The Philadelphia Flyers are set to honor young cancer patients by wearing custom SkateSkins during pregame warm-ups on Thursday night against the St. Louis Blues, in a heartwarming initiative part of the NHL’s Hockey Fights Cancer campaign. This event marks the first time an entire NHL team will don the personalized skate accessories, designed collaboratively by players and children battling cancer.
The Flyers partnered with SkateSkins, a company specializing in customizable skate accessories, to create unique designs that will be visible during the warm-up session. Nine players were paired with nine young patients from the community, who met after a practice about a month ago to brainstorm and draw their ideas. Each SkateSkin features one side designed by the player and the other by the child, symbolizing their shared experience and support for those affected by cancer.
Among the participants, forward Trevor Zegras was the first to volunteer and was matched with 19-year-old Juliette, who has grade-4 glioblastoma multiforme. Their design was inspired by Juliette’s tattoos, blending personal elements with hockey themes. Center Sean Couturier worked with 14-year-old Emile from Quebec, who is fighting craniopharyngioma, and they incorporated Emile’s love for nature, including a fishing rod into the artwork.
Defenseman Travis Sanheim partnered with 15-year-old George, a fan of Sanheim who is battling cutaneous t-cell lymphoma. Sanheim emphasized letting George take the lead in the design process to ensure it reflected his creativity and interests. Similarly, forward Noah Cates collaborated with 10-year-old Rachel, who has acute myeloid leukemia and is post bone marrow transplant; their design included initials of friends and numbers honoring college teammates affected by cancer.
The experience left a profound impact on the players, who praised the children’s resilience and positivity. Defenseman Jamie Drysdale, paired with 10-year-old Chase fighting rhabdomyosarcoma, noted how the kids brought incredible energy and joy to the session. Forward Travis Konecny and his partner Frankie added a humorous touch with the initials “BAMF” on their SkateSkin, sharing a laugh during the design.
SkateSkins founder Matt Keeler highlighted that this initiative is a milestone, as it’s the first team-wide adoption in the NHL, with the league approving the use of SkateSkins during warm-ups this season. Previously, individual players like Auston Matthews had supported the brand in other leagues. The Flyers’ involvement signals a growing trend of using sports platforms for charitable causes and community engagement.
Blair Listino, chair of Flyers charities, expressed pride in the team’s unity and quick adoption of the project, noting that cancer has touched many lives. The players not involved in the custom designs will wear a standard Hockey Fights Cancer SkateSkin, and some ordered extra pairs to gift skates featuring the artwork to the children they worked with. This event underscores the Flyers’ commitment and the broader NHL’s efforts in cancer awareness through the Hockey Fights Cancer program, now in its 27th season.
