Boots & Hearts Barn Burner charity hockey game returns to Barrie

The annual Boots and Hearts Barn Burner charity hockey game returns to the ice this summer in Barrie.

Mayor Alex Nuttall officially kicked off the event Monday morning in Oro-Medonte.

The event has raised more than $200 million for local charities since its inception.

This year, several NHL players from Simcoe County, including Chris Tierney, Quinton Byfield, and Isaak Phillips, will participate in the event.

"Being a kid who grew up in Oro and played Barrie minor hockey for eight years, it's nice to be a part of the event," said Phillips, a defenceman with the Chicago Blackhawks. "It's going to be my first time doing it this year. It's obviously an honour to use our platform to get out there and raise awareness."

In all, 32 players will take to the ice to help fundraise for local charities, including the RVH Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, John Tavares Foundation's programs for kids, Ontario Easter Seals, local Rotary clubs, and others.

"It's awesome to see hundreds of thousands of dollars in one night get poured out into the community to support community projects and make sure our local services have the dollars to succeed," noted Nuttall.

This year's event aims to raise $300,000. The puck drops on August 7 at Barrie's Sadlon Arena on Bayview Drive.