THE ONLY POND HOCKEY CHARITY TOURNAMENT WHERE NHL ALUMNI COME TOGETHER TO:
Play hockey and raise awareness about the unique challenges and needs of young women during and after breast cancer.
Raise essential funds for iRise Above Breast Cancer’s transformative mission programs and other initiatives that empower, inspire, and support young women in healing and living well.
IN SUPPORT OF THE
iRISE ABOVE FOUNDATION
Created by young women after breast cancer, for young women after breast cancer.
EVENT DETAILS
WHERE
Gottesman Rink at the Davis Center in Central Park
http://daviscenter.centralparknyc.org/rink
106-51 East Drive
New York, NY 10026
Enter Central Park at 110th Street & Malcolm X Boulevard
WHEN
Saturday, February 27th, 2027
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
WHO
Men & Women, 18 Years of Age & Older
COST
$575 USD/Player
Format
A full day of half-ice games in Central Park. Every team skates with at least one former NHL player.
4-on-4
Half-ice games, no goalies, Pond Hockey rules apply.
Up to 12 Teams
6 to 8 players per roster, plus at least one former NHL player added to each team.
6 Games Minimum
Every team plays at least 6, 22-minute games.
Register Solo
Request teammates, and we'll balance teams competitively while accommodating requests.
What's Included
Lunch, a team jersey, bag of awesome giveaways, photos with NHL alumni and much more!
Skate With NHL Alumni
2027 alumni participation is being confirmed now.
FAQ
Still have a question? Email the event team at contact@iriseabovefoundation.org.
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Registration opens at 7:45 AM. Players should be fully dressed in their team uniforms and on the ice no later than 8:45 AM for warm-up and opening ceremonies featuring the NHL Alumni.
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Players need shin pads, elbow pads, and a cup. Helmets are not required but strongly recommended.
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The nearest subway station is 110 Street–Malcolm X Plaza (formerly Central Park North–110th Street). Once you exit the station, the park entrance is right there, and Gottesman Rink at the Davis Center (near the Harlem Meer) is just a 3-minute walk into the park.
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Spectators are free. Donations on-site are welcome and tax-deductible.
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Registrations are nonrefundable.
BECOME A SPONSOR
WE RISE BY LIFTING OTHERS – WILL YOU?
Will you support the urgent needs of young women during and after breast cancer?
At iRise Above, we strongly believe that WE RISE BY LIFTING OTHERS! Become a Sponsor of the Northern Roots Pond Hockey Charity Classic in support of the iRise Above Foundation and YOU TOO WILL RISE!
Find out more at Jackpocket.com
Find out more at archgroup.com
REGISTER HERE
By submitting this registration form, you pledge to help raise money BEYOND YOUR REGISTRATION FEE to play, to meet the 2027 CrowdFund Goal of $50,000 USD.
NHL ALUMNI WHO SUPPORT
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Dave Christian
Dave is a former American professional hockey player who scored 773 points in 1,009 games during his 15-season NHL career. He played for the Winnipeg Jets, Washington Capitals, Chicago Blackhawks, St. Louis Blues, Boston Bruins, and Edmonton Oilers. He also earned a Gold Medal with the 1980 Miracle USA Team.
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Bernie Nicholls
2-Time Participant
Bernie is a Canadian former professional hockey player who played over 1000 games in the NHL. During his 17-year career, Nicholls played 1,127 games for the Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, New Jersey Devils, Chicago Blackhawks, and San Jose Sharks, scoring 1,209 points. He is one of only eight players in NHL history to score 70 goals in a single season, and one of six to reach 150 points.
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George Parros
3-Time Participant
George played 474 NHL games over nine seasons. He won the Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007. He played for the Los Angeles Kings, Colorado Avalanche, Anaheim Ducks, Florida Panthers, and Montreal Canadiens. Parros currently serves as the head of the NHL's Department of Player Safety.
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Morris Lukowich
3-Time Participant
Morris is a Canadian former professional player. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins. His first two seasons of professional hockey were for the Houston Aeros of the WHA alongside his childhood idol Gordie Howe! Lukowich then went to the Winnipeg Jets for one more season in the WHA, where he scored 65 goals in 79 games! The Jets then moved to the NHL, where he spent 6 more seasons. Lukowich scored 40 goals in one season and had 3 more 30-goal seasons. He then played with both the Boston Bruins and the Los Angeles Kings. Lukowich scored 199 goals in 582 NHL games. He also went on to play in both Italy and Switzerland following his NHL career.
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Stephane Matteau
Stéphane is a Canadian former professional hockey player who played over 800 regular-season games in the NHL from 1989 to 2003. He played for the Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues, San Jose Sharks, and Florida Panthers. He is especially well-known among New York Rangers fans for his double-overtime goal in Game 7.
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![Arron Asham]()
Arron Asham
2-Time Participant
Arron is a Canadian former professional player who played 15 seasons in the NHL. Over his 15-season career, he played for six different teams. Asham was drafted 71st overall by the Montreal Canadiens, making his NHL debut during the 1998-99 season. He was traded to the New York Islanders in 2002. Asham became a mainstay in the Islanders’ line-up, once scoring an impressive 15 goals and 19 assists for 34 points in 78 games. In 2007, Asham signed a one-year contract with the New Jersey Devils. In 2008, Asham signed a two-year contract with the Philadelphia Flyers. Asham joined the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2010 and later signed with the New York Rangers in 2012. In 2013, he scored the series-winning goal in Game 7 of the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs to push the Rangers into the second round and eliminate the Washington Capitals.
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Ed Belfour
Guest Speaker & Inaugural Year Participant
Ed Belfour is a Canadian former professional hockey goaltender. He played junior hockey for the Winkler Flyers before going to the University of North Dakota, where he helped the school win the National Collegiate Athletic Association championship in the 1986–87 season.
Belfour was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2011.
His 484 wins rank him fifth all-time among goalies for wins. Belfour is one of only two players ever to have won an NCAA title, Olympic Gold, and the Stanley Cup. Over 18 NHL seasons, Belfour played in 963 games. He played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Florida Panthers.
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Dmitri Khristich
3-Time Participant
Dmitri is a former professional hockey player and head coach of the Ukrainian National Ice Hockey Team.After being drafted by the Washington Capitals, Dmitri played 886 career league and playoff games in the NHL. In addition to playing for the Washington Capitals, he also played for the Los Angeles Kings, Boston Bruins, and Toronto Maple Leafs. He scored 274 goals and added 362 assists. Dmitri was selected for two All-Star Games and competed for the Ukrainian National Team in three World Championships and the2002 Olympics! He is the NHL’s all-time leading scorer among players born and trained in Ukraine!
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Brian Propp
2-Time Participant
Scored 425 goals and over 1,000 points in 1016 NHL games over a 15-year NHL career.
He played for the Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins, Minnesota North Stars and Hartford Whalers.
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Brad Chartrand
Brad is a Canadian former player who had a five-year career in the NHL with the Los Angeles Kings from 1999 to 2004. He played in 215 regular-season games, scoring 25 goals and 25 assists for 50 points. He also played in Europe, the IHL, and AHL.
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![Greg Meredith]()
Greg Meredith
3-Time Participant
Greg played his NHL career for the Calgary Flames. He had been originally drafted by the Atlanta Flames who moved
The franchise to Calgary before Greg started his NHL career.
