Hockey Fights Cancer
NHL and NHLPA initiative for cancer research.
Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0
Hockey Fights Cancer is a joint charitable effort by the National Hockey League (NHL) and the NHL Players' Association (NHLPA), focused on raising funds and awareness for cancer research. The initiative began in 1998, growing out of a program started by the Tampa Bay Lightning after former player John Cullen made a brief return to the NHL following his battle with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. By 2015, the program had raised more than US$14 million, according to its website.
The idea originated when Lightning forward John Cullen, who led his team in scoring during the 1995–96 season, was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma and forced to sit out the rest of that year and all of the next. He attempted a comeback in 1998–99 but retired after just four NHL games and three in the minors. In recognition of his effort, the NHL awarded him the 1999 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. Cullen’s experience inspired Timm Harmon of the Moffitt Cancer Centre at the University of South Florida to partner with the Lightning to raise money and awareness. By December 1998, the NHL and its players’ union had joined the cause, formally creating Hockey Fights Cancer. The initiative also receives support from the National Hockey League Officials Association, the league’s trainers’ association, and various media and business partners.
The campaign’s main event, Hockey Fights Cancer Month, takes place in October and November, coinciding with Breast Cancer Awareness Month. During this period, players, teams, fans, and corporate partners raise money through auctions of team-branded and autographed merchandise and equipment. Game-worn jerseys are especially popular; for instance, a Pittsburgh Penguins All-Star jersey worn by Sidney Crosby sold for $47,520 in 2007, and that year’s jersey auctions brought in over $140,000. A notable Hockey Fights Cancer night occurred in Pittsburgh on November 5, 2018, when New Jersey Devils forward Brian Boyle, a cancer survivor diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia in September 2017, scored his first NHL hat trick in a 5-1 win over the Penguins. During the month, some players wear purple-painted equipment to promote the cause.
Quick Facts
- Focus
- Cancer research
- Key People
- Timm Harmon (founder)
- Owner
- National Hockey League
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Tampa Bay Lightning forward John Cullen was leading his team in scoring during the 1995–96 NHL season when he was forced out of the lineup after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He missed the remainder of that season and all of the following season as he suffered from the disease. Cullen attempted a comeback in 1998–99, but chose to retire after four NHL and three minor league games. In recognition of his comeback attempt, the NHL named him the 1999 winner of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for dedication and perseverance.
Cullen's cancer inspired Timm Harmon of the Moffitt Cancer Centre at the University of South Florida to partner with the Lightning to raise awareness and money for cancer research. By December 1998, both the NHL and its union had joined themselves to the cause.
Reader's Guide
Hockey Fights Cancer represents a significant intersection of professional sports and public health philanthropy. Founded in 1998, it grew from a local Tampa Bay Lightning program inspired by John Cullen's battle with non-Hodgkin lymphoma into a league-wide initiative supported by the NHL, NHLPA, officials, trainers, and corporate partners. Its primary significance lies in its sustained fundraising for cancer research, having raised over US$14 million by 2015. The initiative also raises awareness through designated months and game nights, with activities such as jersey auctions and 50/50 raffles. Notable moments, such as cancer survivor Brian Boyle's hat trick on a Hockey Fights Cancer night in 2018, highlight the personal impact of the cause. The program's legacy is one of leveraging the popularity of hockey to mobilize fans and resources in the fight against cancer, creating a model for sports-based charitable efforts.
Did You Know?
- Hockey Fights Cancer was founded in 1998 as an outgrowth of a program by the Tampa Bay Lightning after John Cullen's comeback from non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
- By 2015, the initiative had raised over US$14 million according to its website.
- Sidney Crosby's All-Star Game jersey sold for $47,520 in a 2007 auction for the initiative.
- Cancer survivor Brian Boyle of the New Jersey Devils scored his first NHL hat trick on a Hockey Fights Cancer night in Pittsburgh on November 5, 2018.
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