RED DEER – Hockey Alberta recognized several groups and individuals on July 20 through the Hockey Alberta Membership Awards Program presented by ATB for the work they did during the 2023-24 season.

Awards handed out on Saturday included Volunteer of the Year, Coach of the Year, Minor Hockey Association of the Year, Official of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award, Provincial Championship Exceptional Host Site Award and Order of Merit.

All award winners made outstanding contributions to amateur hockey throughout the year and went over and above the minimum guidelines and standards set out by Hockey Alberta.

Lifetime Achievement Award

The inaugural recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award is Debbie Northcott (Caroline). Northcott exemplifies the core values of Hockey Alberta through her interactions with players, parents, teams, associations, volunteers and staff. She has contributed to growing and developing amateur hockey in the province through her various volunteer roles with Hockey Alberta, which dates back two decades. Her involvement in the sport came well before she formally joined Hockey Alberta as the Zone 4 Minor Council Representative in 2005, holding the position for eight years while playing a key role in changing the player movement regulations and enhancing the Provincial Championship structure. She shifted her focus to registration and served on Hockey Alberta’s Minor Administration Committee for five years, four of which were as the Chair of the committee. Northcutt lobbied for changes that would not only benefit the players, but also ensure hockey would continue to grow and thrive in rural communities. She is currently part of Hockey Alberta’s Appeals Committee.

Volunteer of the Year

Geoff Stewart (Okotoks) is this year’s recipient of the Volunteer of the Year Award. Stewart has served on the board of directors in Okotoks for the past 10 years, most recently as the president, a role he’s held for the past seven and a half seasons. As the president of one of Hockey Alberta’s largest members, he has prioritized the player experience within Okotoks Minor Hockey and has led with integrity when faced with challenging situations. His passion to give back to hockey is evident in that he is not only the president of Okotoks Minor Hockey, but he also coaches the U16 AA team. Stewart is actively engaged with Hockey Alberta, ensuring Okotoks is not only aligned with provincial and national standards, but are often one of the MHA’s leading the way.

Coach of the Year

Darren Gnam (Fairview) of the Fairview U15 Falcons has been named Hockey Alberta’s Coach of the Year. Gnam had a significant positive impact on his players, taking the time to teach them the skills necessary to become comfortable, capable and confident with their transition into body contact. Gnam structures practices to ensure everyone has fun while learning the skills of the game, which created an environment that kept athletes involved in the sport.

Minor Hockey Association of the Year

Canmore Minor Hockey Association is being recognized as the Minor Hockey Association of the Year. Canmore’s desire to provide a fun and positive environment for children is directly aligned with the vision and mission of Hockey Alberta. They have established strong policies, procedures and is known for providing clear direction, training and support to their volunteers, allowing a fun, safe and positive environment to evolve. Canmore has also been active in seeking out grants to support player and coach development and have been proactive in offering flexible program options for families and working with neighbouring communities to provide opportunities for players outside of Canmore’s boundaries to access minor hockey.

Official of the Year

Hayley Butz (Duffield) is Hockey Alberta’s Official of the Year. Overcoming a broken leg, an injury suffered while playing rugby, Butz had a banner season on both the provincial and national level. She attended Hockey Alberta’s officiating summer development camp as well as Hockey Canada’s officiating program of excellence camp. Butz was selected to officiate the 2023 Canada Winter Games and the 2023 Women’s U18 National Championships, where she was picked to officiate the gold medal game at both events. In February, Butz was selected by Hockey Canada to be certified as a National High Performance Official – the highest ranking possible for an official within Hockey Canada’s program. On top of her two national events earlier in the year, she also officiated the Women’s USports Nationals in Saskatoon. When available, she also spends time giving back to officiating through coaching and supervision of other officials.

Provincial Championship Exceptional Host Site Award

Stettler Minor Hockey Association and the U18 Tier 1 Provincial Championship are this year’s winners of the Provincial Championship Exceptional Host Site Award. Stettler’s minor hockey program, the Town of Stettler and the community all played key roles in the event, including pre-event promotion and the opening ceremonies. Each team had a designated dressing room and equipment storage for the tournament and there was a banquet for the players and families. To leave a legacy for minor hockey, the host committee distributed a portion of the profits from the tournament to support local coach and officiating development programs.

Order of Merit - Officiating (Ernie Boruk Award)

Dominic St. Amand (Vermilion) has won the Ernie Boruk Award for the 2023-24 season. St. Amand’s passion for Hockey Alberta officiating has laid a strong foundation that will benefit the program for many years to come. As the Chair of the Northeast Official’s Sub-Committee, he facilitated a thriving officiating program that includes a robust grassroots program, annual summer camps for elite officials, as well as a officiating coaching initiative. He has spent countless hours on the road, away from his family to showcase and learn about development standards being implemented in his region and ensure that officials have the support they need.

Order of Merit - Officiating (Dave Ganley Award)

Brad Campbell (Calgary) has won the Dave Ganley Award. He has been a member of the Central Region Official’s Sub-Committee for over 10 years, focusing his efforts on grassroots development. Still an active official himself, Campbell has a keen eye for development and has impacted countless officials while being instrumental in developing the next generation of officiating talent in the Calgary area.

Order of Merit - Administration

Connie Anderson (Sundre) has been volunteering with Hockey Alberta since 2011 as the Zone 6 Minor Discipline Coordinator, a role that Anderson held for seven years. Anderson transitioned to the role of Chair, Minor Discipline in 2018 where he helped align Hockey Alberta’s investigation and suspension process while also contributing to national and provincial regulation changes that establish more consistency in discipline procedures.

Order of Merit - Administration

Neil Robertson (Calgary) has volunteered for more than three decades in minor hockey, including 17 years with Hockey Alberta. Robertson was part of the U18 executive for more than 20 years where he played a key role in creating Hockey Alberta’s ‘Alberta Development Model’ (ADM) for AAA hockey. He represented AAA hockey by serving on the ADM committee for 13 years. While on the committee, he helped establish Hockey Alberta’s Elite Male Hockey Model. In 2020 he accepted the position of Chair for Elite Male Hockey and has continued to help enhance the model, including the creation of the Alberta Elite Hockey League (AEHL).

