Matchup on the ice

On a cold, wet Saturday afternoon in March, a group of Marsh McLennan Agency (MMA) colleagues gathered in Boston, Massachusetts, to put on their skates and play some hockey. But this was no ordinary pick-up game. Across the ice stood serious competition: a team of guys who used to play for the National Hockey League’s Boston Bruins.

In the hard-fought, second annual battle of the MMA All Stars versus Boston Bruins Alumni, there would be no losers. But there were clear winners: a trio of inspiring nonprofits that split the proceeds generated by one of MMA’s liveliest fundraising events.

The game grew out of a working relationship between MMA Boston office President of Retirement & Wealth Nathan Rasmussen and Vice President of Retirement Services Andy Ziergiebel. An executive with one of their financial advisory vendors happens to be Bobby Allen, a Boston College national champion who played several seasons with the Bruins in the mid-2000s. 

When Allen put together a charity game between the Bruins Alumni and a team of financial advisors, Rasmussen and Ziergiebel took part. They enjoyed the experience so much, they wondered if they could establish a competitive team at MMA and generate more support for charitable causes.

It wasn’t a hard sell

“If you grew up in New England, chances are you play hockey,” says Rasmussen. “There are a lot of people in the organization that played some level of high school and even college hockey. So, we realized that we have a lot of talent.”

When that MMA talent lined up for their first game against the Bruins Alumni, in 2023, they had a blast. Yet the pros won handily: 9 goals to 5.

With a roster of retired players going back to the 1980s, the Boston Bruins Alumni Association plays around 30 charity games per year, competing against the likes of firefighters, youth hockey leagues, and Navy SEALs—and raising millions of dollars.

“Last year we played 29 charity games,” says Bruins Alumni President Frank Simonetti, who played for the team in the mid-‘80s. “The Marsh McLennan Agency game, the past two years, has been one of the highlights, because they are a high-character organization.”

The MMA game raised funds for three nonprofits: the Life is Good Playmaker Project, which prepares social work professionals to help children work through traumas ranging from homelessness to domestic violence; Operation Delta Dog, which trains rescue dogs to be service animals for military vets experiencing PTSD; and Team IMPACT, which pairs children fighting serious illnesses or disabilities with a college sports team and the kids take part in practices and game days.

Children working with Team IMPACT don’t merely meet college athletes, says Ryan Irwin, executive director of the nonprofit's northeast region. The kids sign a contract to stick with a team for two years, long enough to develop genuine and lasting relationships with the student athletes. “We want them to have a sense of belonging,” Irwin explains, “and nothing does that better than being on a team.”

Colleagues from MMA’s Boston office have long participated in charitable events, organizing fundraisers, and volunteering for beach cleanups or homeless outreach efforts under the program Moments that Matter. But the team who organizes the hockey game says the event has leveled up their fundraising—and boosted team spirit in the process.

“There was a buzz in the office for a couple weeks after the game,” says Rasmussen. “It brings a little energy.”

A crowd of 300 MMA colleagues, family, charity partners, and die-hard Bruins fans came out to Warrior Ice Arena, the Bruins’ practice rink, to watch the game, which was recorded, complete with play-by-play commentary, to air on the Bruins Alumni’s website, so MMA could relive their best plays—and blunders—and engage in the noblest of sports traditions: trash talk.

The friendly, yet competitive spirit served MMA well in year two. The team expanded its talent pool by recruiting players from MMA offices in New York and New Jersey. Competing against Bruins fan favorites, including former rookie of the year, goaltender Andrew Raycroft, and Hall of Famer Joey Mullen, the All Stars brought their A game, and when the final horn sounded, the scoreboard read 5 to 5.

“We put together a pretty good team this year!” says Ziergiebel. “They normally don’t let a tie happen.”

“MMA All Stars took us to the limit,” confirms Simonetti with a chuckle. In fact, the Bruins Alumni finished their 2024 season with a record of 27-1-1. “And believe me, we don’t like to lose or tie!”

But it was all smiles as players, fans, and nonprofits joined together to enjoy a reception following the game. Their sportsmanship had raised $48,000 for their chosen charities, and they’d established a budding rivalry with hopes to score an even greater impact next year.

“We’re still scratching the surface,” says Rasmussen. “We’re excited because we’re signed up to do a third game next March, and we’re already putting plans together to make it better and raise even more to support our charitable partners!”