The Gaudreau Family Foundation has handed out its first grant, and it’s going to support a stage built for blind and visually impaired hockey players.
The foundation announced a $50,213 award to help fund the 2026 USA Hockey Blind Classic, which will be hosted by the Atlantic Amateur Hockey Association and presented by the Gaudreau Family Foundation. The event is set for Nov. 20-22 at the Flyers Training Center in Voorhees, N.J., and will bring players from around the country together for competition, clinics and community events.
“This partnership between the Gaudreau Family Foundation and the Atlantic Amateur Hockey Association reflects our shared belief that hockey should be accessible to everyone. We are excited for the Foundation’s support of the USA Hockey Blind Classic and its broader efforts to grow and strengthen opportunities for athletes with disabilities throughout the New Jersey, Delaware, and Eastern Pennsylvania area," said Maureen Thompson-Siegel, AAHA President and USA Hockey Disabled Disciplines Section Chair.
For the Gaudreau family, the grant fits exactly what the foundation was built to do. Jane and Guy Gaudreau, the parents of John and Matty and founders of the foundation, said, "John & Matty believed hockey belonged to everyone, no matter who you were or where you came from," said Jane and Guy Gaudreau, parents of John and Matty and founders of the Gaudreau Family Foundation.
"Supporting the USA Hockey Blind Classic was an easy decision; it's a chance to grow the game they loved. We know John & Matty would be proud to see their names attached to something that opens doors for others.
The foundation said the award is its first major initiative since being established earlier this year, and that it ties directly to one of its central goals: expanding youth athletics so more kids can experience hockey, no matter their ability.
The organization was created to honor John and Matty Gaudreau by backing programs that help children, support youth sports and champion animals. It has already seen strong community support, with the annual Gaudreau Family 5K Run/Walk & Family Day raising over $750,000 in two years. That funding helped build the Gaudreau Brothers Wings of Hope playground at Archbishop Damiano School and launch the foundation’s Learn to Skate/Learn to Play hockey program.
Katie Gaudreau-Joyce said, "Growing the game and making sure it's open to everyone was always part of who John and Matty were," said Katie Gaudreau-Joyce. "The Blind Classic is exactly the kind of programming we hope to continue supporting, giving more children the chance to fall in love with hockey the way they did."
Blind Hockey follows the pace and intensity of ice hockey, but every player on the ice is visually impaired. Athletes are classified into one of three eligibility categories set by the International Blind Sports Federation, and they play with a specialized puck that contains bearings and makes noise while it moves.
The event will be free and open to the public, with spectators invited to watch, listen and learn more about the foundation’s mission. For more information on the 2026 USA Hockey Blind Classic presented by the Gaudreau Family Foundation, visit www.usahockey.com/2026blindclassic. To learn more about the Gaudreau Family Foundation, its mission, and upcoming initiatives, visit gaudreaufamilyfoundation.org.
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