Order of Merit - Development

Doug Crashley (Calgary) has been invested in the development of hockey players in the province for decades. He has owned and operated ‘Crash Conditioning’ since 2004, providing strength and conditioning, mindset, nutrition, recovery and injury rehabilitation services to athletes. His involvement with Hockey Alberta started more than 15 years ago through the Team Pacific U17 program. He has been active with the U16 Male Team Alberta program since the introduction of the WHL Cup in 2009 and still attends the U16 camp each summer. He also has presented to players and coaches at various Hockey Alberta events and seminars. To help keep players motivated and active during the pandemic, Crashley partnered with Hockey Alberta’s ‘Hockey at Home’ initiative, developing training videos to engage and inform athletes.

To view previous recipients of the Hockey Alberta Membership Awards presented by ATB, click here.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced that its board of directors has approved a Western Canadian Development Model (WCDM) pilot project for the 2024-25 season, following an extensive proposal submitted in collaboration from its four Western Members, their respective Junior A hockey leagues and the Western Hockey League (WHL).

The WCDM pilot project focuses on strengthening the delivery of sanctioned junior hockey to participants across Western Canada and will create unprecedented choice and flexibility for players and their families in a system that prioritizes their unique needs on and off the ice, while evolving the opportunities offered to athletes to develop at a level that is reflective of their ability.

“The unity between Hockey Canada and the 10 organizations that led the development of the pilot project has never been stronger, and we are grateful for the tremendous work by the Members and leagues that led to today’s announcement,” said Pat McLaughlin, chief operating officer and executive vice-president of strategy for Hockey Canada. “We all must continue to evolve to meet the needs of Canadians looking to participate in our National Winter Sport in a system that operates with an athlete-centred approach and ensures their development and safety on and off the ice is at the forefront of everything we do.

“By increasing flexibility for junior hockey players and families in Western Canada, we anticipate that we will see higher quality competition on the ice, all the way up to the National Team level when Canada is competing internationally in the years to come.”

The WCDM working group consists of representatives from BC Hockey, the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League, the Pacific Junior Hockey League, Hockey Alberta, the Alberta Junior Hockey League, Hockey Saskatchewan, the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, Hockey Manitoba, the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and the WHL.

1. Standard of play and rules

By streamlining the application of Playing Rules for the same age group, athletes, coaches and officials participating in sanctioned Western Junior A leagues will gain experience and develop in a similar environment to the WHL.

• All participating Western Junior A leagues will adopt the WHL Rule Book, except for Section 1 – Playing Area, Section 3 – Equipment, Rule 34.6 – Television, Rule 38 – Video Goal Judge and Rule 46.14 – Major Penalty.
• Fighting in the Western Junior A leagues will continue to follow the existing Hockey Canada Rule 7.10.
• As part of the pilot, players 18 years of age or older as of December 31 of the current season may choose to wear half-face protection, while those under the age of 18 must continue to wear full-face protection, in line with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Rule 202.

2. Roster composition

To increase flexibility in the development pathway for 15- and 16-year-old players in Western Canada, a number of changes will be implemented, including:

• All 15-year-old affiliate players will be eligible to play up to 10 games with their WHL Club, the same as 16-year-old affiliate players.
• Instead of rostering a maximum of five 15-year-old affiliate players in a season, WHL Clubs will be allowed to name up to nine by January 10.
• If a WHL Club cannot dress a full roster of 20 players for a game, the team will now be eligible to dress two 15-year-old affiliate players.
• WHL Clubs will be able to designate one 16-year-old player, who upon being returned to a Junior A, Canadian Sport School Hockey League or U18 team, will be allowed to play up to 15 games in the WHL.
• If one of the four Members participating in the pilot has granted a 12-, 13- or 14-year-old player special status to play in an advanced age category, any such player must be evaluated to ensure they currently meet and are deemed to continue with special player status in their 15-year-old year to qualify and continue to be eligible to play up to 34 games in the WHL.

“This unprecedented collaboration between the WHL, Junior A leagues and the Western Branches is an unmistakably player-first approach and is one that responds in a substantive way to the evolving demands of players and their families,” commented WHL commissioner Dan Near. “Each of these organizations share a common priority – developing players on and off the ice. The Western Hockey League sits atop the development pyramid for elite players in the West and we will always look for ways to enhance our delivery to players and their families.”

“Establishing this pilot project is a very important part of the exciting steps being taken to evolve our junior hockey pathways in Western Canada, and the initiative will provide our players with even more opportunity and flexibility in their development,” said Cameron Hope, chief executive officer of BC Hockey. “We look forward to the coming season and working together with our Junior A leagues, the WHL and Hockey Canada to ensure the sanctioned junior hockey system continues to strengthen and flourish in our Branch and beyond.”

“This collaboration resets the foundation for developmental opportunities for athletes across Western Canada,” stated AJHL commissioner Ryan Bartoshyk. “As a unified group, we can proactively approach the dynamic nature of our game while adapting and evolving over the duration of this initiative and beyond. We are appreciative of the trust placed in our collective hands and thank the Hockey Canada Board and staff for their support.”

The pilot project will be reviewed on an ongoing basis during the 2024-25 season, and it is anticipated that its scope will expand in future seasons.

Hockey Alberta is excited to announce several changes to Elite Hockey in Alberta, in an effort to align elite hockey across the province, starting in the 2024-25 season.

To unify the Alberta Elite Hockey League (AEHL), Alberta Female Hockey League (AFHL) and AA Hockey, Hockey Alberta has formed an Elite Hockey Executive.

The Executive’s focus is to deliver a premier Elite Development pathway for families in Alberta, to continue to grow the profile of Elite Hockey in Alberta and ensure aligned operations between AA, AAA as well as both male and female hockey leagues.

The executive includes:

• Elite Commissioner, Aaron Rawlake
• AEHL Chair, Devin Selte
• AEHL Vice Chair, Lee Hellyer
• AFHL Chair, Jody Forbes
• AFHL Vice Chair, Lise Cote
• AA Hockey Chair, Trevor Hittel

In addition to the Elite Hockey Executive, Hockey Alberta has announced the following expansion plans for the 2024-25 season:

• U13, U15, U16 and U18 AA Hockey in Alberta operated by the AEHL, overseen by AA Hockey Chair, Trevor Hittel, and AEHL Commissioner, Aaron Rawlake.
• A U13 AAA Pilot in Northern Alberta, operated by the AEHL.
• The Alberta U11 AA Hockey League, operated by Hockey Alberta, culminating in awarding a Provincial Champion.

