Dallas Stars: The Good Guys in Green
Oh yes, it’s finally beginning to feel a bit like hockey season! The Dallas Stars have wrapped up another training camp in Frisco, and they’re one game into the preseason. NHL Network’s NHL Live! has returned. People are speculating on the health of Sidney Crosby. It just feels so right.
Every quest for Lord Stanley’s Cup begins in earnest, and throughout each season we fans are treated to the full range of emotion and drama: scintillating one-man performances, epic team meltdowns, blowout laughers, head-scratching duds, and miracle comebacks. Some players collect penalty minutes while others collect hat tricks, and all the while the ice collects their fractured teeth. There’s nothing quite like it… and then the playoffs begin.
So as we prepare to bask in the light that is 82 games of full-contact professional hockey, I think it’s important to recognize that some players give back in ways that extend beyond their on-ice performance. Here is a list of some Dallas Stars players with noteworthy charitable contributions. I’ve tried to steer clear of monetary donations (don’t get me wrong, they’re always worth it) to focus on things that require a level of time and personal commitment. This list is by no means comprehensive, and I greatly encourage anyone who can add to it to help me do so.
Tyler Seguin came to Dallas in July 2013 with a bit of notoriety stemming from a perceived lack of maturity and professionalism. However, he has used his time so far in Dallas to completely erase those stigmas by emerging as a leader on the team and in the community. This past July he hosted a charity golf tournament, and last week he renewed his 12-person suite which is reserved for athletes with spinal cord injuries and their families. After each home game, Seguin makes an appearance at the suite and greets fans.
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Jordie and Jamie Benn
The Brothers Benn have only recently become a tandem that bolsters both ends of the Dallas ice, but they’re no secret in their hometown of Victoria, British Columbia. For two summers in a row, they’ve returned home as guest coaches at fellow NHLer (and Victoria native) Ryan O’Byrne‘s charity camp to benefit youth sports in the area. On top of that, Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin recently participated in a sled hockey game to benefit Multiple Sclerosis.
As a member of Finland’s Olympic men’s hockey team, Lehtonen and teammates rode bicycles around the Olympic Village during their stay in Sochi. After the closing ceremonies, members of the the team autographed their bikes and auctioned them off for charity. Four hours after the auction opened, teammate Teemu Selänne‘s bike was already fetching $2,000. I’d really love to know how the auction closed, but I can’t read Finnish. I see “Selänne” followed by “12000,00 €”, which is roughly $15,000. Anybody?
As the charity arm of the franchise, the Dallas Stars Foundation has facilitated many great deeds by Stars players, and often ones that include multiple team members. Posters, autographed memorabilia, and other goodies can be found on their site, which donates all proceeds to charitable causes. Plus, who can forget the classic Movember event to raise awareness for prostate cancer?
As previously mentioned, this list is incomplete… especially since some of the most sincere charitable activities go unmentioned and unheralded. I prefer to think that the most selfless acts remain thankless, and that the desire for good press is trumped by the desire to do good. If you can help improve this list, drop a line. Now brace yourself for another nine months of hockey, and enjoy the ride!