Hockey Canada Unveils Online 50/50 Draw, Presented by DynaLIFE Medical Labs, for 2021 IIHF Women’s World Championship

CALGARY, Alta. – With five pre-tournament games set to face off today ahead of the 2021 IIHF Women’s World Championship, plans have been unveiled for fans in Alberta and across Canada to be part of the event.

Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Hockey Alberta Foundation, is encouraging fans to win big, give big with the 2021 IIHF Women’s World Championship online 50/50 draw, presented by DynaLIFE Medical Labs, during every Team Canada game day starting August 20 and including the quarterfinals, semifinals and medal-round games. Fans in Alberta can purchase tickets for a 48-hour period starting at 9 a.m. MT the day before a Team Canada game for as low as $5 by visiting HockeyCanada.ca/5050. On August 20 and 31, tickets can be purchased from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. MT only.

“Following the success of the online 50/50 draw during the IIHF World Junior Championship in December and January, Hockey Canada is once again excited to offer an online 50/50 draw during every Team Canada game day at the 2021 IIHF Women’s World Championship,” said Dean McIntosh, vice-president of events and properties with Hockey Canada. “As fans in Alberta tune in to watch Team Canada compete for a gold medal on home ice, they also have a chance to engage with the tournament and support the Hockey Canada Foundation and Hockey Alberta Foundation. When fans purchase 50/50 tickets, they are helping make hockey more by creating opportunities for girls and women to build more friendships, inspire more diversity and launch their hockey dreams.”

The winners of each 50/50 draw will take home half of the pot, while the other half will remain in the Province of Alberta and will be reinvested into grassroots hockey programs that enable more girls and women to get involved in the sport and help improve their quality of life through hockey.

In addition to the 50/50 draw, Hockey Canada also announced the Team Canada game-worn jersey auction will launch on August 26.

The online jersey auction, which runs from August 26-September 1, is an opportunity for fans across Canada to bid on game-worn jerseys of all 25 Canadian athletes wearing the Maple Leaf the 2021 IIHF Women’s World Championship. All game-worn jerseys can be viewed and bid on at Givergy.ca/WWCJerseyAuction, with proceeds from the auction going to the Hockey Canada Foundation to help grow the game through initiatives like Hockey is Hers, which helps provide more opportunities for girls and women in hockey.

“Young boys and girls across Canada will be inspired by the best players in the world competing for a gold medal in Calgary, and the Hockey Canada Foundation is able to help fuel that inspiration through initiatives like the game-worn jersey auction and Hockey is Hers,” said Donna Iampieri, executive director of the Hockey Canada Foundation. “The auction is not only a great way for fans to own a piece of hockey history and support their favourite National Women’s Team player, but it also helps the Hockey Canada Foundation provide more opportunities for young girls and women to get involved in the game at the grassroots level.”

The 2021 IIHF Women’s World Championship begins August 20 with three games, including Team Canada’s tournament-opener against Finland at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT. TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will have extensive game coverage and analysis throughout the tournament. TSN will broadcast all 31 games from WinSport Arena, as well as three pre-tournament games on August 18, while RDS will broadcast all Team Canada preliminary-round games, two quarterfinals, both semifinals and the bronze and gold medal games.

For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2021 IIHF Women’s World Championship, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow along through social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

RED DEER – Indigenous youth face many challenges when it comes to participating in hockey in Alberta.

And while the challenges are significant, the opportunities and potential solutions were an important focus during Friday night’s keynote discussion to open Hockey Alberta’s Indigenous Hockey Summit.

The virtual event opened with a Zoom roundtable featuring Theoren Fleury, Wacey Rabbit, Marvin Yellowhorn, and Jordan Courtepatte. The discussion was moderated by Travis Plaited Hair of the Blood Tribe.

Fleury is well known for his career with the Calgary Flames, and as a victor over trauma and abuse. Rabbit played on the 2003 Team Alberta squad that won gold at the Canada Winter Games, enjoyed a successful junior hockey career, and played professionally around the world, most recently in the East Coast Hockey League. Courtepatte’s career included junior hockey in the BCHL, and a professional stint in the Central Hockey League in Texas. And Yellowhorn has been involved in hockey most of his life as a parent (he is Rabbit’s father), coach, and volunteer.

FULL PANELIST BIOGRAPHIES >

As the panelists reflected on their careers and lives in hockey, they identified three areas where the hockey community can focus to help increase the number of Indigenous participants and improve their experience in the sport.

One area is cost. Rabbit reflected on how much the cost of a hockey stick or a pair of skates has increased since he played as a child, and said he believes “a lot of natural athletes are missing out because of the pricing.”

Courtepatte, who helped found the Enoch Cree Minor Hockey Association near Edmonton, said the sport is simply getting too expensive.

“The average family can’t afford to pay for one kid… There needs to be additional resources in place to offset costs,” said Courtepatte, adding that it’s also important to make sure parents are educated to know where to apply for assistance.

The second area that must be addressed is racism.

Courtepatte said that while steps have been taken to address racism, it continues, and it’s not acceptable.

“It’s a lonely place when it feels like no one wants you,” Courtepatte said.

Rabbit said he has experienced racism while playing hockey.

“It’s in the world right now, it’s happening everywhere,” Rabbit said. “It’s happened to everyone on this panel. It is important for minor hockey associations to acknowledge (when racism occurs) and do something about it.”

The third area involves understanding the challenges that Indigenous youth are facing in their personal lives. Fleury talked about a need for “trauma-informed education” within schools and the sporting community.

“We have no idea what these kids are experiencing before they get to the rink,” Fleury said. “A lot of their behaviour is based on what they’ve experienced at home. We have to be aware that when a kid is acting out it’s because of their trauma experience, not because he’s a bad kid. Often, the only place he gets peace and joy is playing hockey, so we’ve got to make it the best experience we can.”

The panelists agreed that a key part of the solution involves more Indigenous people being involved at all levels of the sport including board members, coaches, managers, and officials.

“When you come to the rink and see a person who looks like you, that’s important,” said Rabbit. He also reminded everyone that it’s important to celebrate the success stories, highlighting Brayden Arcand, an official who is now working in the Western Hockey League.

The panelists agreed that the benefits to addressing these challenges are immense. Positive hockey experiences will help Indigenous youth learn to deal better with adversity, develop important life skills, and have family and community growth opportunities. And, as Fleury suggested, he believes the next Wayne Gretzky is out there, if given the chance to play hockey.

Hockey Alberta, in partnership with the Indigenous Sport Council of Alberta, is hosting the Indigenous Hockey Summit to gather hockey leaders from around the province to continue the growth of the game in Indigenous hockey communities and allow for networking and sharing best practices.

The Summit continues Saturday with separate day-long sessions for Minor Hockey Administrators, Coaches and Officials.