On Monday night, many New York Islanders players joined Matt Martin for his annual charity poker tournament at Opus Steakhouse in Jericho. The event was sold out, featuring 42 tables packed with players and spectators, collectively raising $227,000.
Proceeds will go toward service dog training for Gillies, who will become a therapy dog for the Suffolk County Police Department.
Events like this are special — fans get to see the players off the ice and connect with their personalities, while the players, in turn, get to feel the love from one of the most passionate fan bases in the sport.
What’s especially meaningful is that, regardless of the event, Islanders players — past and present — recognize how important it is to build and maintain that connection with fans.
Ahead of Saturday’s Anders Lee Jam Kancer in the Kan event, I asked the Islanders’ captain about the relationship between a player and a fan, especially when it comes to his event, which supports kids battling cancer.