AEHL Expansion to AA Hockey

Hockey Alberta has been working alongside Minor Hockey Associations in the province, the Northern Alberta Hockey League, South Central Alberta Hockey League, Hockey Calgary AA League, and the AEHL over the last several months to unify the three pre-existing AA leagues under the AEHL.

“The expansion of the AEHL to include AA in the elite model is due to the collaboration and engagement of associations and members in the Hockey Alberta system,” Rawlake said. The AEHL is excited to welcome the AA stakeholders and players to the AEHL with a commitment to exceptional service. Hockey Alberta will continue to provide the premier destination for all levels of elite hockey in the province and we look forward to continuing work with our innovative partners to continue to grow our game.”

The AEHL is being led by Aaron Rawlake, Commissioner, Elite Hockey (AEHL and AFHL), with AA Division Operations being overseen by Trevor Hittel, Chair, AA hockey.

“Unifying AA hockey under the AEHL has been a priority of mine for years,” Hittel said. “We are thrilled to take these next steps to standardize AA league operations and work more closely with AAA divisions to continue to develop and promote AA players to AAA hockey.”

U13 AAA Pilot

The U13 AAA Pilot is being launched for the 2024-2025 season in Northern Alberta. This Pilot will provide valuable insight to Hockey Alberta in identifying the ideal structure required to provide this level of hockey to families across the entire province in the 2025-26 season. MHAs currently committed to participate in the Pilot are Hockey Edmonton (4 teams), Bonnyville, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, Leduc, Lloydminster, Sherwood Park, and St. Albert.

Teams will compete within the structure of the AEHL, which includes access to livestreaming and video analytics to enhance the player development experience at this level of hockey.

Families registered with an MHA that is hosting a U13 AAA team are to access tryouts with that team. Athletes registered outside of an MHA hosting a U13 AAA team are permitted to pursue a U13 AAA tryout with an MHA that is accepting tryout players. Once families have found an Association that is accepting tryout players, athletes from outside the Host MHA will need a ‘Notification to Tryout’ form.

For more information on individual programs and tryouts, please contact the Host Associations for more details.

U11 AA

For the past two seasons, Hockey Alberta has worked with our Minor Hockey Leagues to operate the U11 HADP within Alberta. Hockey Alberta has decided to create the category of U11 AA, officially, for 2024-25 and beyond.

Teams within the U11 AA will play in the newly formed Alberta U11 AA Hockey League. The inaugural season of U11 AA will begin in October and the 48 participating teams will compete in regional play throughout the season with the season culminating in playoffs and a Provincial Tournament.

Please refer to Information Bulletin 23-11 for more information regarding the alignment and league operations.

Bulletin 23-11 >

RED DEER – Goaltending is one of the most scrutinized positions in sports. Through the Goalie Development Program, Hockey Alberta is providing young goaltenders the tools to succeed at all levels.

This program, led by Hockey Alberta’s Manager of Goalie Development, Matt Weninger, was designed to ensure Alberta’s goaltenders, and their coaches, are properly equipped to reach the next level of performance. Athletes and coaches are provided goaltender specific skills development, consistent coaching, and mental and physical resources that come with playing the position at a high level.

Goaltenders, Erika Lind and Jackson Unger both credit the program for the foundation of their development.

Lind grew up playing in the Edmonton minor hockey system, spending the final two seasons of her minor hockey career with the Northern Alberta Xtreme U18 Prep team. She had a great two years with the Xtreme, including her final season where she played in 21 games, putting up a .932 save percentage and 2.01 goals-against-average. Her suburb play earned her an opportunity to attend Mercyhurst University to play NCAA Division I hockey, where she made her debut between the pipes in the 2023-24 season as a freshman.

“I learned a lot through the Hockey Alberta stream, not only as a player, but life lessons and skills I’m able to use in my life now,” said Lind. “Throughout my years with Hockey Alberta, I’ve had the privilege of participating in quite a few of the elite (goalie development) camps. It gave me the opportunity to meet and work with a lot of the top-end goalie coaches in Alberta and that was always very beneficial to hear constructive feedback from them and get different perspectives.”

Lind’s time with Hockey Alberta’s Goalie Development Program began in 2019. While she’s reached an elite level of play, her foundation is still built on what she learned from the Hockey Alberta stream.

“By taking every piece of constructive feedback and applying it to my game to help develop my skills, I used that as an opportunity to grow as a goaltender, both physically and mentally,” said Lind. “Seeing my progression from my first year, when I was playing at the Alberta Challenge for North Yellow to now … I’m not sure I would’ve seen the growth in my game that I did, if it wasn’t for my time in the (goaltending) program.”

Unger played his minor hockey in Calgary with the Calgary Bisons and Edge U18 Prep team before moving onto the Western Hockey League’s Moose Jaw Warriors, where he’s spent the last three seasons.

The 2023-24 season marked Unger’s first full season as Moose Jaw’s starter. He went 35-15 with a .908 save percentage in the regular season before going 16-1-2 in 20 playoff games with a .910 save percentage and 2.90 goals-against-average, backstopping Moose Jaw to a WHL Championship and a berth in the Memorial Cup tournament.

Taking part in the Alberta Built Camps as a kid, Unger credits Hockey Alberta’s Goalie Development Program for setting him up for success later in his career.

“There’s nothing (that compares) to the calibre of Hockey Alberta camps, those are the toughest camps I’ve been to,” Unger said. “I’ve been participating in these camps since my U9 or U11 days and they’ve really pushed me the most. Hockey Alberta has the best coaches too. They know what they’re doing, and the program is set up really well to help young goaltenders find success.”

Weninger, who has lead the Goalie Development Program since 2017, first met Unger as a kid at the Hockey Alberta camps. Their relationship has grown throughout the years through Hockey Alberta and Weninger’s position as Moose Jaw’s goaltending coach.

“We’ve known each other for a long time,” Unger said. "I would see him every year through Hockey Alberta camps. Once I got drafted, I started going to his Lethbridge camps that he put on for WHL goalies. He’s developed me a lot and he’s been with me throughout most of my career, so it’s been good.”

Like Lind, Unger credits the Hockey Alberta Goalie Development Program for the development of the foundation of his game.

