Checking for Charity tournament provides another reminder of the closeness within the Philly hockey community

The Philadelphia area hockey community gathered this weekend at the Hollydell Ice Arena in Sewell and the Flyers Training Center in Voorhees for the 16th annual Checking For Charity tournament. But this year, the mood around the tournament was a bit different, as it marked the first edition since seven-time NHL All-Star Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew Gaudreau were killed last August. The Gaudreau brothers, who grew up in Salem County, were among the biggest ambassadors of the tournament, each having participated over 10 times.

» READ MORE: Mike Sielski: Johnny and Matty Gaudreau were more than hockey. They were inspirations to their South Jersey community.

“Johnny was the best player we’ve ever had come out of this area by a long shot,” said former Flyers defenseman Tony DeAngelo, a longtime Checking for Charity participant who grew up in Sewell. “Growing up, their dad coached all of us. So we’ll keep their legacy going as long as we’re still down here, and even further on after that.”

In addition to the Gaudreaus, the Philadelphia hockey community remembered Tony Voce, the first Philly native to sign with the Flyers. The former Phantoms star died suddenly last summer at age 43.

DeAngelo, who is now with the New York Islanders and is entering his 10th NHL season, also had a relationship with Voce. The two won this tournament together in 2021, and this year, DeAngelo’s team played for Voce’s foundation.

The reach of the Gaudreaus and Voce extended well beyond the NHL community. Hunter Brody, a local sports talk radio host on 94.1 WIP, is very close with the entire Gaudreau family.

Brody and the Gaudreau brothers attended Gloucester Catholic High School together, and all overlapped on the hockey team. Johnny and Matthew’s dad, Guy Gaudreau, was the head coach.

“All throughout our childhood, growing up after juniors or so, this was the weekend we all got together, we hung out, we went down to the Shore after games, and this was like our weekend together. So it hits home for sure,” said Brody of being at the tournament without Johnny and Matthew.

Since its inception in 2009, Checking for Charity has raised upwards of $600,000 for over 100 different charities. The organization has come a long way over the years. In its first iteration, the tournament had one division and eight teams. This weekend, there were six divisions and 43 teams participating.

“Everyone keeps getting older,” joked Checking for Charity president Mitch Larnerd. “So over the years, we’ve added some age divisions.” In particular, many participants in the league’s inaugural event now participate in the 50+ age division, 16 years later.

While many players return year after year, Checking for Charity’s expansion was quick. Just three years in, they added a Pro-Am, or A Division, which is certainly the biggest draw for fans.

This year, current A division players included Flyers prospect Oliver Bonk, DeAngelo, San Jose Sharks center Adam Gaudette, and Buffalo Sabres alternate captain Mattias Samuelsson. Former pro Colby Cohen, a co-host of the popular Morning Cuppa Hockey podcast, also participated.

One of the biggest reasons pro players choose to partake in the tournament year after year is that each team gets to choose the charity it plays for.

“Everyone has a personal cause that’s near and dear to their heart, whether it’s that they know someone with leukemia, or has had heart problems, or, you know, some of the charities give back to the youth,” said Larnerd. “They all have meaning, which makes it more special for the players that they’re out there playing for something they really care about.

“Every charity gets money from our tournament,” added director of volunteers Alyson Ward. “The better you do, you get a little bit more, but really for that, it’s bragging rights.”

Gaudette, who wrapped up a career year with the Ottawa Senators in May before signing with the Sharks this offseason, played for 43 Oak Foundation, a non-profit that looks to educate underprivileged youth through the sport of hockey.

» READ MORE: Oak Lane native Sean Grevy is showing inner-city hockey players they belong — just like his dad did

“I got to know Sean [Grevy] and Sky [Silverstein, the founders of 43 Oak Foundation] and their program pretty well. It’s very special what they’re doing, and I’m glad to be able to know these guys and be a part of it,” said Gaudette.

Cohen, who attended Radnor High School and later played briefly in the NHL and in the AHL for parts of six seasons, represented the Scarlet Commonwealth Foundation. The Morning Cuppa Hockey host founded the organization, which supports a broad range of causes in the Boston area, with a number of his former Boston University teammates.

“It’s fun, you know. I haven’t played in this tournament in 10 years. And honestly, I wanted to play because I wanted my kids to get a chance to see me play,” said Cohen. “It’s fun playing with some of the young guys that I got to watch grow up. And then I’ve got a couple of my old buddies, guys a little bit closer to my age, playing, and we’re doing Ok, keeping up with these young kids.

But with the Gaudreau brothers not at the tournament, like they had been for so many years, there seemed to be a void.

“They’re just great guys. They were approachable; they would always talk to any kid that wanted their autograph,” said Larnerd. “Obviously, from a tournament perspective, John drew a lot of people. But as far as their impact, they were just great guys in the community.”

Brody and his team represented the Gaudreau Foundation during the tournament, which was founded by Meredith and Madeline Gaudreau, the widows of the brothers. The organization, which was represented by multiple teams in the tournament, aims to support projects that align with the values of both Johnny and Matthew.

“We think about them every single day, really. Whenever I’m driving, they’re constantly in my mind,” said Hunter Brody.

The winning team of this year’s A division was Enduraphin, which featured Bonk and Carson Brière, the son of Flyers general manager Danny Brière. Enduraphin won the championship game 7-2 against 43 Oak Foundation, led by Gaudette.

While organizers are already looking ahead to next year’s tournament, this year served as a powerful reminder of the greater Philadelphia hockey community’s closeness and resilience, as so many united to support meaningful causes, even in the face of tragedy.

» READ MORE: Nearly a year after the Gaudreau brothers’ deaths, their sister made sure Johnny and Matt were at her wedding