By Mike Commito

SUDBURY, Ontario — Blue Jackets training camp doesn’t begin until September, but that hasn’t stopped captain Nick Foligno from rounding up some of his teammates to hit the ice. Last night, he and a contingent of Columbus players squared off against a group of doctors in Sudbury, Ontario, Foligno’s hometown, as part of the second annual NHL vs Docs benefit game in support of NEO Kids, a hub for specialized children’s medical care in Northeastern Ontario.

It was a full house at the Gerry McCrory Countryside Arena, as nearly 700 patrons turned out to watch some NHLers and doctors from Sudbury’s Health Science North team up to play against each other. It was a rematch of sorts from last year’s inaugural event that was founded by the Blue Jackets captain and Dr. Sean Murray.

Foligno was flanked by some similar faces again for this year’s affair. His brother, Marcus, a newly minted member of the Minnesota Wild, took part again, along with former NHL players Andrew Brunette and Zack Stortini. Derek MacKenzie, who played for Columbus from 2007-14 made his second appearance, and unsigned free agent Andrew Desjardins also turned out for the charity showcase. Honorary coaches for the evening included Anaheim Ducks bench boss and Vegas Golden Knights scout Mike Foligno.

This year’s lineup, however, had a different look as Foligno recruited some of his Blue Jackets colleagues to make the journey north and lace them up for a good cause. Joining him were Boone Jenner, Zach Werenski, Josh Anderson, and Scott Harington. Dalton Prout, who patrolled the Columbus blue line for the past six seasons before being dealt to the Devils, also made the trek.

For young Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski, when his captain extended him the invitation, there really wasn’t much for him to think about. “It’s always nice when you can try to give back to him and help him out anyway you can,” Werenski told The Athletic. “He does so much for us during the year, especially us young guys, that it was a no brainer for me to say yes and go.”

Before heading out for warmup, the Blue Jackets captain was beaming when he talked about the commitment his younger teammates made. “I’m so proud to call them teammates and friends, they jumped at the opportunity when I asked. It wasn’t like pulling teeth,” he said.

While it might have been a typical charity game, that didn’t stop Foligno from welcoming teammate Boone Jenner, who found himself on the opposite squad as his captain, with a thunderous hit to open the game. Foligno’s brother Marcus also thrilled the crowd early on with a nifty behind-the-back goal that elicited a raucous chorus of cheers.

The contest turned out to be another rousing success, but it’s not all fun and games for Foligno. Since 2015, he has served as the Honorary Chair of the NEO Kids Foundation, the benefactor of the proceeds of last night’s game. For him, it’s a role that he takes seriously and one that is very near and dear.

In October 2013, his daughter Milana was born with a rare congenital heart defect. After her condition was diagnosed at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, she received lifesaving surgery at Boston Children’s Hospital when she was just three weeks old. Three year later, as a way to honor Milana and recognize the tremendous work at both institutions, Nick and his wife, Janelle, donated $1 million to the two hospitals.

As a result of their experience, they both understand how important it was for them to have access to specialized children’s medical care. Since they both also call Sudbury home, and reside here with their family in the offseason, they’ve become significant advocates for a children’s hospital in the region and know firsthand how imperative facilities like that are for families.

Moving forward, Foligno knows that the NHL vs Docs game will have a positive impact on fundraising, and he would love to see the tradition continue. “It’s such a great thing, everybody is so passionate about hockey in this community [Sudbury], and it’s obviously giving to a great cause,” he said. The Blue Jackets captain he hopes that maybe next year he can recruit some of his brother’s teammates to get a bit of a rivalry going.

Regardless who suits up for next year’s event, with another successful NHL vs Docs, Foligno and the NEO Kids Foundation move another step closer toward establishing a children’s hospital in Northeastern Ontario.

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Mike Commito is a hockey historian and writer from Sudbury, Ontario. His work has appeared in Sports Illustrated, the Hockey News, VICE Sports, and Sportsnet. Mike is currently working on his first hockey history book, which is slated for release in 2018. Follow Mike on Twitter @mikecommito