“One of the things they (Hockey Alberta) taught me was the off-ice mental stuff and all the nutrition,” Unger said. “They went through everything you need to know off the ice as well because that’s equally as important as the on-ice aspects. I still know all the stuff they taught me back then and it’s always in the back of my mind. The big game preparation, having all those tools from those camps is big for sure.”

Unger and Lind are now guest coaches for Hockey Alberta and they are working with Weninger to develop the foundation of the next generation of Alberta goalies.

For more information on the Hockey Alberta Goalie Development Program, visit:

HOCKEY ALBERTA GOALIE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM >

RED DEER – Seven Albertans were selected in the 2024 National Hockey League Draft to six different teams during the two-day event in Las Vegas, June 28 and 29.

Calgary’s Carter Yakemchuk was the first Albertan off the board, going seventh overall to the Ottawa Senators while Lethbridge’s Terik Parascak also went in the first round to the Washington Capitals with pick 17.

Five more were drafted in rounds two through seven on Saturday.

In total, four are alumni of the Alberta Elite Hockey League and two, in Harrison Brunicke and Charlie Elick, are Team Alberta alumnus, although Elick was forced to miss the competition with an injury.

A full list of Albertans drafted can be found below.

The top under-18 hockey players in the world are coming to Edmonton this summer for the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, and Hockey Canada wants you to be part of the action!

Join Hockey Canada for the annual invitation-only tournament Aug. 5-10 at Rogers Place and be there when future stars emerge. The Hlinka Gretzky Cup is the premier, best-on-best competition where fans and scouts alike get a chance to see the top NHL Draft prospects showcase their elite skill on the international stage ahead of the 2024-25 season, and we need volunteers like you to make it all happen.

Hockey Canada is currently looking for volunteers for the following committees:

• Scout & Media Services
• Medical
• Off-Ice Officials
• Team Services
• Transportation
• Volunteer Operations

Selected volunteers will receive a uniform, meals, transit passes, and a chance to win great Hlinka Gretzky Cup prizes.

CLICK HERE AND SIGN UP BY JUNE 25 >

RED DEER – One year removed from winning the bronze medal, Team Alberta U18 Female upped its game and brought home another medal at the 2024 National Aboriginal Hockey Championship (NAHC) May 5-11 in Grande Prairie.

After a thrilling 3-2 triple overtime victory over Team Manitoba in the tournament semi-final, Team Alberta Female came home with silver after falling to Team Ontario in the championship game. The silver medal is the team’s best finish at the event after previously winning two bronze medals, bringing Team Alberta’s total medal count to three.

Alberta finished second after the round robin, going undefeated. They beat Team British Columbia in their opening game 2-1, then followed that up with 8-1, 2-1 and 2-0 victories over Team Eastern Door & North, Team Manitoba and Team Atlantic, earning them a berth in the semi-finals. Alberta outscored its opponents 14-3 after the round robin and 17-8 at the end of the tournament.

Tayla Lamabe was Alberta’s leading scorer, registering three goals and two assists in six games. Makenna Brassard was second on the team with four points.

TEAM ALBERTA U18 FEMALE ROSTER >

Team Alberta’s U18 Male began its tournament with a 2-2 tie with Team Saskatchewan, and finished with one win, a tie and two losses. Their victory came over Team Atlantic by a 6-4 score. Alberta qualified for the quarterfinals, falling 6-4 to the eventual silver medalists from Saskatchewan.

Team Alberta won its placement game by a 10-2 score over Team Eastern Door & North. Owen Folstrom was Alberta’s leading scorer, scoring four games and eight points over the duration of the tournament. Hayden Iron Shirt followed closely with seven points, including five assists.

TEAM ALBERTA U18 MALE ROSTER >

The 2025 National Aboriginal Hockey Championship are being held in Kamloops, British Columbia on the traditional territory of the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc.

Tryouts for Team Alberta competing at the 2025 NAHC is being held Aug. 8-11 in Red Deer. Registration opens on June 17.

The Aboriginal Sport Circle established the National Aboriginal Hockey Championships (NAHC) in 2002 to serve as the premiere competition for young Indigenous hockey players in Canada.

The annual event provides a forum for elite U18 aged Indigenous male and female youth and attracts participation from First Nation, Inuit, and Metis across the 13 provinces and territories. This annual event helps foster cultural unity and pride to celebrate the athletic abilities of Indigenous players from across the country. The NAHC also serves as a focal point for grassroots and regional Indigenous hockey development.

RED DEER – South Gold are the 2024 Prospects Cup champions.

South Gold defeated Calgary White, 9-5, in the final game on Sunday at the Garry W. Harris Centre in Red Deer.

Madden Daneault paced South Gold with a hat-trick and two assists. Jett Evans also had two goals and two assists in the winning cause. Karson Varty earned the win in net. For Calgary White, Oaklyn Juurlink had two goals, and Emerson Hiebert two assists.

• Players of the Game: South Gold: 11 Madden Daneault | Calgary White: 14 Oaklyn Juurlink
• Boxscore >

In the other final games, on Sunday, South Black, North Grey and North Blue emerged victorious.

South Black 4, Calgary Red 3

In the 3rd/ 4th place game, South Black jumped out to a 4-2 lead after two periods, and held on for a 4-3 win over Calgary Red to take third place. Joe MacGregor had two goals to lead the way for South Black. Alexandre Montembeault stopped 44 of 48 shots in the Calgary Red net to keep the game close.

• Players of the Game: South Black: 14 Joe MacGregor | Calgary Red: 5 Adam Loeffler
• Boxscore >

North Grey 3, Capital Green 2

In the 5th/ 6th place game, Lincoln Schell scored what proved to be the winning goal midway through the third period, as North Grey held on for 3-2 victory over Capital Green to earn fifth place. Zayden MacLean stopped 47 shots in the North Grey net.

• Players of the Game: North Grey: 8 Luke Bawol | Capital Green: 2 North Gilbertson
• Boxscore >

North Blue 4, Capital Royal 3

In the 7th/ 8th place game, Marek Pashko scored the winner with less than five minutes remaining in the third period, as North Blue defeated Capital Royal, 4-3, to take seventh place. Domenico Barone had a goal and two assists for Capital Royal.

• Players of the Game: North Blue: 8 Beckham Brown | Capital Royal: 11 Domenico Barone
• Boxscore >

Standings > | Stats > | Schedule > | Round Robin Recap >

RED DEER – The round robin phase has wrapped up for the 2024 Prospects Cup.

