The Dallas Stars hosted the Spring Classic in March 2022 with five men’s teams representing Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Puerto Rico and Venezuela.
“We want to use the Spring Classic as a resource for NHL teams that want to reach out to their minority, Latin communities and have the tournament there,” Otero said.
Otero said he never imagined he would become this involved in hockey when a co-worker from New York took him to his first Panthers game in 1994-95.
“I was hooked and started going to more Panthers games,” he said. “I became a season-ticket holder the following season, the year that we went for the Stanley Cup Final. I was there when they played their first game in the new arena in October 1998 against the (Tampa Bay) Lightning and I moved into the new house the next month.”
His interest in Latin American hockey spawned from business trips to places like Colombia and Brazil, where he would see kids playing roller hockey.
“It kind of hurt and bothered me seeing these kids and feeling like they don’t have an opportunity to play the sport,” he said. “I just felt like these kids deserved an opportunity to play a game that they love and to play it here for someone to see their talent.”
The LATAM Cup has become a family affair for Otero, his wife, Susan, daughter, Alyssa, and son Christopher, who is a rookie forward for the Metro Jets of the United States Premier Hockey League this season.
They’ve all worked the tournament, spending hours in the IceDen selling tickets, team and tournament merchandise or helping with logistics.
“I’m all-in and so are they,” Otero said with a laugh.
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