Celebrating two decades of Hockey Helps The Homeless in Montreal

MONTREAL – A very special day is coming up in the hockey world: it’s the 20th edition of the Hockey Helps The Homeless (HHTH) tournament in Montreal.

HHTH has existed on the national stage for 30 years now, with the goal of combining hockey players’ love for the game with a desire to give back to communities across the country. The tournament, which takes place on Friday, is a one-day event with each team playing three games, all for a good cause.

"It's a dream day for hockey players to raise money for those who need it most,” explained Corry Kelahear, chair of the Montreal tournament. “How that works is: basically, all players who play are expected to fundraise and that fundraising goes to various Montreal charities tackling homelessness.”

Kelahear says that the Montreal chapter partners heavily with youth-based charities, to help young people on the fringe turn things around before they end up on the street.

The primary vehicle for fundraising is the participants themselves – every player is expected to tap their networks to raise money, with corporate sponsors also pitching in and donating prizes and experiences.

The Canadiens, and owner Geoff Molson, have long been involved in lending a hand. For example, Molson and the Habs will be hosting top fundraisers for a special event at the Bell Centre to kick off the following year’s campaign.

"Geoff used to play in the event; he's one of the people who helped us build it to where it is today,” shared Kelahear. “Just us being associated with partners like the Montreal Canadiens allows us to go out and get lots of other partners and, most importantly, they're able to support us with just raising more money that goes directly to the charities.”

Each team in the tournament has an ex-NHL player or past Olympian on the roster, and it’s become an opportunity to develop lasting connections.

“It seems like a lot of people will continue to draft the same player; they start to build up a relationship with them. We have the regulars, like a PJ Stock,” affirmed Kelahear. “It's funny, sometimes it's not the best players who people run on their teams, it's who's probably the best guy in the locker room. Guys just eat up those stories, whether it be from past Stanley Cups, or just life behind the scenes.”

Of course, spending some time with an ex-NHLer is a perk for participants, but tournament organizers also make sure that participants keep the focus on why they’re really there.

“What's really important for us is to connect it back to the charities we support,” outlined Kelahear. “During the day, the charities come into the rooms and they present the projects that we funded in the past. So, when you're sitting in the room, you'll get a couple visits during the day just to see exactly where all the money is going.”

And what a sum of money it is. Kelahear says that the 2026 edition of the tournament will once again raise over $1 million, and he takes a lot of pride in the fact that costs are low. This ensures that as much money as possible is handed over to local charities, including Dans La Rue, Share the Warmth, and Chez Doris, among others.

For fans who want to contribute but who won't be hitting the ice, there are a couple of ways to do so: donate directly to the tournament, or bid on items in the silent auction.

The 20th edition of the Hockey Helps The Homeless Montreal tournament takes place at Sportplexe Pierrefonds on Friday. For more info, click here.