EAST MEADOW, NY — On Saturday, New York Islanders captain Anders Lee hosted his annual Jam Kancer in the Kan event at Northwell Ice Center.
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No. 1 pick in 2025 NHL Draft lost mom to disease in 2024
Surrounded by teammates, children and their families who are affected by this horrible disease, there were so many smiles and laughs on what was a beautiful day raising money for a fantastic cause.
“We’re on track for a great year,” Lee said. “It’s crazy how this thing's kind of grown a little bit. I think now that we're consistently doing it every year and getting in front of everyone, the auctions getting better, stuff like that.
“But, at the end of the day, I think just what I see is today in itself is really special. But then what we're able to do throughout the season is really cool. Having kids and families at the games and seeing them after and helping them out when they're in need, and kind of fill in some gaps on some of the financial stuff for them [is special]. At the end of the day, it's just pretty cool that we can take today and use it throughout the year.”
The goal was to raise $150,000 and on the day, they hit that mark, and will surpass $200,000, a tremendous achievement.
Last season, the NHL helped out with the event with Lee being the league’s King Clancy winner, with the event raising $227,000.
Attending the event a few times, you see some familiar faces, some kids who have been consciously fighting this disease with their hearts and soul. And it’s clear that Lee and these kids have created a bond, which is truly what Jam Kancer is all about.
“It’s really meaningful and the whole point of this,” Lee said. “You guys have been here a few times, it's pretty intimate and it's pretty organic. It’s an intimate setting, and I think just organically out of that, you get relationships that are kind of just natural in a way, and I value that a lot.
"There's nothing that's forced or anything, and so small things like that, where I'll be in touch with Amy (a cancer patient) throughout her journey, and throughout the year, she'll send me emails, and we can stay in touch. It’s kind of what it's all about, and that's why we like the way that this is set up. It’s a small group, and we're trying to make an impact on a genuine level of quality time and stuff like that.”
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