An infamously wholesome Canadian star is in Windsor, and is living up to his reputation.
Keanu Reeves, a former goaltending prospect for the OHL, had a future in hockey until suffering an injury which took him out of the game. In town for a show at Caesar’s, Reeves picked up a little side hustle – signing a one day contract with the Windsor Spitfires. He signed a raft of memorabilia in honour of his short stint with the Spits. The goods are set to be auctioned off, with 100 per cent of the proceeds benefiting the Canadian Mental Health Association – Windsor.
“In a moment of happenstance, the Windsor Spitfires Hockey Club were finally able to add this former Ontario Hockey League goalie prospect, turned Dogstar bass player, to their roster with a one day contract!” the Spitfires wrote on X.
Reeves was set to play in the OHL during the early 80s, but couldn’t due to an injury per Bleacher Report. Reeves was meant to begin an OHL career years ago, but couldn’t due to injury. Windsor will be auctioning off signed items, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting the Canadian Mental Health Association – Windsor. Reeves, according to Wikpedia, played on the hockey team at De La Salle College, a Catholic college preparatory institution, in Toronto. The school’s 1982 yearbook features a photo of Reeves with the rest of the team in his goalie gear. The Pinterest page that published the pic says Reeves’s hockey nickname was “The Wall” and he had aspirations to play for the Canadian National Olympic team.
Elite Prospects has a page for Keanu saying he played for the De La Salle team in 1981-82, but do not have any of his stats.
Reeves eventually gave up his hockey dream and decided to become an actor at age 15. He left De La Salle to attend Avondale Secondary Alternative School so that he could get an education and act at the same time. He dropped out of high school when he was 17 and made his feature-film debut five years later in the hockey movie Youngblood.
Keeves went on to appear in more than 80 films, most importantly Bram Stoker’s Dracula, in which he perfected an English accent. A versatile talent, Reeves played John Wick in John Wick, Johnny Mnemonic in Johnny Mnemonic, Johnny Silverhand in Cyberpunk 2077, Don John in Much Ado About Nothing, and Johnny Utah in Point Break, which is widely considered by some writers on this site to be the most re-watchable film ever made. That same year, 1991, Reeves starred in Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, My Own Private Idaho, and the music video for Paula Abdul’s “Rush Rush.” Reeves also plays bass in the band Dogstar, speaks fluent French and a little Japanese, and performed all his stunts in The Matrix despite having a spinal injury at the time.
During his contract signing, Reeves autographed several hockey items. They will be auctioned off with the proceeds benefiting the Canadian Mental Health Association – Windsor.
Reeves, who grew up in Toronto, tried out for the team as a goalie prospect when he was a teenager but couldn’t play due to injury. The Spitfires announced the addition to their roster alongside pictures of Reeves signing his contract and sporting his new jersey. The team is also auctioning off all signed items by the actor with the proceeds benefiting the Canadian Mental Health Association of Windsor-Essex. Ironically, Reeves’s first movie role was as a hockey goalie in the 1986 film “Youngblood” about a teenager trying to make it to the NHL. The movie also starred Rob Lowe and Patrick Swayze.
Reeves was in the Ontario border city to play bass for his longtime American alternative rock band Dogstar at Windsor's casino. He grew up in Toronto and was born in Beirut. According to NHL.com, the Matrix star was a goaltender and came close to trying out for the Spitfires when he was a teenager — but couldn't due to injury. It's then when he ended up going full-time into acting.
Keanu Reeves has done many things in his life. He's an actor, a stuntman, a bassist, and a goalie. Reeves played hockey as a kid and was in the OHL feeder system for a while. While on tour with his rock band, Reeves ended up in Windsor, where he met with the Windsor Spitfires who gave him a one day contract! Reeves and his band, Dogstar, will be in Hammond, Ohio tonight if anyone's in the area.
