Hockey Canada Foundation Assist Fund Returns with $1 Million to Support Return to Hockey for Young Albertans

CALGARY, Alta. – The Hockey Canada Foundation Assist Fund and its all-star team of ambassadors are returning for a second season to give young Canadians and their families an assist with registration fees, and get them back in the game they love.

Olympic gold medallists, Alberta’s own - Jarome Iginla and Marie-Philip Poulin, and Paralympic gold medallist Greg Westlake will lead the Hockey Canada Foundation lineup of supporters as the Assist Fund looks to surpass last year’s assist total of 1,032 Canadian kids, and distribute $1 million in funding during the 2021-22 hockey season.

“The tremendous response to the launch of the Assist Fund in 2020 demonstrated the real need families have for financial support to get their kids back to hockey. It also showed the desire of sponsors, hockey fans and members of the Canadian sport community to be a part of the solution,” said Tom Renney, chief executive officer of Hockey Canada. “We know the need will be even greater this year, and with restrictions lifting across the country, the continued support we have from our many partners and the funding we have available, we can help even more young people get back in the game.”

The Assist Fund was created last year in response to the unique and challenging circumstances Canadians faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was brought to life through the ongoing commitment of the many partners of Hockey Canada and the Hockey Canada Foundation, such as BFL CANADA, BHE Canada, Chevrolet and Scotiabank, who gave assists through donations and awareness. Past sponsors are returning to lend their generous support in 2021, with Scotiabank contributing $350,000 specifically for BIPOC applicants and Chevrolet integrating the Assist Fund into its Good Deeds Cup program. The Hockey Canada Foundation Assist Fund is also welcoming new partners this year, including BDO, the Cannonball Sport & Education Fund and the Daryl K. Seaman Canadian Hockey Fund.

“The growing support for the Assist Fund from respected brands and experienced organizations is critical to us being able to help more Canadian kids take to the ice this year,” said Donna Iampieri, executive director of the Hockey Canada Foundation. “Our Foundation is committed to helping remove barriers of access to the game of hockey for Canadians, and through our partners and the many Canadians who donate to us, we are helping thousands of kids every year. We plan to make the 2021-22 hockey season our biggest success yet.”

For more information about the Hockey Canada Foundation Assist Fund, or to apply, visit HockeyCanada.ca/AssistFund.

About the Hockey Canada Foundation Assist Fund

The Hockey Canada Foundation Assist Fund allows Canadians who meet the criteria and need a financial assist to apply for up to $500 in registration fee reimbursements per player. Canadians can apply for the fund from August 1, 2021 to December 3, 2021 at HockeyCanada.ca/AssistFund. To enhance the impact and support for local communities, Canadians can also donate to the Assist Fund, with 100 per cent of all donated funds reaching young Canadians (the Hockey Canada Foundation will absorb all administration costs).

RED DEER - It was a banner year for Alberta at the 2021 NHL Draft, with 17 Albertans drafted to 13 different teams.

After three Albertans were selected in round one of the draft on Friday night, 11 more were drafted in rounds two through seven on Saturday.

Saturday’s portion of the draft saw a pair of Albertans drafted to the teams their older brothers currently play for, as Colton Dach will join older brother Kirby with the Chicago Blackhawks, while the Colorado Avalanche selected Taylor Makar, the younger brother of defenceman Cale.

The 17 Albertans drafted hail from nine different Minor Hockey Associations, 16 are alumni of the Alberta Elite Hockey League, and nine played for Team Alberta.

A full list of Albertans drafted can be found below:

RED DEER - Three Albertans heard their names called and had their dreams realized during the first round of the 2021 NHL Draft on Friday evening.

The first round of the draft, which was done virtually for the second straight year, saw three athletes from Alberta drafted, including Dylan Guenther, who was the first Albertan selected when the Arizona Coyotes selected him ninth overall.

Guenther’s Edmonton Oil Kings teammate Sebastian Cossa was the next Albertan to go, and was the first goaltender off the board as the Detroit Red Wings traded up to select him 15th overall.

Brooks Bandits defenceman Corson Ceulemans was the third and final Albertan selected in the first round, going to the Columbus Blue Jackets with the 25th pick.

All three players are Alberta Elite Hockey League alumni, and also all suited up for Team Alberta (Cossa at the 2017 WHL Cup, Ceulemans and Guenther at the 2019 Canada Winter Games).

Rounds two through seven of the 2021 NHL Draft will conclude on Saturday.

RED DEER - Hockey Alberta will conduct a U11 AA Pilot Project in the 2021-22 season that implements an amended regional hosting structure, player movement rules, league schedule and coach and player development standards. This pilot project is based largely off of the final report and recommendations of the Non-Sanctioned Hockey Workgroup of last season.

We will be working in collaboration with the Northern Alberta Interlock League (Host League), the North East Alberta Hockey League, the All Peace Hockey League and, of course, their member MHA’s. We are looking to create a series of actionable recommendations that will be identified in time for implementation of a new, province wide, U11 model in the 2022-2023 season.

The outcome of this pilot is to identify the best overall structure for the top level of U11 and to ensure alignment and progression within the entire hockey system. The principles of Long-Term Athlete Development and Hockey Canada’s U11 Pathway will be adhered to within all recommendations. The best philosophy for developing players is to create an environment where similarly skilled players can compete together and against each other.

To make it fair and equitable for all teams within the pilot, regions have been established. These regions ensure there is an opportunity for all players that reside within the pilot areas that want to play and have the skill to play at the top level of U11, can. These regions largely follow the U13AA recruitment areas. The established regions allow for the progression of players from Tiered Minor Hockey programs, through to the host programs within this pilot.

Hockey Alberta has established a Workgroup for this U11AA Pilot Project, members include:

Brett Kelly – Hockey Alberta Staff, Innisfail, AB

Mike Applegate – Hockey Alberta Staff, Lloydminster, AB

Hudson Kelly – Hockey Alberta Staff, Red Deer, AB

Randy Mak – NAI Liaison, Fort Saskatchewan, AB

Rick Nordstrom – Grande Prairie, AB

Jason Grinevitch – Bonnyville, AB

If you have any questions, please contact Brett Kelly, Manager, Officiating at [email protected]

Grant MacEwan University has developed the “Grow the Game” initiative for online anti-racism resources for hockey. The goal of the project is to fill the gap around racism information, education, awareness and its impact on those in the hockey community, both on and off the ice.

Federally funded by the Canada Heritage Anti-Racism Program, Grow the Game was created by Alim Tharani and Irfan Chaudhry as a virtual summit in December 2020. The summit featured a diverse line-up of experts to speak on a variety of different racial experiences in hockey including: the impact, anti-racism, unconscious bias and barriers in addressing racial discrimination.

“The biggest thing that we heard from people is just having a baseline of what racism is and how it manifests in the sport of hockey; and what can be done about it,” said Chaudhry. “People don’t know where to turn or what to do and then it (racism) often times does not get addressed in a meaningful way.”

Grow the Game resources are available online. To begin the education process, there is a “Starter Kit” available with definitions, articles and videos to highlight the impact of racial discrimination in hockey. As well, the website includes recordings of the discussions at the virtual summit in December.

For more information on Grow the Game, visit growthegame.hockey or contact Tharani and Chaudhry by clicking here.