The National Hockey League might be in a seemingly never ending lockout, but that didn't stop 32 players from coming together and doing what they do best to try to raise money for the Hurricane Sandy hard hit areas of the tri-state area this past saturday. Taking place in Atlantic City, one of the most devastatingly hurt areas, Operation Hat Trick was able to raise an estimate of a couple hundred thousand dollars for numerous organizations like Empire Relief Fund, NJ Hurricane Relief Fund and American Red Cross, which are working to help with this devastation.
Being from New Jersey, probably the state most effected by Sandy, I definitely say a dire need to help for people who were fortunate to not be affected by the storm to help out those who were by donating time and money. That being said, I think it is also extremely important to bring to lift the spirits and bring a sense of morale back to these areas that have been hit hard. Operation Hat Trick was a great opportunity for individuals to not only come out to an event, but even better an event that many people had been missing due to the NHL lockout.
The dedication that many of these players showed to their fans was incredible. Numerous players flew in from across the globe to be a part of this event for their fans. Most people don't understand the spectacular two-way bond between athletes and fans that occurs during the season because it is seems to be a one-way relationship where fans support and aid the athletes. However, it is times like these where you are able to see the same relationship and admiration from the athletes to their fans.
I think it is so refreshing to see players who are currently involved in a dispute about money and benefits to put aside their points of view and to selflessly participate in this event to help out their fans who are sticking by them and waiting for them to sort out their disagreements. It shows that for most of these players, their ability to play in the NHL is much more than just money, it is their love of the game and their love for their fans. It is almost beneficial that there is currently no NHL season as this game would not have been able to take place to raise this significant amount of money to help out with all the damage, but it was also able to show a side of these professional athletes that you don't usually get to see normally.
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