Players4Purpose: Six Penguins, Six Causes, Endless Impact

Alex Nedeljkovic got his first puppy, a five-year-old black Lab named Zeke, through his work with Project 2 Heal – whose mission is to increase the availability of service dogs for veterans, children with special needs, and adults with disabilities,

The Penguins goaltender first became involved with the non-profit, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, during his time with the Hurricanes organization. Project 2 Heal is the only non-profit in the U.S. dedicated to the husbandry and nurturing of Labrador Retriever puppies, which are then donated to carefully selected training organizations worldwide.

“I grew up with a Lab, my grandma had a big Lab when I was younger. So, I always loved dogs,” Nedeljkovic said. “I went out to their facilities and got to know everybody around there a little bit better, and spent time with the dogs. We were fortunate enough that they allowed us to adopt one of them. Just kept in touch with them this whole time, and they’re just great people. They're doing an amazing thing, and it's a nonprofit organization, so you can't say enough good things about them.”

Penguins fans can support organizations like Project2Heal through a new ticketing fundraising initiative called ‘Players4Purpose’ for the 2024-25 season. Nedeljkovic is one of six Penguins players who have selected charities that will benefit from ticket purchases during six monthly matchups, running from October to March.

Fans who purchase tickets through the dedicated ‘Players4Purpose’ page can select which player’s charity of choice will benefit at checkout. The Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation will match the donation to the winning charity each game, up to $1,000. The campaign kicks off with the October 31 game.

Other monthly matchups include the Military Appreciation Game on November 11, ‘Giving Tuesday’ on December 3, the first home game of the New Year on January 7, the Black Hockey History Game on February 4, and the Pride Game on March 13.

Joining Nedeljkovic are players with close connections to their cause: Bryan Rust (Friends: The National Association of Young People Who Stutter), Kris Letang (The Heart Institute at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh), Erik Karlsson (Toys for Tots), Anthony Beauvillier (Alzheimer’s Association: Greater Pennsylvania Chapter I Pittsburgh Office), and Matt Nieto (Autism Speaks).

“It's huge,” Nedeljkovic said. “It provides exposure for these programs and these nonprofits that they otherwise might not get. Any little bit of exposure helps, any bit of talk and support in any capacity goes a long way for things like that.”

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Rust shared his story about his experience with stuttering after being named Pittsburgh’s nominee for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy last season. It is presented annually to the NHL player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice, and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.

Through his “Seats for Strength” initiative, Rust invites children with speech impediments and their families to be his guests at Penguins home games. He’s grateful for the opportunity to bring even more attention to something that’s affected Bryan and his family, as his older brother Matt also stuttered.

“I think anytime you’re in the spotlight a little bit, I think you just try to be a voice for people and try to support the things that you feel passionate about,” Rust said. “Support things that may not get the most support. I think being a voice, being the kind of person you can stand for, I think that’s really important.”

Letang has tried to be as public as possible with his serious health scares. The defenseman suffered two strokes, one at age 26 and another at age 35. Penguins head team physician Dr. Dharmesh Vyas said testing revealed that Kris was born with a very small hole in the wall of his heart, known as a patent foramen ovale (PFO). Although the small defect in the wall is apparent in all individuals, it typically closes on its own in most people, but Letang’s did not. Dr. Vyas said that could have created a stroke twice now in Letang's body.

“I decided to support this cause because there’s so much unknown, and people sometimes disregard those symptoms,” Letang said of choosing The Heart Institute at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

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Karlsson and his wife Melinda have two young children, daughter Harlow and son Stellan. Right now, the kids are into puzzles and coloring. “Coloring books and pencils can go a long way sometimes,” the defenseman grinned. He knows the proceeds from this initiative should also greatly impact families with kids.

“I think that not everybody can afford to put money towards enjoyment for their kids,” Karlsson said. “They have to pay their bills, utility bills and food, which is more important. Being able to have the opportunity to give your kids some toys for special occasions can go a long way. Hopefully, it helps the households that get an opportunity with this.”

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Both of Anthony Beauvillier’s maternal grandparents were affected by Alzheimer’s, “so it’s something that is close to my heart, and that hit home. So, definitely don't want my mom to have to deal with that.”

The Quebec native used to host a ‘Spike for Alz’ charity spikeball tournament in Montreal to raise money for Alzheimer’s research, putting thousands of dollars towards the cause. Beauvillier had to stop the event because of the pandemic, but “it’s definitely something that I’ve wanted to get back into. It feels great just to do,” he said.

“It touches my family, and it just feels nice to do. And a lot of people, more and more people, are affected by it. They know what it’s like, and they know what it feels like.”

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The story behind Matt Nieto wearing the number 83 is incredibly touching:

“83 was actually my rookie number from San Jose, and my little sister Erin is very high support needs. She has Down syndrome and autism, so she learned how to say 83. She knows that I’m on the Penguins, which she's really excited about because she loves penguins, so it just works out perfectly. That's just kind of how she knows me by, and even if my family's watching a game on TV, she knows that I'm number 83. So, it's something that I just have always kept, because that's how she knows that it's me.”

Nieto praised the Penguins Foundation for helping players get involved with causes that are near and dear to their hearts.

“It’s huge. I think they do such a good job in involving us in the community, kind of setting up events throughout the year that really give us a chance to give back,” Nieto said. “Us as players, our job is to play hockey, but outside of that, you never know how you’re going to touch someone’s life outside of the rink. It’s always a special feeling.”

For more information on Players4Purpose and to purchase tickets, please click here.

In addition, Pens4Purpose group ticket fundraising opportunities are still available for the 2024-25 season. Local 501(c)3 organizations interested in creating their own fundraising page can contact the Pittsburgh Penguins Ticketing Department or learn more here.