterbuck praises the show for capturing OHL dressing room talk, or when former Red Wings note the pace is higher than expected, they’re validating the authenticity at the heart of the concept.

For fans attending the UBS Arena event, the experience offers multiple layers of enjoyment. You can come for the comedy, stay for the surprisingly high-level hockey, and leave having contributed to charity while meeting cast members. It’s a model that could influence how other sports properties think about fan engagement and cross-platform content.

Terry Ryan’s journey from highly-touted prospect to cautionary tale to beloved entertainer mirrors the show’s appeal—it’s relatable, it’s honest, and it finds humor in failure while celebrating perseverance. On December 10, when he steps onto the UBS Arena ice wearing his Bulldogs jersey, he’ll be living a dream that changed shape but never really died. The eighth overall pick in 1995 might have never become the NHL star everyone predicted, but he’s found something perhaps more meaningful: connecting with thousands of fans who see in him the same passion for hockey that drives them to fill arenas for a TV show turned real-life hockey adventure.

Tickets for the Shoresy Fall Classic at UBS Arena are available at shoresyclassic.com, with options ranging from standard seats to VIP experiences. Whether you’re a diehard Islanders fan, a Shoresy devotee, or simply someone who loves seeing hockey dreams realized in unexpected ways, this is one December night that promises memories far beyond a typical alumni game.