Story Summary
Georges Laraque and Andrew Ference are among the NHL alumni and staff figures set to support the Heroes Cup Hockey Tournament in New Jersey, a 16-team charity event benefiting the Tunnels to Towers Foundation.
Laraque, the retired forward who played 695 NHL games, is scheduled to be among the alumni participants alongside Al Secord and Darren McCarty. Ference, a 907-game NHL defenceman and 2011 Stanley Cup winner with the Boston Bruins, will bring his experience to Team NHL, which is officially entering the tournament for the first time.
The event has expanded rapidly since its four-team debut in 2023 and has raised nearly $500,000. Its proceeds support programmes including mortgage-free homes for Gold Star and fallen responder families, adapted smart homes for catastrophically injured veterans and first responders, scholarships, veteran homelessness programmes and 9/11 education initiatives.
Key Facts
- The Heroes Cup Hockey Tournament is a 16-team event at Ice Vault in Wayne, New Jersey, benefiting the Tunnels to Towers Foundation.
- The tournament has grown from four teams in 2023 to 16 teams, with a waiting list, and has raised nearly $500,000.
- Team NHL will compete officially in the Heroes Cup for the first time.
- Andrew Ference is part of Team NHL’s roster. The retired defenceman played 907 NHL games from 1999-2016, won the Stanley Cup with Boston in 2011 and is now NHL Director of Social Impact and Player Programs.
- Matt Herr, NHL senior director of community development and industry growth, is also on Team NHL. He played 58 NHL games with the Washington Capitals, Florida Panthers and Bruins from 1998-2003.
- Retired forward Georges Laraque, Al Secord and Darren McCarty are scheduled to play after selection to tournament teams at Friday’s Heroes Cup Draft Party.
- Laraque played 695 NHL games for the Edmonton Oilers, Phoenix Coyotes, Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens between 1997 and 2010.
- Team NHL will face teams representing emergency services, law enforcement and military veterans in the round-robin tournament, including the NYPD, FDNY, FBI, U.S. Secret Service and Washington Capitals Warriors.
- Tournament games begin at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, with NHL versus NYPD among the listed opening games.
IHM Discussion
The NHL’s involvement gives the Heroes Cup more than a recognisable name on a team sheet. A first official entry from league employees places people who work across community development, social impact and player programmes directly within an event built around the service of first responders, law enforcement personnel and veterans.
Ference’s inclusion supplies substantial playing pedigree while also fitting his current NHL role. His 907-game career, which included a Stanley Cup with Boston, makes him one of the most accomplished hockey figures attached to Team NHL. Herr adds a different but similarly relevant connection: he combines a 58-game NHL playing background with his current work in community development and industry growth.
Laraque’s return is equally telling. He played on two teams during last year’s tournament and declined an offer to sit out despite sore joints. His explanation centred on the service performed by police officers, firefighters, Secret Service personnel and other first responders. That perspective also reflects a personal connection, with Laraque’s brother having served as a police officer in Halifax for 25 years.
The tournament’s expansion from four teams to 16, alongside a waiting list, provides the clearest measure of its momentum. Hockey is the vehicle, but the format brings together groups whose day-to-day work extends far beyond sport. The NHL contingent will therefore be part of a field that includes teams from police, fire, corrections, court, federal and military-veteran communities.
Why It Matters
The Heroes Cup channels a hockey event towards a defined set of charitable programmes. Tunnels to Towers uses tournament proceeds to assist Gold Star and fallen responder families, catastrophically injured veterans and first responders, while also supporting scholarships, veteran homelessness programmes and 9/11 education initiatives.
For the NHL, the significance lies in direct participation rather than a remote association. Team NHL is entering the competition itself, while alumni will be distributed among tournament teams after the draft party. That creates contact between former NHL players, league staff and the responder organisations represented throughout the field.
The event also arrives as the 25th anniversary of 9/11 is being marked. The foundation was established in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks, giving the tournament’s charitable purpose a specific historical connection.
Mini Q&A
Who is playing for Team NHL at the Heroes Cup?
Team NHL includes Andrew Ference and Matt Herr. Ference played 907 NHL games and won the 2011 Stanley Cup with Boston, while Herr played 58 NHL games.
Which NHL alumni are scheduled to take part?
Georges Laraque, Al Secord and Darren McCarty are scheduled to play after being selected to tournament teams at Friday’s draft party.
What does the Heroes Cup support?
The tournament benefits the Tunnels to Towers Foundation and its programmes for Gold Star and fallen responder families, injured veterans and first responders, scholarships, veteran homelessness and 9/11 education.
Coach Mark Comment
A mixed-field charity tournament is not about systems detail or results, but the hockey element still matters. Players such as Ference and Laraque give the event an experienced presence, while the broader format keeps the emphasis where it belongs: shared participation between the NHL community and the service organisations the tournament is designed to support.
What Comes Next
The Heroes Cup Draft Party is scheduled for Friday, when Laraque, Secord and McCarty will be selected onto tournament teams. Games then begin at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday at Ice Vault, including Team NHL’s meeting with the NYPD.
IHM Final View
The NHL’s first official Heroes Cup entry, reinforced by alumni participation, adds hockey experience to an event whose main purpose is charitable support. The tournament’s growth to 16 teams shows that its reach now extends well beyond a small one-off gathering, while keeping responders, veterans and affected families at the centre of the occasion.