It was an emotional Thursday night at Canadian Tire Centre, as the Senators hosted the Avalanche for the annual Hockey Fights Cancer Night presented by CIBC. The Senators were able fight back and come away with a 4-3 overtime win, but the real fighters were not in their lineup during the game.
A dedicated AAA hockey player, Madden, rang the bell to kick off the evening. The 15-year-old was preparing for his OHL draft year when he was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in his knee this past September. Now undergoing chemotherapy at CHEO and staying at Ronald McDonald House Ottawa, Madden continues to show incredible courage and determination.
The Senators invited 10-year-old Charley to drop the ceremonial puck for Senators captain Thomas Chabot and Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog. Charley was flanked by Senators owner Michael Andlauer and Spartacat.
In the spring of 2025, Charley developed leg pain and a limp, which was originally chalked up to growing pains. Her physiotherapist noticed a lump in her abdomen, so her parents took her to CHEO right away.
Charley had a large tumour in her pelvis that required radiation, chemotherapy, and several surgeries, including an 18-hour operation to remove the tumour. She is on a long road to recovery but faces it head on with positivity, resilience and maturity well beyond her 10 years, with her cancer now in remission.
Charley was in attendance at the 2026 Fullscript Senators Gala presented by Bell, where she met members of the Senators, including head coach Travis Green. Asked after the game about her presence, Green smiled.
““It was pretty awesome. We get so wrapped up in hockey, the job of it, or the winning and losing, and you don’t get a lot of time to sit back and just think about how there’s a lot more to life than the winning and the losing,” said Green.
“Even though it’s important to us and our jobs, that was a nice moment for sure. Especially knowing that we’ve seen her before, met her before, and she’s a battler. It was a nice night that way.”
The Senators players were also happy to see Charley again. Thomas Chabot took her on a celebratory lap of the ice after she dropped the puck, and she joined TSN’s Lindsay Hamilton during the first intermission to talk about her journey.
“It’s a little emotional. I think you just realize how lucky we have it. But it’s so cool that we did that for her,” said Shane Pinto, who had three points in the 4-3 win, including the winning goal in overtime.
“It’s just emotional, and I think you try to compartmentalize it a little bit, but you realize at the same time that there are things bigger than the game.”
Suite holders and corporate partners donated more than 22 suites to CHEO patients and their families, helping over 160 families be in attendance. More than 500 tickets were donated to frontline hospital workers.
Volunteers from CIBC were greeting fans at each gate and handing out ‘I Fight For’ placards. They were also welcoming fans to make a gift of $18.72 in exchange for a HFC co-branded scarf.
With the win, Senators stars Tim Stützle and Thomas Chabot also donated $1872 to the CHEO Foundation, as they will continue to do all season during their 18|72 campaign, launched in memory of the late Griffin Bell. Stützle said the ceremony before the game was a special addition to a special night.
“Her ringing the bell was awesome to see, and obviously really happy for her,” said Stützle. “And yeah, we’re going do everything we can to help in this community, and I think tonight was another night where we showed that.”