Players around the league continually support and organize fundraising events such as golf and fishing tournaments, while also coming to the aid of local hospitals and community institutions. For its part, the NHLPA, on behalf of players, is also a committed contributor to community and charity undertakings.

Hockey Fights Cancer

Hockey Fights Cancer is a joint initiative founded in December 1998 by the National Hockey League Players' Association and the National Hockey League to raise money and awareness for hockey's most important fight. Hockey Fights Cancer is supported by NHL Alumni, NHL Member Clubs, the NHL Officials' Association, Professional Hockey Trainers and Equipment Managers, corporate marketing partners, broadcast partners and fans throughout North America. To date, more than $6.5 million has been raised to support local cancer research organizations as well as the American Cancer Society and Canadian Cancer Society national organizations.

In other community activities, hospitals and minor hockey leagues are prime recipients of NHLPA donations. Notable among beneficiaries are the Ronald McDonald Children's Charities (RMCC) and the "Players Helping Players Fund," both of which have shared in the proceeds of the annual NHLPA Golf Classic, a golf tournament for current and former players that has raised $2.65 million dollars since 1993.

RMCC was also the principal beneficiary of the "4-on-4 Challenge" (i.e. four players and a goalie on the ice), an NHL-player tournament that the NHLPA organized during the owners' lockout of 1994-95. Team Ontario beat out Team USA, Team Western Canada and Team Quebec to win the tournament, which raised more than half a million dollars to support RMCC and minor hockey associations throughout North America.