All eight teams play their final game tomorrow, with seventh place, fifth place, third place and the Prospects Cup championship up for grabs.

• North Blue (4th Pool A) and Capital Royal (4th Pool B) are playing for seventh place.
• Capital Green (3rd Pool A) and North Grey (3rd Pool B) are playing for fifth place.
• South Black (2nd Pool A) and Calgary Red (2nd Pool B) are playing for third place.
• Calgary White (1st Pool A) and South Gold (1st Pool B) are playing for the Prospects Cup.

Check out the recap of all 12 games prior from this weekend. All games are livestreamed on FloHockey.

Standings > | Stats > | Schedule >

Game #1: North Grey 5, Capital Royal 2

Players of the Game: North Grey: 12 Jaxon Kalmbach | Capital Royal: 31 Kasen Nuttall

Boxscore >

Game #2: South Gold 6, Calgary Red 2

Players of the Game: South Gold: 14 Jett Evans | Calgary Red: 15 Campbell McGunigal

Boxscore >

Game #3: Capital Green 7, North Blue 4

Players of the Game: Capital Green: 17 Titan Prefontaine | North Blue: 12 Conner Lakusta

Boxscore >

Game #4: Calgary White 4, South Black 1

Players of the Game: Calgary White: 1 Griffin Fisher | South Black: 31 Desmond Snell

Boxscore >

Game #5: South Black 5, North Blue 2

Players of the Game: South Black: 10 Charlie Dean | North Blue: 20 Callen Shackleton

Boxscore >

Game #6: Capital Green 4, Calgary White 4

Players of the Game: Capital Green: 16 Kale Palmer | Calgary White: 9 Aiden Brown

Boxscore >

Game #7: South Gold 1, North Grey 1

Players of the Game: South Gold: 11 Madden Daneault | North Grey: 31 Zayden MacLean

Boxscore >

Game #8: Calgary Red 6, Capital Royal 5

Players of the Game: Calgary Red: 14 Benjamin Isaak | North Royal: 8 Emmett Abel

Boxscore >

Game #9: South Black 7, Capital Green 1

Players of the Game: South Black: 17 Jaret Otto | Capital Green: 19 Trygve Sutherland

Boxscore >

Game #10: Calgary Red 3, North Grey 2

Players of the Game: Calgary Red: 17 Nathan Reddeman | North Grey: 9 Kale Hart

Boxscore >

Game #11: Calgary White 6, North Blue 3

Players of the Game: Calgary White: 15 Alex Katsilieris | North Blue: 3 Eli Boddez

Boxscore >

Game #12: South Gold 13, Capital Royal 3

Players of the Game: South Gold: 15 Macen Ibach | Capital Royal: 9 Marko Anusic

Boxscore >

#AlbertaBuilt Performer of the Day

• Day 1 – #4 Ryder McDonald - Royal Blue

• Day 2 – #31 Zayden MacLean - North Grey

• Day 3 – #11 Jake Gerstenbuhler - South Black

The Alberta Built player of the day is the athlete who best exemplifies the qualities of an “Alberta Built” player. Alberta Built is defined as:

• Good person – Know who you are.
• Character player – Believe in yourself.
• Grit player – Thrive on adversity
• Leadership – Treat yourself & people right
• Standard of performance – Focused approach on process – ALWAYS COMPETE – EVERY-DAYERS

Nine Albertans registered in Hockey Alberta/Hockey Canada sanctioned programs, heard their names called during the first round of the 2024 WHL Draft on Thursday. Another 81 were selected in the later rounds, bringing the final count to 90.

Calgary’s Landon DuPont was selected first overall by the Everett Silvertips. DuPont spent last season with the Edge School U18 Prep team, where he recorded 19 goals and 62 points in 30 regular season games. DuPont has been granted Exceptional Player Status and is eligible to play in the WHL on a full-time basis beginning with the 2024-25 WHL regular season. He becomes the first Albertan and second player in WHL history to earn this honour following Connor Bedard in 2020. In total, nine players have been granted Exceptional Status in CHL history.

Two other Albertans went in the top five of the draft. Airdrie defenceman Aden Bouchard went third overall to the Tri-City Americans and was followed by Edmonton’s Ben Harvey who was selected fourth by the Prince Albert Raiders.

Those who were selected in the top 10 include:

• Ossie McIntyre, St. Albert (Spokane Chiefs)
• Owen Hayden, Calgary (Kelowna Rockets)

Rounding out the list of Albertans selected in the first round are Airdrie’s Brock England (Seattle Thunderbirds) and Jordin St. Louis (Portland Winterhawks), St. Albert native Luke Ruptash (Medicine Hat Tigers), and Rocky View’s Mirco Dufour (Everett Silvertips).

Fifty-one of the 90 Albertans selected are from the Alberta Elite Hockey League.

A full list of Albertans registered in Hockey Alberta/Hockey Canada sanctioned programs drafted can be found below:

Nine Albertans registered in Hockey Alberta/Hockey Canada sanctioned programs, heard their names called during the first round of the 2024 WHL Draft on Thursday.

Calgary’s Landon DuPont was selected first overall by the Everett Silvertips. DuPont, who spent last season with the Edge School U18 Prep team, where he recorded 19 goals and 62 points in 30 regular season games. DuPont has been granted Exceptional Player Status and is eligible to play in the WHL on a full-time basis beginning with the 2024-25 WHL regular season. He becomes the first Albertan and second player in WHL history to earn this honour following Connor Bedard in 2020. In total, nine players have been granted Exceptional Status in CHL history.

Two other Albertans went in the top five of the draft. Airdrie Defenceman Aden Bouchard went third overall to the Tri-City Americans and was followed by Edmonton’s Ben Harvey who was selected fourth by the Prince Albert Raiders.

Those who were selected in the top 10 include:

• Ossie McIntyre, St. Albert (Spokane Chiefs)
• Owen Hayden, Calgary (Kelowna Rockets)

Rounding out the list of Albertans selected in the first round are:

• Brock England, Airdrie (Seattle Thunderbirds)
• Luke Ruptash, St. Albert (Medicine Hat Tigers)
• Mirco Dufour, Rocky View (Everett Silvertips)
• Jordin St. Louis, Airdrie (Portland Winterhawks)

Three of the 9 Albertans (McIntyre, Hayden, Ruptash) are from the Alberta Elite Hockey League.

