Philly Leader

NEW YORK -- Natalie Van Druff, 12, has already embraced a hockey mantra: grow the game. She shared this with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and other League executives during a visit to the NHL offices in Manhattan on Tuesday, accompanied by her friend and teammate Lilly Walter, 11.

The visit recognized their efforts in saving their ball hockey rink at New Hanover Community Park in Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania. When the township proposed converting the rink into pickleball courts in October 2024, the girls convinced city planners to focus on revitalizing it instead.

"It made me feel really good, made me feel like my voice actually mattered," Van Druff said. "It made me feel like I could be a change maker for the world that I live in."

Their story reached the Philadelphia Flyers and Flyers Charities in February.

"I read about it, and literally was like, this is exactly our mission for [Flyers Charities]," said Blair Listino, Flyers CFO and president of Flyers Charities. "This literally aligns more with our mission than anything I could have made up myself."

Listino's admiration grew after meeting Natalie and Lilly at the Flyers Charities Carnival in March.

"I was blown away by them," she said. "Just blown away at their determination and just the skill set they had as preteens to be so professional and profound and what they wanted to do for their community."

Heather Walter, Lilly's mother, noted that the girls considered various fundraising methods from bake sales to T-shirt sales.

However, the Flyers decided on a $200,000 donation in May to cover new flooring, boards, benches, and penalty boxes. The park will also host future Flyers Learn To Play Ball Hockey programs.

"Our mission includes growing the game of hockey," Listino said. "We're super into supporting women in sports and especially youth sports."

The NHL extended an invitation for Natalie and Lilly to visit its offices. They met with Commissioner Bettman who presented certificates of appreciation.

"You two are great examples of what hockey is all about," Commissioner Bettman told them. "You're making sure that hockey is for everyone."

During their visit, they toured various facilities including the NHL Player Safety room and took pictures with a replica Stanley Cup. They received goodie bags from both the NHL and PWHL.

Natalie and Lilly also run Pick Up Sticks Hockey, a program providing gear for kids interested in playing hockey.

"Pick Up Sticks Hockey is for girls and boys of any age to come and play," Natalie said.

To support this initiative, the NHL pledged to donate equipment including goalie gear.

"One of the things that I get to do alongside my team is we continue to invest in ways where we can just grow the game," NHL vice president Jeff Scott said.

Next for Natalie and Lilly is preparing for fall hockey season while being centerstage at Monday’s rink unveiling event.

"They did this for their community," Listino said. "They did this for the 1,000 youths that they play hockey with out there."