A decade ago, Marine Tyler Bluder revived a hockey team for members of the U.S. Marine Corps. Ever since, players have come together from around the country to rekindle the bonds of brotherhood with sticks and pucks rather than cammies and boots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On tournament weekends, teammates fly in from around the country to face off against Veteran hockey players representing other branches of service. Instead of staying in hotels, they rent homes together. Instead of eating out, they cook for each other, often with kids and wives in tow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019re a family,\u201d Bluder says. \u201cOnce a Marine, always a Marine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The team is heading into this year\u2019s hockey season after a year of growth and opportunity. In February, it was one of four selected from among 200 applicants to play in Navy Federal Credit Union\u2019s fifth annual Veterans Showcase \u2014 a one-of-a-kind military hockey tournament that honors Veterans across the country. The official military appreciation partner of the National Hockey League, the credit union hosted it in Ohio alongside the 2025 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series\u2122<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Marines team won the tournament 2-0 after scoring a game-winning shootout goal. In addition to the games, the team attended a welcome reception and dinner and the 2025 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series\u2122 game at Ohio Stadium. <\/p>\n\n\n\n All expenses were paid by Navy Federal, Bluder\u2019s credit union. It was a \u201conce-in-a-lifetime thing,\u201d Bluder said. \u201cEveryone on the team is a blue-collar guy making ends meet, so this opportunity was amazing. We couldn\u2019t ask for more.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Honoring the military spirit<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n Navy Federal is the official Military Appreciation Partner of the NHL\u2014supporting programs and initiatives that honor the spirit of military appreciation and hockey. Next year, it will once again bring four all-Veteran hockey teams (nearly 60 Veterans) to the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series\u2122 in Tampa, Fla., to compete in the sixth annual Veterans Showcase. The credit union will also celebrate its NHL partnership with military-themed ceremonies at games and its sponsorship of NHL Stick Tap for Service, which recognizes community service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The opportunity to attend the Vets Showcase tournament meant a lot to the Marines team, which was founded in 1984 at Camp Pendleton in California<\/a>. The team later disbanded, but Bluder, an aviation ordnance officer who grew up playing hockey, revived it in 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today, the team\u2019s roster includes Veterans from around the country, including the East and West Coasts, Alaska and Hawaii and even Japan. A few active-duty Marines are also on the team, as are a couple retired Navy Corpsmen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A common bond<\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n With members so far apart, whole-team practice is rare. But they gel at tournament time. \u201cWe all have this common bond of being Marines together,\u201d Bluder says, \u201cso we don\u2019t need to see each other and play with each other every single week.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n That bond stretches off the ice too. Some chip in to help teammates cover the sport\u2019s sky-high expense. Many coach youth hockey teams, help Veterans learn the sport later in life and contribute to the Marine Raider Foundation, which supports members of the elite special operations unit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And if a teammate is having a problem, someone will \u201cput a 911 out\u201d and, often within hours, a member of the community responds, whether by making a call or searching the barracks. \u201cThe help and support out there is fantastic,\u201d Bluder said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The best part about participating in this year\u2019s Vets Showcase tournament was the space it opened up for even deeper connection, including around challenges like depression, unemployment, and health problems. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt was eye opening,\u201d Bluder said. Most tournament schedules, he said, leave no time \u201cto really sit down with each other in a safe space, so to speak, and find out what people are going through. That weekend we had tons of time, on the bus, at the hotel, during meals, where we could sit down and have more candid conversations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Those conversations prompted team founders to initiate more regular team communication, offer more supports, and apply for nonprofit status, which allows it to accept grants and sponsorships to cover tournament fees and travel costs. This year, the team plans to participate in at least three tournaments and revamp website and communications materials\u2014and hopes to help more players cover cost of attendance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Supporting these bonds are key to why Navy Federal partners with the NHL, says Retired Navy Captain Keith Hoskins, who leads Navy Federal\u2019s new Military Affairs and Strategic Partnerships unit. It\u2019s a \u201cnatural, authentic fit,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re like-minded organizations both in terms of our shared passion for the sport and our shared values of service, integrity and community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n To learn more about Navy Federal\u2019s commitment to supporting Veterans and their families, visit navyfederal.org\/Veterans<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This article was developed by Navy Federal Credit Union. The team\u2014which is always seeking players\u2014can be reached on Instagram at @marine_ice_hockey and on Facebook at <\/i>Marine Ice Hockey.<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n