The SMU Huskies held a successful Indigenous Heritage Weekend in October during Mi’kmaq History Month, celebrating Indigenous contributions to athletics with a full lineup of home games. Teams showed support by playing the national anthem in Mi’kmaq and wearing “Every Child Matters” t-shirts to honour the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The weekend also featured a puck drop by SMU Huskies hockey alum Erin Denny BSc’25.
Ceremonial puck drop with Erin Denny during the women’s hockey game
Denny’s work as a champion of representation and belonging in hockey has been recognized by Hockey Nova Scotia with the Erin Denny Award and the Erin Denny Scholarship, which were launched earlier this year.
Denny’s hockey journey began as a child, watching her older sister learn to skate in their community rink. Although the girls’ skate time wasn’t hockey-related, they did wear hockey gear, and Denny’s curiosity was piqued.
“The first time I tried skating as a kid, I hated it,” Denny says. “It was full ‘get me off the ice’, tears, everything.” It wasn’t until the next year that Denny took to the ice again, and the rest is history. Denny became increasingly involved in hockey, both in her community of Eskasoni and beyond. As her passion for the sport grew, so did her vision.
“When I was younger, my goal was to play in the NHL, and young me didn’t realize that that wasn’t a possibility because they didn’t have women’s hockey. My next goal, after that, was to play on the women’s Olympic team, because that was the next biggest opportunity. This really motivated me to become the athlete I wanted to see—I wanted to be an Indigenous athlete playing at that level—to be a role model for girls in my community.”
“I wanted to be an Indigenous athlete playing at that level—to be a role model for girls in my community. ”
Denny played for the SMU Huskies from 2021-2025
Reflecting on her time with the Huskies, Erin says, “Being part of the SMU Women’s Hockey team was an incredible way to make space for women and girls in hockey, as girls from my community could come out to games and watch me play on a university team with other women, who all looked different from me. An opportunity to ‘see her, be her.’”
Initiatives like Indigenous Heritage Weekend and the Red Tape Movement are a vital elements when advocating for change, says Denny. Creating spaces dedicated to Indigenous athletes and their accomplishments creates pathways for the next generation to make sport more inclusive.
“It makes a huge difference when you see someone that shares the same features as you,” says Denny. “To know they’re Indigenous, to know you share a community, and to see them succeeding has a real impact.”
Want to get involved in supporting Denny’s vision? Stay tuned for more information on the SMU Huskies Red Tape Double Header at the end of November.