A full list of Albertans registered in Hockey Alberta/ Hockey Canada sanctioned programs drafted can be found below:

RED DEER – Three teams who participated in the 2024 Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships presented by ATB, were named winners of the Player Pledge initiative.

The U13 Tier 1 Medicine Hat Hounds, U15 Tier 3 High Prairie, and the U18 Female Tier 1 Fort McMurray Huskies were the three winners for this season and due to their commitment to the pledge, won $500 to go towards their year-end party.

Hockey Alberta asked teams competing in Provincials to commit to the Player Pledge by participating in a team building activity ahead of the tournament.

The team builder activity included watching a short video followed by the coach leading the conversation about respect, inclusion and what it means to be an ally. It concluded with the ask for players to take the Player Pledge, as well as a team commitment throughout the tournament. To acknowledge the Player Pledge and commitment, each team participating in Provincials were given a magnet to hang with the pledge and space to write their commitment for motivation throughout the tournament.

“We felt it was important to partake in the pledge because as individuals it’s important to respect others and where they come from,” said Lee Sprunger, head coach of the Medicine Hat Hounds. “As hockey players, we all have different upbringings and perspectives. But if we respect others, we can make a difference in all areas of life.”

“The U18 Huskies chose to do the pledge for a few reasons,” said Melissa Seymour, Team Manager of Fort McMurray. “They wanted to recognize the team’s journey this season; it took commitment to each other to help navigate the highs and lows of the season. It was an opportunity for them to recognize and support their differences on and off the ice. The pledge reminded them to be ready to compete hard, be positive, and the importance of respecting the sport and embracing the Provincials experience.”

Seymour went on to say that the Huskies were excited for the opportunity to showcase what taking part in the pledge meant to the players on the team.

“From the moment they loaded the bus the excitement was obvious. They knew this was the experience they had been working for,” she said. “Their hard work had paid off and they each had a role to play in that success. Representing Fort McMurray at Provincials offered a sense of belonging, to their home community and the female hockey community. The weekend was all about them, their hard work, their skills, their sportsmanship. It also demonstrated to our younger Huskies teams this experience is possible for them too.”

High Prairie Team Manager Teneaka Laboucan said it was important for their team to participate so they could show people the way hockey should be played.

“Play hockey for the way hockey is to be played. Respect the other team’s players, coaches, and parents by encouraging my teammates with positive attitudes and behaviours,” they said. “Respect the on-ice officials and the calls they make so long as they are respectful and providing fair treatment. Take action in preventing and intervening in any maltreatment even if it isn’t being to shown towards us.”

Sprunger said it’s important to start the conversation to ensure that people know hockey can be a safe and inclusive game.

“This goes back to why we chose to participate in the pledge in the first place,” he said. “If we approach any situation with respect, we can have a positive impact on not only our lives, but the people around us as well.”

Seymour said that starting the conversation needs to continue past Provincials and become something that’s happening on a regular basis.

“Starting the conversation on inclusive and respectful hockey is important not only at special events but year long,” Seymour said. “Sports are an excellent medium for teaching life skills such as teamwork, communication, and leadership. Understanding and valuing diversity can help develop more well-rounded individuals. Creating and supporting a safe hockey environment encourages ongoing participation and enjoyment of the sport.”

RED DEER – Athletes and coaches aren’t the only people involved in the Alberta Cup who are looking to advance their skills with hopes of progressing to the next level.

A group that seemingly gets forgotten about is Hockey Alberta’s group of officials, who go through a rigorous process to get the chance to officiate the Alberta Cup.

“It really starts at the grassroots level where the officials who are at this tournament are identified in their local areas and are recommended for certain Hockey Alberta events over the course of the season such as the AEHL and AFHL showcases, as well as other things such as provincial playdowns and the Alberta Winter Games,” said Colin Watt, Hockey Alberta Officials, Development Coordinator.

Once officials are selected for those events, Watt, along with fellow coordinator Curt L’Heureux pair down the list of officials who are making the jump to the next level.

“We attend those events and are essentially scouting to identify which officials are our top up and comers,” Watt said. Those officials get selected for regional camps for the Alberta Cup. A different group of officials get selected for the Alberta Cup itself and then a separate group also get selected for the summer development camp that runs in July.”

L’Heureux said there are several aspects that he and Watt are looking for in their young officials.

“Skating fitness is one of the major components we look at. You need to be able to skate as well as the players at each level of hockey that you officiate at,” he said. “Communication is another key skill that we look for. Communication with the players, and coaches. Let the coaches know that there is an open line of communication. Judgement is another big one that we look for, regarding minor penalties … whether they get called or get overlook. The last one is standard. We want to see if the officials establish a standard at the beginning of the game and maintain it throughout the rest of the game.”

The key part of official’s development is of course the growth they make on a year-to-year basis. Both Watt and L’Heureux said they take a lot of pride in seeing their officials take that next step.

“It’s cool. To see these officials grow from when they’re identified at 15 or 16-years-old, and see them turn into elite officials, it just goes to show our group’s dedication and hard work going to these events,” L’Heureux said.

“It really rewarding,” Watt added. “I really enjoy when, when you have kind of some of those ‘aha’ moments, when you’ve said something to them, and they grasp it a little bit better. They put it into practice and it’s a little bit of a challenge. It’s different for them, right? Trying new things puts them in kind of a spot where they’re not necessarily as comfortable. But then when they do it well and they can see kind of the fruits of their labour as far as trying something different, that part is really rewarding for us.”

Numerous sports, including hockey, look to recruit new officials each year, but there are challenges, especially when it comes to abusive behaviour from coaches, players, and fans. Watt, who is currently an official in the AJHL, said officiating has taught him a lot about himself on and off the ice.

“You learn so many life skills in officiating, whether it’s dealing with people under pressure dealing with kind of hostile situations. One thing I really harp on a lot is just self evaluation throughout our games, and you learn how to do that type of stuff and have a certain level of self awareness in your personal life as well,” Watt said. “I’ve found personally that it’s made a huge difference in how I conduct myself off the ice all the time. It’s helped a ton as far in my professional life in never having these panic moments or having the ability to deal with some of the more challenging situations.”

