TORONTO / SEATTLE (October 22, 2026) The National Hockey League Players’ Association’s charitable arm, NHLPA Goals & Dreams, together with Quark Expeditions– which has led expedition voyages to the Arctic and Antarctica since 1991 – have donated and delivered 15 full sets of hockey equipment to Panniqtuuq Minor Hockeyin Nunavut, Canada. Watch footage of the equipment donation here.
Pangnirtung is an Inuit community of fewer than 1,500 residents on Baffin Island in Nunavut’s Qikiqtaaluk Region, and one of the remote Arctic communities Quark Expeditions’ ships visit. Due to its remote location and lack of road access to other settlements, hockey equipment is difficult and expensive to transport, creating barriers for young hockey players within the community. The donation gives local youth access to new and safe hockey equipment for use at their local arena.
“Every young person who wants to play hockey should have the chance to get on the ice,” said Marty Walsh, NHLPA Executive Director. “We’re proud to work with Quark Expeditions to help remove that barrier for young players in Pangnirtung, Canada.”
The hockey equipment – at an outlay of $7,500 to NHLPA Goals & Dreams – was presented to Panniqtuuq Minor Hockeyby Quark Expeditions as part of NHLPA Goals & Dreams’ ongoing efforts to support grassroots hockey and nurture future generations of players. For Quark Expeditions, dedicated exclusively to the polar regions since 1991, the initiative reflects a longstanding commitment to building meaningful partnerships with the communities it visits.Before reaching its destination, the donation travelled thousands of kilometres. After being received by Quark Expeditions in Toronto, the 18 boxes were air-freighted to Reykjavik, Iceland, and loaded aboard Ocean Explorer, Quark’s 138-passenger vessel. The equipment was then transported across the Davis Strait and Canadian Arctic to Pangnirtung, Nunavut, where local youth players and community members gathered at the Hamlet Office & People’s Community Centre in fall 2026 to receive the donation.
“The power of sport is in its ability to bring people together,” said Sam Seward, President of Quark Expeditions. “We’re grateful to the NHLPA for making hockey more accessible, and proud that our ships could help bring new equipment to young players in Pangnirtung. As we continue to deepen our relationships with the communities we visit, we look forward to finding more ways to support them in the years ahead.”
“We have seen how access to equipment can immediately open the door for more children to play,” said Andrew Wolfe, Director, NHLPA Goals & Dreams. “This donation will provide young players in Pangnirtung with safe, new equipment and help the community’s participation in the game continue to grow.”
