Well, to be a hockey player also means to give back. Be it championing important social causes or funding charity work, it’s not uncommon to see NHL players making a difference in their communities off the ice. Which brings us to the Blues. With over $600,000 raised during a Puck Cancer game in 2024, the St. Louis Blues fans rallied around for another one this time. “I’d like to say that it’s inspiring, and it’s inspiring for me,” said Kelly Chase, former Blues star, after hosting a second Puck Cancer Second Shift charity game at the Centene Community Ice Center. As much as it was about the financial contributions, the event was driven by the many emotions that brought success both times.
Led by Chase himself, the event raised awareness for the illness he’s been suffering from for almost two years now. The 57-year-old has been fighting a second round of acute myeloid leukemia and is currently undergoing treatment following a bone marrow transplant from his brother. Now, Chase is again in remission, though he was advised by doctors to refrain from participating in any of the on-ice activities.
Nonetheless, Chase was present to witness the game unfold at the Centene Community Ice Center between the St. Blues alumni and the Chicago Blackhawks alumni. A short summary of the event was posted to YouTube by KSDK News, including Chase’s reaction to the event and the over $600,000 that was raised yet again to support cancer research. “I got good friends,” he said, voice thick with emotion as he paused for a second. “Yeah, I got good friends.” When you’ve got a heart like his and friends showing up, would you want to miss out?
“In that locker room, lengths that people have gone to come here to this event is crazy. It’s inspiring for me, but I don’t know; I look at it from a different platform because I can’t believe that people have treated me so well and I’ve been blessed with good friends,” Chase went on to add. Adding to the personal significance for Kelly Chase is the fact that the money raised will be benefiting the Siteman Cancer Center and The V Foundation for Cancer Research.
And for Chase, well, as he said, it was the immense love and support from everyone who showed up to his event that warmed his heart. The Blues and the Chicago Blackhawks alumni—Brett Hull, Chris Chelios, Kevin Shattenkirk, Paul Stastny, and many others like the Blues current coach himself, Jim Montgomery— made their presence felt on the ice and on the bench! What a night when fans cheered and applauded while Chase walked onto the ice, like the heart of the team itself, and the two teams plus Chase gathered to display the $600,000 check.
But while Kelly Chase expressed his disbelief over how everyone showed up to the cause, those who showed up wouldn’t have it any other way. The St. Louis community remains deeply appreciative of Chase, and it showed through their actions just how beloved a figure he is.
St. Louis shines as the hockey community and beyond gather around
Well, the rink wasn’t just packed with fans and entities from the hockey community only! Half of the sports world and entertainment world showed up for a big reason! It just set the right vibe because of who was there. Musicians and singers like Dierks Bentley and Trevor Rosen of Old Dominion joined alongside TV and radio personality Billy Bush! And the coaching bench? That indeed looked like a Hall of Fame reunion!
When asked about how he joined the event, Bentley, a longtime hockey fan, responded that he’s actually been friends with Kelly Chase for a few years now, having met while summering in Idaho together once. “Kelly Chase. Love this guy,” he said during his interview with the NHL Network. “I just know a lot of the guys that are here through various interactions, so it’s super fun being down in the locker room and seeing everybody.”
The event also saw Illinois representative Steve McClure in attendance, who later posted about it on his Instagram, along with a slideshow of photos with him and the various celebrity and hockey figures present. “Had fun last night at the 2nd Annual Puck Cancer event hosted by Kelly Chase to raise money for cancer research,” he wrote in the caption.
The night was more than a tribute, a definition of what the hockey world stands for! When one needs strength, the community shows up with heart, no matter what, and for Kelly Chase? Well, it clearly meant the world to him. “It’s overwhelming for me, like honestly.” A powerful nudge for both fans and the sporting world, beyond the goals and trophies, because hockey defines unbroken bonds despite life throwing its hardest hits!
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