Watt highlights the personal relationships he’s made over the years, which includes a longtime friendship with L’Heureux.

“As far as the personal relationships that you gain with the people you work with, it’s a unique situation because you’re working with your partners, but you’re also competing against them,” he said. “But at the end of the day, I think everyone in the officiating world has each’s others backs and it’s a very cool dynamic that you can have such a tight knit group who you know has your back but can also have a healthy and friendly competition with them too.”

Eight athletes who previously went through Hockey Alberta’s system were crowned champions on both sides of the border.

Defenceman Sam McGinley (Calgary) was part of the undefeated University of New Brunswick Reds that went 43-0 en route to winning their second consecutive University Cup on March 17. UNB took out eighth seeded Brock University 4-0, blew by Toronto Metropolitan 7-0 before finishing off their perfect season with a 4-0 victory over Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR). The 21-year-old defenceman suited up in 11 games for the Reds, posting four assists while also adding a goal in five playoff games. McGinley assisted on UNB’s third goal in the championship game, while also going +3.

McGinley played for the U15 and U16 AAA Calgary Royals, and Edge School before going onto the Western Hockey League where he played for both Regina and Swift Current. McGinley also played in the Alberta Cup.

After her fourth season at Clarkson University, Stephanie Markowski (Edmonton) played a crucial role this season in helping the Ohio State Buckeyes win the NCAA Division I Female National Championship on March 25. Ohio State took down Minnesota Duluth 9-0 to punch its ticket to the Frozen Four tournament. There the Buckeyes defeated Clarkson 4-1 and Wisconsin 1-0 to win the school’s second national championship. Markowski finished with 27 points in 39 games while also keeping the oppositions top forwards off the scoresheet.

Markowski played for the St. Albert Slash, Pursuit of Excellence and suited up twice with Team Alberta at the National Women’s U18 Championship.

Six Albertans were part of the University of Denver Pioneers national championship squad that defeated the University of Boston College 2-0 in the Frozen Four championship game on April 13. Goaltenders Matt Davis (Calgary) and Freddie Halyk (Cochrane); defencemen Cale Ashcroft (St. Albert) and Kent Anderson (Calgary); and forwards Rieger Lorenz (Calgary) and Carter King (Calgary) were part of the Pioneers victory with all six members playing key roles on the road to the Frozen Four. Lorenz assisted on the game-winning goal and scored the insurance marker in the win over Boston College. Denver had three 2-1 victories over Massachusetts, Cornell, and Boston University to earn their way to the championship game.

Davis, Ashcroft, Lorenz, and Anderson all participated in the Alberta Cup at various points over the past several seasons.

Merrimack College defender Raice Szott (Daysland) was nominated for the 2024 Hockey Humanitarian Award in the NCAA. Szott launched the Merrimack College Women’s Hockey Community Service Committee, which has led to several volunteer and fundraising opportunities in the Merrimack Valley. She has coordinated fundraisers to support local nonprofits, including first responders and the Ellie Fund, a local foundation that assists men and women suffering from breast cancer. Szott has coordinated volunteers for Merrimack’s Relay For Life, local girls’ hockey programs and after-school programs at local elementary schools.

Connor Bouchard named USports men’s hockey player of the year

Sullivan Trophy as USports men’s hockey player of the year.

Bouchard scored 23 goals and 34 assists in 25 games with the Cougars (2.28 points per game), becoming the first player in 23 years to surpass the 50-point plateau. His totals were aided by a 24-game point streak and 12 power play goals.

Brock University’s Connor Ungar (Calgary) won the Clare Drake Trophy for rookie of the year. Bouchard was named First Team All-Canadian, with Ungar and University of Calgary defenceman Colson Gengenbach (Edmonton) named Second Team All-Canadians. Ungar also was named to the All-Rookie Team.

RED DEER – Seventeen Alberta born/trained players have been named to the NHL Central Scouting’s North America Final Rankings for 2023-2024.

Calgary Hitmen defenceman Carter Yakemchuk (Calgary) is the highest ranked Albertan in the list, ending the season at number 11 out of all eligible North American players. Terik Parascak (Lethbridge) of the Prince George Cougars is not far behind, ranked at number 15. Of the eligible players on the list, sixteen are playing in the WHL, and the other two play in the AJHL and USHL.

The full list of players named to the list can be found below. The 2024 NHL Draft Combine takes place in Buffalo, New York from June 2-8, and the 2024 NHL Draft takes place in Paradise, Nevada at the Sphere from June 28-29.

Note: All players listed are considered as Hockey Alberta members/alumni.

RED DEER – Hockey Alberta is proud to announce the 160 athletes who will wear the Hockey Alberta logo for the first time at the Prospects Cup.

Eight teams play a round-robin style tournament May 8-12 at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre in Red Deer. Each team’s 20-person roster is made up of two goaltenders, six defence and 12 forwards.

ROSTERS >

The Prospects Cup is the first step of the Hockey Alberta Development program. It provides second year U13 male athletes, coaches, trainers, and administrators an opportunity to discover the qualities of competitive hockey in a well-organized regional camp and select team competition.

Over the April 12-14 weekend, hundreds of players participated in four regional camps in Calgary, Edmonton, Olds, and Vegreville. Two teams from each camp were selected to compete in the Prospects Cup tournament. Male players born in 2011 who participated in a Hockey Canada sanctioned program this season were eligible to try out.

“The Prospects Cup is the introduction to the Hockey Alberta process for these athletes as it focuses on their development and growth while also introducing the majority of them to short-term competition,” said Blake Cosgrove, Hockey Alberta’s Manager of Elite Hockey Development. “This group of players are exciting to watch, and I hope they enjoy the experience.”

Hockey Alberta’s Spring Showcase fuelled by Gatorade concludes with the Prospects Cup. The Alberta Cup (April 24-28) and the Alberta Challenge (May 1-5) also comprise the Spring Showcase.

Partnership opportunities are available for the 2024 Spring Showcase and can be found in the document below:

2024 SPRING SHOWCASE PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES >

EDMONTON – Kyle Rehman wasn’t sure if he would officiate one National Hockey League game, let alone a thousand.

But that’s exactly what the Red Deer native did when he accomplished the feat on March 28 during a contest between the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings at Rogers Place. Rehman was recognized by the league, the Oilers, and Kings, receiving a Tiffany crystal from the league, jerseys from both teams as well as a pair of Adirondack chairs that had his name, the NHL logo and ‘1,000 games’ on it.

