When True North Sports & Entertainment held a June news conference to announce how proceeds from Whiteout street parties would be distributed to grassroots groups addressing Winnipeg’s homelessness crisis, a surprising face stood out in the crowd at Ogijiita Pimatiswin Kinamatwin on Main Street: Jets defenceman Dylan DeMelo.

Considering the hockey season had ended more than a month earlier in heartbreaking fashion, you’d have expected the veteran blueliner to be long gone, joining teammates in scattering to their various off-season homes, not to be seen again until training camp in September.

Thing is, DeMelo was home. The Ontario native has put down deep roots in Winnipeg, living here virtually year-round with his wife, Jessica, and their two boys, Caleb, four, and Eddie John, 15 mont

See Full Page