The Unsung Heroes Behind the NY Islanders: Puppies With a Purpose

Nobody denies that the New York Islanders franchise knows how to bring it on the ice, especially with a history featuring four consecutive Stanley Cup championships.

But sometimes it's the heroes off the ice who could use some more recognition.

The Islanders and the Guide Dog Foundation are combining to embark on the team's seventh Puppy with a Purpose — featuring a puppy that will be raised to become a future guide dog.

Each year, the Islanders alternate between raising a guide or a service dog. The New York franchise is the only team in the NHL to do so and is also the only team in the League currently on their seventh pup; ever since the first Puppy with a Purpose, Marty, the program has quickly captured the hearts of hockey fans everywhere.

Islanders further connecting with people off ice with Puppy with a Purpose

"Starting the Puppy with a Purpose program for sports teams and for corporations really is one of the largest growing segments of our organization," Guide Dog Foundation CEO John Miller said. "The relationship we have with the Islanders is one of the best we have ... The work is very serious. These dogs save lives and these partnerships really allow us to let the dogs be dogs."

The Islanders are currently in the midst of the naming contest for the seventh Puppy with a Purpose; fans can vote until Oct. 19 on what the newest member of the Isles will be named.

With that in mind, the Isles's most recent Puppy with a Purpose — Marty — is beginning formal training to become a service dog for a veteran or first responder with disabilities.

The puppy before Marty though, has a story not to be passed up.

Butchie and John O’Connell’s Heartwarming Connections Thanks to Islanders’ Puppy With a Purpose Program

Butchie was the Islanders fifth Puppy with a Purpose.

His name was an ode to legendary Islanders forward, four-time Stanley Cup Champion Butch Goring.

After graduating from a 14–18-month training program, the yellow lab was paired with John O'Connell.

O'Connell was an officer who served as a pilot in the United States Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel — serving from 1985 to 2008. He has gone blind and has played with New York Metro Blind hockey for the past four years while also skating with New Jersey Warriors Hockey.

He was also awarded USA Hockey's Disabled Hockey Player of the Year in 2025 after having played the sport ever since he was six years old.

"All the moons and planets were all aligned in the universe and me and Butchie got paired up. Our relationship is outstanding," O'Connell said of his relationship with Butchie in an exclusive to New York Islanders On SI. "He's goofy. You take the harness off and he loves to play out back and chase."

Butchie supports O'Connell on public transit, especially to and from rinks. When at the rink, while the former Lt. Col. participates in blind hockey, Butchie's presence lifts the spirits of other players.

"He's great in the locker room. Everyone loves him in there; I'm not surprised." O'Connell also said.

Service dogs typically cost anywhere from $15,000 to $80,000. Through Puppy with a Purpose, the Islanders help provide fully trained service dogs free of charge to eligible recipients, including O'Connell.

O'Connell would also state that the accessibility to service animals has been an understated problem, and the Islanders' Puppy with a Purpose program greatly does its part to help with disabled community efforts.

"This is a huge problem in the disabled [community] with service animals just being allowed access," said O'Connell. "So, the New York Islanders — I want to say thank you. Go Islanders."

Ann Rina — the Islanders Executive Director of Community Relations — said the Islanders are looking forward to continuing their partnership with the Guide Dog Foundation and helping craft stories similar to Butchie and John for years to come.

"We at the Islanders believe that we have a responsibility off the ice," Rina said. "We were the first NHL team to partner with the Guide Dog Foundation ... The way that we've seem it kind of exponentially grow within not only the NHL by other sports teams and leagues has been really fun to watch."