Hockey Fights Cancer daily digest

Welcome to the Hockey Fights Cancer Daily Digest. Though Hockey Fights Cancer is now a year-round campaign, most teams will be having their Hockey Fights Cancer nights during the month of November. NHL.com will provide all the highlights from each night as well as stories about the campaign.

Nov. 14

The Florida Panthers will hosted their Hockey Fights Cancer Night on Saturday, including a jersey raffle to give fans a chance to own a unique sweater.

Ahead of their game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, they are auctioning off selected HFC gear.

Click here for details.

Nov. 13

The Ottawa Senators and Columbus Blue Jackets each held their Hockey Fights Cancer nights on Nov. 13.

The Senators hosted the Boston Bruins at Canadian Tire Center and welcomed a familiar face in Grace Neal, a young patient from CHEO who the team met during a holiday visit last year.

The Senators also welcomed 21-year-old Dylan McGregor, who recently completed treatment and was able to ring the bell in front of a crowd of his fellow Senators fans.

The Blue Jackets played hosts to the Edmonton Oilers for their Hockey Fights Cancer night.

The players tunnel out to the ice was lined with special guests, clad in their white and purple jerseys.

The Blue Jackets also introduced their Foundation Heroes on the ice to loud applause from the fans at Nationwide Arena.

Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson, forward Rickard Rakell and mascot Iceburgh visted young cancer patients at Karolinska Hospital in Stochholm, Sweden. The team is currently there for 2025 NHL Global Series.

Nov. 8

The Montreal Canadiens hosted Hockey Fights Cancer Night before a game against the Utah Mammoth on Saturday, inviting a plethora of young warriors from Leucan, a Quebec-based non-profit organization that supports children with cancer through treatment, to share in the pregame ceremonies.

The team welcomed young warriors from the area to stand on the ice with the Canadiens and Mammoth for the pregame anthems. Each kid had their name announced with their player.

Before the game, the team made some changes to the locker room decor, lining the walls with the Legaue's "I Fight For" cards.

Canadiens players' wives and girlfriends also met with the group ahead of the game.

But no moment was sweeter than the applause for Nathan, a young patient from Leucan, who was able to ring the bell near center ice to signify the completion of his treatments.

Nov. 8

The Vancouver Canucks had some special guests on their Hockey Fights Cancer Night Saturday.

Singer/songwriter Shawn Hook, a cancer survivor, performed both the Canadian and American national anthems before the game.

The team also had their own wall covered with "I Fight For" cards with names of special people written on them.

One of the team's Stars of the Game, Xavier, was diagnosed with leukemia just before his 5th birthday and is now cancer-free.

The Canucks also welcomed Zander, who has had multiple surgeries after being diagnosed with brain cancer.

And, in another special moment in Vancouver, young cancer survivor Bryce Lambert and his family were given the honor of the ceremonial puck drop.

Nov. 6

Though the Winnipeg Jets have a few weeks before their Hockey Fights Cancer night on Nov. 23, they shared on Thursday the emotional story of Sunny, a kindergartener from Manitoba who has completed treatment Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Here is the story.

Also, the Columbus Blue Jackets will hold their HFC night next week. They released details for their night here.

Nov. 5

During TNT's Hockey Fights Cancer broadcast on Wednesday, analyst Eddie Olczyk shared a special and emotional message about his cancer fight.

Click here for details.

Nov. 4

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson sported special blazer in honor of his late mother, Lana, before their game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday.

Lana Manson lost her battle with cancer in 2023.

The purple lining of the blazer features pictures of Manson and his mother, including one from when the defenseman won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022.

Nov. 2

The San Jose Sharks held their Hockey Fights Cancer Night on Sunday at the SAP Center during their game against the Detroit Red Wings.

Every fan in attendance got a lavender scarf to participate in an in-game moment honoring those affected by cancer.

Fans also got to sign an “I Fight For” poster.

Players warmed up in special Hockey Fights Cancer gear, including caps and winter hats.

During the starting lineup announcements, five youth patients from Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara joined the players at the blue line.

For the ceremonial pregame puck drop, 17-year-old Ginger kicked things off with Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro and Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin.

During the game, Sharks players Vincent Desharnais and Nick Leddy hosted pediatric oncology patients and their families in a Penthouse Suite for the game.

Sharks mascot S.J. Sharkie visited the fans in their suite.

After the game, attendees will enjoy a private meet-and-greet with Desharnais and Leddy.

Desharnais and Leddy will host multiple suite experiences throughout the season for children and families affected by pediatric cancer.

Nov. 1

The Buffalo Sabres kicked off their Hockey Fights Cancer Night walking the purple carpet with patients from Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.

During warmups before their game against the Washington Capitals, the Sabres sported purple tape on their sticks.

Cancer survivor Megan Woodward performed the ceremonial puck drop between Sabres captain Rasmus Dahlin and Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin.

Oct. 30

The Minnesota Wild signed a new player Thursday, inking Weston Paszkiewicz to a one-day contract.

After signing the contract, the 10-year-old went into the Wild lockerroom, where he had his own stall and jersey waiting for him.

He then took the ice with the Wild and scored a few goals, getting cheers from the entire team.

Weston was diagnosed with Leukemia in January. Signing with the Wild was done with the help of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

"It put perspective on what you're going through and what it is," Wild coach Jon Hynes said. "I mean, we're doing something we love. We're coaching a game we love. We're playing a game we love. Yes, there's highs and lows in what you do, but you have the opportunity to come out and make someone's day. A kid like him, that's great. He's fighting for his life and he's in a real tough situation. You see the support that his family has and I think the guys were great with him. It's special. I think the more that you can do that and probably the impact that it has on him, to see him score a goal, the smile on his face as he's coming out, playing with NHL players is awesome."

Oct. 29

The San Jose Sharks found a way to combine Halloween and their Hockey Fights Cancer night.

Players Vincent Desharnais, Tyler Toffoli, Nick Leddy, and mascot SJ Sharkie, donned Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle costumes Thursday and visited kids at Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara.

The Sharks will host their HFC night on Sunday against the Detroit Red Wings.

Check out the photos and videos below.

The Buffalo Sabres are also getting ready for their Hockey Fights Cancer night on Saturday, when they host the Washington Capitals.

All fans in attendance at KeyBank Center will get a free HFC scarf. Check out the details here.

Oct. 28

The New York Islanders and Northwell Health held a Hockey Fights Cancer media day for seven children. Check out the photos below.

Oct. 25

The Florida Panthers were not only on the ice Saturday, there were Panthers on the prowl.

As part of their Pink at the Rink night, the defending Stanley Cup champs had Panthers on the Prowl all over Amerant Bank Arena.

Launched in March with the American Cancer Society (ACS), Panthers GM Bill Zito and his wife, Julie, a breast cancer survivor, created Panthers on the Prowl, a fundraising campaign to support cancer research.

Inspired by Chicago's famous Cows on Parade, each donor to Panthers on the Prowl receives a blank life-sized panther sculpture to design in any way they’d choose.

“We wanted to do something different,” Julie said at the launch of the initiative. “People want to be more involved in something unique that other people can see.”

Check out the Panthers' Pink at the Rink gear here.

Oct. 23

The Boston Bruins and St. Louis Blues are the first teams to hold their Hockey Fights Cancer nights in the 2025-26 season.

For the Bruins, lavender will be the dominant color during their game against the Anaheim Ducks at TD Garden.

You can read all about their night, including an auction, right here.

The Blues, meanwhile, will turn Enterprise Center pink for their Pink at the Rink night when they host the Utah Mammoth.

Here are all the details about their night.