Update: Hurricane Irma: Lightning, Panthers Donate Millions To Relief

TAMPA, FL – The National Hockey League, as well as current and former hockey players from across the world, want Floridians to know they’re thinking of them in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.

The Tampa Bay Lightning, the Florida Panthers, the NHL and the NHL Players’ Association announced a joint donation of $2.7 million to hurricane relief efforts to those affected across the state by Hurricane Irma.

“Extensive damage was caused to the entire state of Florida by the Hurricane which made landfall in the state on Sunday, first hitting the Florida Keys,” the organizations said in a joint press release. “Negative impacts have been felt by millions of people in many different ways across the state, including Miami/Fort Lauderdale, Naples, Lakeland, Tampa Bay and Jacksonville.”

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Watch: Hurricane Irma's Destructive Journey By The Numbers

The combined donation is in addition to several fundraisers both of the NHL’s Florida-based teams have in the works – and one that started before the hurricane arrived.

The Panthers, the Tampa Bay Rays, the Boston Red Sox and the Boston Bruins held an impromptu fundraiser before the Rays and Sox played at Fenway Park on Sunday, Sept. 10. Players from the four teams collected donations around the ballpark. The Panthers were in the area to wait out the hurricane at their American Hockey League affiliate in nearby Springfield, Mass.

The Lightning and Panthers will also collect cash donations from fans at each of their home preseason games, which begin next week:

• Tuesday, Sept. 19 – Carolina Hurricanes at Tampa Bay Lightning
• Friday, Sept. 22 – Nashville Predators at Tampa Bay Lightning
• Sunday, Sept. 24 – Florida Panthers at Tampa Bay Lightning
• Tuesday, Sept. 26 – Tampa Bay Lightning at Florida Panthers
• Thursday, Sept. 28 – Tampa Bay Lightning at Florida Panthers

The Tampa Bay Lightning Foundation and the Panthers also have separate YouCaring fundraisers underway for fans who can’t make it to the preseason games. The Tampa Bay Lightning Hurricane Relief Fund is looking to raise $50,000 and the Florida Panthers Hurricane Irma Relief fund is looking to raise $25,000.

Five former Tampa Bay Lightning players donated to the Tampa Bay Lightning Foundation YouCaring fundraiser on Wednesday. Former Lightning captains and assistant captains Dave Andreychuk, Martin St. Louis, Brad Richards and Vincent Lecavilier each donated $10,000 to the relive efforts, while Fredrik Modin contributed $2,000.

Patch staff photo