Laraque, Ference to represent NHL in Heroes Cup Hockey Tournament

Heroes Cup Hockey Tournament organizers asked retired NHL forward Georges Laraque if he wanted to skip a game to rest his achy joints after he pulled double duty playing on two teams during last year's annual charity event.

Laraque adamantly refused.

"Police officers, Secret Service, firefighters, first responders, those people put their lives on the line for us for security," said Laraque, who played 695 NHL games with the Edmonton Oilers, Phoenix Coyotes, Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens from 1997-2010. "The fact that I was a bit sore when those guys, they go on the line of duty and face the fire, they're the true heroes. Yeah, I played."

The NHL, its employees and alumni players are participating in full force at this year's tournament, which begins Friday and benefits the Tunnels to Towers Foundation, a national nonprofit born out of the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Proceeds from the tournament go toward foundation programs that provide mortgage-free homes to Gold Star and fallen responder families, adapted smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders, scholarships, veteran homelessness programs and 9/11 education initiatives.

The Heroes Cup skates out of the Ice Vault in Wayne, New Jersey, and has grown from four teams in 2023 to 16 teams with a waiting list and has raised nearly $500,000.

"The growth of the Heroes Cup from four teams to 16 is testament to Tunnel to Towers' impact, generating more than $500,000 to support Gold Star families, fallen first responders, injured veterans, and others, said Kim Davis, NHL senior executive vice president of social impact, growth initiatives and legislative affairs. "As we mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11, this year's event carries even greater significance."

A team of NHL employees will officially compete in the Heroes Cup for the first time. It will go head-to-head in the round robin tournament against teams from the New York City Police Department, Fire Department of New York, New York's Boldest (corrections officers), New Jersey State Police, New Jersey State Policemen's Benevolent Association, New York State Courts, Nassau County Police Department, Port Authority Police Department, Philadelphia Police Department, FBI, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Coast Guard and Washington Capitals Warriors, a military veterans squad.

Team NHL's roster brings some firepower in Andrew Ference, a retired defenseman who played 907 games with four NHL teams from 1999-2016 and won the Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins in 2011 before becoming NHL Director of Social Impact and Player Programs, and Matt Herr, NHL senior director of community development and industry growth, who played in 58 games with three NHL teams from 1998-2003.

"I think the tournament is really important because some of us or all of us have known somebody or have a family member that has been affected by 9/11," said Herr, who was a center with the Washington Capitals, Florida Panthers and Bruins. "If you look at the history of Tunnel to Towers and the growth that it's had over the last couple years, they've really done a good job to support the right things."

NHL alumni, including Laraque, Al Secord and Darren McCarty, are also scheduled to play. They will skate on some of the tournament teams after they're selected at the Heroes Cup Draft Party presented by the NHL on Friday at Club Vibe in Riverdale, New Jersey.

"Playing in this tournament means a lot to me because my brother is a police officer in Halifax (Nova Scotia) and has been a police officer for 25 years," Laraque said. But "It's such a nice thing that they're (Tunnels to Towers) doing and it's awesome that the League is getting involved because this is unbelievable."

Heroes Cup Hockey Tournament co-founder and CEO Josh Lentin said NHL support for the tournament has been invaluable.

"The NHL has been so great," he said. "They put us in front of all 32 teams, charity departments, community relations departments, and allowed us to present the Heroes Cup and Tunnel to Towers as a whole. We provided them with a five-year plan for the Heroes Cup."

Tournament games begin at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday at Ice Vault with the NHL vs. NYPD, Boston Fire vs. New Jersey Fire, and FBI vs. FDNY.