March 2009 - Right To Play extends sincere thanks and congratulations to 28 NHL players who collectively raised more than $100,000 in support of Right To Play programs through the second annual ‘NHL Donation for Minutes Weekend.’
Players from 25 NHL teams took part in the initiative, which saw players make donations based on their minutes played in one game over the Feb. 27 - March 1 weekend. Donations were made in honor of coaches or mentors who helped the players grow and develop not just in hockey, but in life.
Participating players included NHL superstars and Right To Play Athlete Ambassadors Alex Ovechkin, Zdeno Chara, Daniel Alfredsson, Joe Thornton and many more.
The fundraising total includes proceeds from an online auction and a generous $20,000 matching donation from the Garth Brooks Teammates for Kids Foundation, and represents a more than 150% increase from the $40,000 raised in 2008. The NHL and National Hockey League Players’ Association also participated through donations to the online auction.
The success of ‘Donation for Minutes Weekend’ is further evidence of that support for Right To Play from within the hockey community continues to grow. Four NHL players -- Chara, Andrew Ference and Steve Montador of the Boston Bruins, and Robyn Regehr of the Calgary Flames -- have visited Right To Play project locations in Tanzania or Mozambique over the past two summers, chronicled through feature documentaries shown on the NHL Network. More than 15 active NHLers took part in the celebrity ‘Festival Cup’ hockey game at Air Canada in support of Right To Play in September 2008. And at this year’s NHL All-Star Game skills competition, a charity challenge made by hardest shot winner Zdeno Chara resulted in $24,000 being raised for Right To Play.
To all players, teams, the NHL, the NHLPA and the Garth Brooks Teammates for Kids Foundation, thank you again for helping Right To Play build a healthier and safer world through the power of sport and play, and for your recognition that when children play, the world wins.