Ducks Host Cancer Fighter and Former Collegiate Goalie Paddy O'Donnell at Hockey Fights Cancer Night

It is a widely understood notion that hockey goaltenders are a different and special breed.

For 21-year old Patrick “Paddy” O’Donnell, who is living with incurable brain cancer, it is his years as a goaltender and the mindset he has developed from his time in the crease that have prepared him for the fight of his life.

O’Donnell and his family were guests of the Ducks as the club hosted Hockey Fights Cancer Night last Friday in their contest against the Florida Panthers. The netminder’s story of grit and determination in the face of daunting challenges has served as an inspiration for those who have been affected by this deadly disease.

In August of 2022, just days before O’Donnell was set to head back to the University of Utah for his sophomore year, he experienced a seizure. Three tumors were discovered and the diagnosis was glioblastoma, a fast-growing, aggressive and fatal brain cancer. The then 20-year old was given just months to live.

The news sent the family reeling, but it has been the embrace and support they have received from their hockey community that has given O’Donnells strength.

As the youngest of five children, O’Donnell grew up in a household that lived and breathed hockey. With three older brothers who played the sport, and a father who was a goaltender at the University of Notre Dame, it seemed appropriate Paddy would end up in net. Not long after learning to skate, a brand new set of goalie pads appeared under the Christmas tree, and he never looked back.

The Carlsbad resident spent his youth seasons playing for the San Diego Jr. Gulls, and at the high school level, O’Donnell played for Pacific Ridge School in the Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League, where he led the Firebirds to an ADHSHL Division 1 Championship in 2020 and was selected as the tournament MVP.

At the University of Utah, O’Donnell studied computer science and was on the Utes men’s hockey ACHA roster, competing in both the Division 1 and Division 2 levels.

Since receiving his diagnosis, O’Donnell immediately went from student to patient. He has endured four surgeries, including one on Christmas Day 2022, and his days have included medications, injections, radiation, 24-hour electrode treatment and a myriad of therapy sessions through his home base at UC San Diego Health.

But the O’Donnells’ extended hockey family was quick to respond with unwavering support for the goaltender. From his Utes teammates to the Pacific Ridge Hockey Club, where his father serves as president, the tight-knit community let it be known that he and his family would not be facing this battle alone.

“There’s a lot of support for me and my family, and I’m very thankful for that,” O’Donnell said. “Adversity like this brings people together, and I definitely see a great showing of love support from everybody in the hockey community.”

One of O’Donnell’s biggest supporters during his cancer fight has been Ducks goaltender Lukas Dostal. The two met for the first time last year when O’Donnell was honored by the San Diego Gulls during the club’s Hockey Fights Cancer Night.

After being invited by Gulls goalie coach Jeff Glass to sit in on a video review session, the goaltenders became fast friends. Having lost his grandmother to pancreatic cancer, O’Donnell’s story hit close to home for Dostal, and the Ducks goalie has made it a priority to forge a friendship with the fellow netminder.

“I didn't want it to be just like a one-time thing, so I wanted to create a relationship, goalie to goalie,” Dostal said of his friendship with O’Donnell. “As people, we think about ourselves a lot, and it makes you realize that there are much worse things happening on a daily basis.”

The two talk regularly and Dostal will often head down to Carlsbad to meet up with O’Donnell for lunch, including a recent visit where O’Donnell received positive news from MRI scans showing tumor shrinkage.

“He's been my friend now for over a year, and it's beautiful, the compassion he shows for my situation,” O’Donnell said. “There’s a very good understanding between us as goalies. It’s like we're on the same team.”

The inspiration and admiration that exists between the two netminders is reciprocal, and Dostal was thrilled to see O’Donnell at Honda Center for Hockey Fights Cancer Night.

“The battle he goes through and he’s still smiling,” Dostal said. “You can see him smiling every day. It’s a very important night for people battling cancer…we’re going to do our best our best for them. It's very important to me.”

O’Donnell and his family sat in on the Ducks morning skate and were able to spend time with Dostal and other members of the Ducks organization before puck drop that night. His parents, Anne and Hugh, were overwhelmed with gratitude for the support that Dostal, the Gulls and the Ducks have shown their son.

“Lukas’ connection with Paddy keeps him in the game, in a game that he trains for, that he loves to play, and keeps him connected to the uniqueness of being a goaltender,” Anne said. “For the Ducks organization to include our whole family, it makes you forget about some of the stresses and worries. It widens the notion that we’re part of a bigger hockey family.”

“What the Ducks have done, and what the Gulls did last season, is just off the charts,” Hugh O’Donnell added. “The outreach that's brought us here tonight, there's no doubt in my mind about the Ducks commitment. We're really honored to be a part of this effort.”

Just like those who play this sport, O’Donnell has no quit in him, and despite the odds, he is committed to fighting this disease. He received clearance to return to the University of Utah next semester to continue his studies, and with assistance, he recently made a brief return to the ice.

At the core of O’Donnell’s approach to his cancer battle is the mental fortitude he has developed from his time in net and the belief that it is best to focus on the things that are in his control.

“Your mind is your own space, and no one can take that away from you,” O’Donnell said. “I think having control over your own thoughts definitely helps control your emotions and helps you persevere through adversity. A lot of my experiences as a goaltender have definitely helped me create that mindset and resolve.”

And while his battle may be far from over, O’Donnell is taking it all one day at a time, with a positive outlook and a smile on his face, leaning on the community that was born through his love for the sport.

“I definitely owe a lot to growing up playing hockey and having those teams of people to support me,” O’Donnell said. “Hockey is a special, special community.”