NHL, Matthew Perry Foundation team up for charity in preseason

The NHL and Matthew Perry Foundation will make every goal count this preseason.

The League and the foundation established to honor the late "Friends" star and passionate hockey fan are partnering to launch "Goals for Recovery," an initiative that turns preseason performance into meaningful impact.

In recognition of National Recovery Month, the NHL will donate $50 for every preseason goal scored to the Matthew Perry Foundation to help support addiction recovery, prevention and advocacy efforts across North America. With nearly 400 total goals typically scored during preseason, the campaign is projected to raise $20,000.

The preseason begins Saturday when the Dallas Stars host the St. Louis Blues (7 p.m. ET; Victory+).

"The NHL is proud to partner with the Matthew Perry Foundation on the Goals for Recovery campaign," said Rob Wooley, executive director of the NHL Foundation. "Matthew's love for hockey was well known, and this effort is a way to honor that passion while raising awareness about recovery and wellness. By tying the excitement of preseason hockey to his legacy, we can highlight that every goal scored is a reminder that progress matters both on the ice and in life."

The Matthew Perry Foundation aims to eliminate the stigma surrounding addiction by providing financial assistance to organizations that offer hope in recovery. It was created in the wake of the actor's accidental death Oct. 28, 2023.

"With Goals for Recovery, the NHL is helping us change the conversation surrounding addiction, proving that when fans, families and players unite to create a community, healing is possible," said Matthew Perry Foundation president Doug Chapin and executive director Lisa Kasteler-Calio.

Perry is best known for his role as Chandler Bing on "Friends," the NBC sitcom which ran from 1994-2004 and lives on in syndication. He starred in dozens of other television shows, and his numerous film credits include "Fools Rush In" opposite Salma Hayek and "The Whole Nine Yards" with Bruce Willis.

Perry was born in Williamstown, Massachusetts, but moved to Ottawa around his first birthday. It was there where his love for hockey was born. He became a very good player and a lifelong fan, supporting the Ottawa Senators and later the Los Angeles Kings after he moved to California.

As his acting career flourished, Perry played in several celebrity hockey games, including the 1994 NHL Celebrity All-Star Game. He hosted a party with the Stanley Cup at his home after the Kings won it in 2012, appeared in a 1995 NHL commercial, and presented the Norris Trophy to defenseman Erik Karlsson -- then a member of the Senators -- at the 2012 NHL Awards Show in Las Vegas.

"There's always been a very strong connection between him and the NHL," Chapin said.

The hockey world paid tribute to Perry following his death. The Senators showed a video clip at Canadian Tire Centre of Perry attending an Ottawa game, clad in a home black Senators jersey, waving to the crowd and showing off the logo.

Organists for several NHL teams, including his beloved Kings, played the "Friends" theme, "I'll Be There For You" by the Rembrandts, in honor of the late actor.