Powers: Defending the Blue Line helping military families

Chad Hudella and Defending the Blue Line allow the NHL and its players to give back to military families across the country.HASTINGS, Minn. -- Weston Ballard lifts a packed hockey bag over his shoulder and swings it around his body.

The weight of the bag isn't that much less than the 5-year-old himself, and Weston is pulled along with it and nearly taken to the ground. Weston's father, Harry, 40, stands a few feet away and laughs as he watches his son enjoy his new belongings.

Weston, like a lot of children in the State of Hockey, has caught hockey fever. He and his three siblings often watch hockey in their St. Paul, Minnesota, home and are captivated by Minnesota Wild games. Weston recently…