Connor McDavid, Zach Hyman donate $25,000 to Ben Stelter Foundation

Recently, Edmonton Oilers superstars Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman donated $25,000 to the Ben Stelter Foundation. The foundation helps children fight cancer in memory of the late young Oilers fan Ben Stelter and is run by his family.

This donation, made on behalf of the NHL and NHLPA for the 25th anniversary of Hockey Fights Cancer, will help bring proton therapy to Canada. The foundation shared their gratitude for the gesture on Thursday:

“Connor McDavid and Zach Hyman surprised us with a cheque for $25,000 on behalf of the @NHL and @NHLPA for the 25th Anniversary of Hockey Fights Cancer! We have huge goals for the Ben Stelter Foundation and this is going to help bring Proton Therapy to Canada! Thank you so much!” tweeted the official X handle of the foundation.

Additionally, Dallas Stars fans, along with Dallas DJ Jonathan Shipman, reportedly contributed over $20,000 to the Ben Stelter Foundation after the controversial playing of “La Bamba” at American Airlines Center during game 2 of the Western Conference Finals.

The foundation thanked the Dallas Stars fans for their generosity and support on X:

“Thank you @ShippySpins and @DallasStars fans for all of your support over the last few days! The donations are truly going to make a difference and help so many kids battling cancer. It’s bigger than hockey. #LetsGoOilers #PlayLaBambaBaby”

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Connor McDavid featured in NHL’s tribute for Ben Stelter’s family

Connor McDavid has been a major supporter of the Ben Stelter Foundation since it began in 2022, donating $100,000 at its inception. Recently, McDavid and Zach Hyman were featured in the NHL's tribute video honoring the Stelter family as part of the 25th anniversary of #HockeyFightsCancer.

In the tribute, McDavid and Hyman spoke about young Ben Stelter, who was an Edmonton Oilers superfan and touched the hearts of many. Ben battled glioblastoma, a type of brain cancer.

While speaking of Ben, McDavid shared that their bond was built around their love for the Oilers. He recalled that being around Ben always brought him joy and energy.

“My bond with Ben formed over the Oilers, he was a huge Oilers fan and a big fan of mine,” McDavid said. “For me, every time I was around him, I felt so much joy and it brought me a lot of energy.

"Just his perspective on life, he was just a little boy, and he was going through this terrible situation. He went through it with a smile on his face, which certainly taught me a lesson in terms of what life means and things like that.”

McDavid mentioned how, despite battling a serious illness, Ben always had a smile on his face.

The Ben Stelter Foundation continues to honor the memory of the late Oilers fan and work towards helping children fight cancer in Canada.