The Dallas Stars will be in full force at the fifth annual Smashfest ping-pong tournament this coming Thursday.

Hockey players are among some of the most charitable athletes in the world. Whether it is visiting sick children in the hospital, renting out a box suite for a group of disabled athletes, or making sizable donations at certain times throughout the year, they always know how to make an impact.

It turns out that ping-pong is one of the most effective ways of giving back. This is all due to the annual Smashfest charity ping-pong tournament held each summer, supporting concussion and cancer research.

Started by New York Rangers forward Dominic Moore, the fifth annual tournament will be hosted in Toronto this Thursday, July 21. It will benefit both the Steve Moore Foundation (Dominic’s brother who endured a serious head injury in an incident with Todd Bertuzzi back in 2004) and the Katie Moore Foundation (founded in memory of Dominic’s wife who died from a rare form of cancer).

The event can be attended by the public with the purchase of a ticket, and it’s well worth the money. Over 25 NHL players will attend the event along with Moore, and the guests will have the opportunity to play both with and against these NHL players in a doubles and singles tournament that will determine the Smashfest champion.

One certain member of the Dallas Stars will be defending his title from 2015. That is forward Patrick Eaves. Last year, the bearded beast claimed the singles champion trophy, and he is set to run the table again.

The only problem is, he will have three other Dallas Stars players that he will have to duke it out against. Those players are Antoine Roussel, Tyler Seguin, and Jason Spezza. Seguin always seems to create a ruckus when he attends, which is part of what makes the tournament so much fun.

There is a ping-pong table in the Dallas Stars locker room in Frisco, and they use it regularly. It will be interesting to see who steps up and takes home the crown, if it even is a Star.

Along with the tourney, there will also be a catered buffet, open bar, and both a silent and live auction. In other words, it is going to be a whimsical time. Tickets range anywhere from $250 to $1,000, depending on what an attendee is looking to do.

At this point, it is a bit too late for a Texas citizen to hop a plane so abruptly and be there in two days. But if you are in Toronto and love your victory green, this could be the perfect event for you! It’s a great cause and is worth every penny. For full details on the event and where to buy tickets, click the link here.

The only question is, which Star has the best shot at coming out on top?