NHLPA Players Tee It up for 25th Annual Golf classic
Like it does every year, the NHLPA Golf Classic brought NHL players together in the name of charity. The tournament celebrated its 25th anniversary as it was able to bring its total donation to over $3.6 million dollars since its inception in 1993.
For the 25th consecutive year, the NHLPA Golf Classic brought NHL players together in the name of charity.
To mark the special occasion, every current player in attendance at Glen Abbey Golf Club Wednesday was given $2,000 for the cause of their choice as they participated in individual and team competitions.
Over 50 current and former NHL players took part in the day's action, and some of them even brought guests to take part.
Kevin Bieksa brought a special guest out to the #NHLPAGolfClassic - his son Cole! Best golf tip from dad? "Keep your head down." pic.twitter.com/WjvlUvLDFC
— NHLPA (@NHLPA) July 12, 2017
Also on hand was Hockey Hall of Fame forward Ted Lindsay, who is known for his skill, tenacity, leadership, and his role in establishing the original Players' Association.
Lindsay's presence was appreciated by all players in attendance, as many made sure to stop for a photo and swap stories with the legendary "Terrible Ted" Some players even had a generational connection to Lindsay.
What a pleasure it was to be able to chat with the great Ted Lindsay! What a class act and apparently a great scout! 👍 #NHLPAGolfClassic https://t.co/aQ1fQXB0WA
— Nick Foligno (@NickFoligno) July 14, 2017
One highlight of the night was a moving speech made by former Executive Director Bob Goodenow, recounting his first and fondest memory of Lindsay in the early 1960s. Goodenow recalled a tender childhood moment at a friend's birthday party, where the surprise of the night was Lindsay himself, signing autographs to the entire party's delight - and Goodenow's first ever NHL player autograph.
At the end of the day, Greg McKegg took home the bragging rights for lowest player score of the tournament by shooting three under par with a 69. Following the tournament, Logan Couture landed a mere two inches away from the hole in the NHLPA Member Charity Challenge for $25,000 for his charity of choice, See The Line.
Josh Jooris and Darnell Nurse also won $15,000 and $10,000 respectively for autism and CityKidz Hamilton.
Everyone went home a winner by helping to bring the grand total donation from the NHLPA Golf Classic to $3.6 million dollars over its 25 years of existence - including $125,000 from the 2017 Golf Classic.
Here's a look at some of the causes the players chose to donate to:
| Louis Domingue | The Jackson-Jay Foundation |
|---|---|
| Lawson Crouse | The Tara "Boom" Houston Children's Foundation |
| Josh Jooris | Autism |
| Brian Gionta | Ronald McDonald House of Rochester |
| Kevin Bieksa | The FORT |
| Jeff Skinner | The Bryan and Amanda Bickell Foundation |
| Boone Jenner | The Janis Foligno Foundation |
| Dougie Hamilton | The Brock-Niagara Penguins |
| Devin Shore | Pancreatic Cancer Canada - Ontario division |
| Andreas Athanasiou | Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute |
| Darnell Nurse | CityKidz Hamilton |
| Jonathan Huberdeau | La Fondation des Cougars |
| Jonathan Marchessault | Fondation le Petit Blanchon |
| Derek MacKenzie | Hats for Heroes |
| Cal Clutterbuck | United Heroes League |
| Stephen Gionta | Pete Frates Home Health Initiative |
| Logan Couture | See the Line |
| Adam Henrique | Stedman Community Hospice |
| Joseph Blandisi | The Tory Day Fund |
| Marcus Foligno | The Janis Foligno Foundation |
| Tanner Pearson | Ronald McDonald House, KW Humane Society |
| Tyler Toffoli | Wags and Walks, Vanderpump Dog Foundation |
| Cameron Gaunce | Minor Hockey Foundation Ontario |
| Barclay Goodrow | See the Line |
| Micheal Haley | Noelle's Gift |
| Josh Leivo | The Bryan and Amanda Bickell Foundation |
| Greg McKegg | St. Thomas Spectacular/Special Olympics |
| Cory Conacher | Diabetes Canada |
For more highlights from the day's action, check out #NHLPAGolfClassic on Instagram and Twitter.