“I would have never thought to do one (game), let alone a thousand, so it’s a very special milestone for me,” Rehman said. “It comes with a lot of sacrifice, not only for myself, but for my family. It’s been an incredible journey and I’ve got a long way to go.”

Rehman said the best part of the whole evening was having his family at his side and allowing them to get some recognition for everything they’ve done for him.

“I got the chance to have my two boys on the ice with me before the game, which is something I’ll never forget. Then to have my family on the ice with me during the ceremony, it was good to get them some recognition because they’ve sacrificed so much,” Rehman said. “My wife is a rockstar. She’s pretty much a driver for the kids, taking them to all their activities, so for them to get some of that recognition was cool. Then to have my brother and my parents there as well was awesome as well. They jumped on board when I was younger and really supported, pushed, and encouraged me to go as far as I can.”

The 45-year-old referee got his start in 2000 in Red Deer where he got the opportunity to officiate U18 AAA and Senior AAA games. He moved onto the Western Hockey League shortly after and got the call to the NHL in 2007. His first game was January 22, 2008, featuring the Edmonton Oilers and Tampa Bay Lightning.

Over the course of his career, Rehman has gotten the chance to officiate some of the biggest events the NHL had to offer - Stanley Cup playoff games, NHL Global Series in Sweden, and the 2020 Winter Classic at the Cotton Bowl between the Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars.

“The whole atmosphere, being outdoors with 85,000 fans, the NHL does a really good job of putting on those types of events,” said Rehman. “Both fanbases were awesome, seeing the Nashville fans travel to Dallas and seeing how much support the city gave to the Stars … it was a great game and I’m proud to say I was part of it.”

Numerous sports, including hockey, look to recruit new officials each year, but there are challenges, especially when it comes to abusive behaviour from coaches, players, and fans. Rehman asks that spectators ease off the young officials.

“We’re losing officials every year. I have two boys that play hockey and I want them to be able to play games and leagues need referees. I think it’s important for people to be at the rink and to appreciate these games and volunteers,” Rehman said. “The younger kids are just learning … guys at the NHL level, we’re the top officials in the world and we sometimes make mistakes, just like the coaches and players because we’re human. Let the emotion of the game be on the ice, because if we continue to trend in the direction we’re going in, we aren’t going to have any officials left.”

For younger people hesitant to enter the game in the officiating capacity, Rehman’s advice is to go out there and do your best and enjoy the process of improving.

“Go out there and work hard every game. As long as you can come off the ice, look yourself in the mirror and say, ‘I left it all out there, I worked hard and I hustled’, it’s a great feeling to know you went out there and did your best,” said Rehman. “You don’t necessarily need to make the NHL either, there are a lot of great opportunities with Hockey Canada and Hockey Alberta. I hope our younger generation of officials stick with it and continue to support one another.”

RED DEER – Partnership opportunities are now available for the 2024 Spring Showcase.

There is a variety of packages available for potential sponsors, including four levels of sponsorship opportunities ranging from program advertising to being the title sponsor of Spring Showcase.

2024 SPRING SHOWCASE PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES >

The Spring Showcase is one of Hockey Alberta’s premiere events, focusing on the province’s next generation of elite female and male players. For an Alberta business, signing on as a sponsor for the Spring Showcase is a wonderful opportunity to be a part of an event that supports the emerging athlete, coach, official, trainers and support staff from across Alberta," said Tim Leer, Hockey Alberta’s Director of Partnerships and Marketing.

Hockey Alberta welcomes over 400 athletes, 200 volunteers, 150 scouts and thousands of families and friends to the Red Deer area throughout the Spring Showcase. The Showcase is a three-week long event, featuring three elite-level competitions: the Alberta Cup featuring the top U15 males, the Alberta Challenge for U15 females, and the Prospects Cup for U13 males.

Each competition is five days and features the top athletes in each region, coached and staffed by some of the best in the province. The event serves as a development opportunity to introduce athletes and staff to short-term competition.

For more information, contact Tim Leer, Hockey Alberta’s Partnerships and Marketing Director or Kara Spady, Hockey Alberta’s Marketing and Promotions Manager.

Two teams have been crowned champions over the third weekend of the 2024 Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships hosted by ATB.

Read below to see who walked away with the banner in the final week of play.

2024 Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships

The third week of action kicked off on Wednesday, April 4 and ran until Sunday, April 7. Four teams hit the ice in search of the championship banner on Sunday.

Junior B - The Carstar Okotoks Bisons of the HJHL won the Junior B Championship over the La Crete Lumber Barons by a score of 6-3.

U17 AAA AEHL - The St. Albert Raiders Flyers defeated the NWCAA (Calgary Flames) in double overtime, 3-2, to win the U17 AAA championship.

HOCKEY ALBERTA PROVINCIALS PAGE >

2024 Hockey Alberta League Playoffs

In Alberta Junior Hockey League action, the Calgary Canucks defeated the Drumheller Dragons in their best-of-seven series, 4-1, to advance to the InterPipline Cup Final. They await the winner of the series between the Whitecourt Wolverines and Canmore Eagles, with their series tied up at three games apiece and Game 7 taking place on April 9.

In the Alberta Elite Hockey League’s U18 AAA division, the Calgary Buffaloes are on their way to the Telus Cup after defeating the Vancouver NE Chiefs in the Pacific Regionals.

The 2024 Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships are Powered by ATB. ATB is sharing the top tips for players, teams and families to take to the ice without breaking the bank. Tap into their Good Advice for all things financial well-being, including how to teach your kids about money at every age.

Plus the ultimate savings, a chance to win the Possibility Pot. That’s $2,500 for yourself, and $2,500 for you to direct to a charity of your choice.

Enter to win >

TBS is Hockey Alberta’s preferred apparel provider for the Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships, powered by ATB. A number of merchandise items are available to purchase with options to customize items (for example "Champions 2024). Any questions regarding merchandise can be directed to Kara Spady ([email protected]) at Hockey Alberta.

Shop Here >

CALGARY - The Western Hockey League announced today, on behalf of Hockey Canada and Hockey Alberta, that Landon DuPont (Calgary, Alta.) has been granted Exceptional Player Status and is eligible to play in the WHL on a full-time basis beginning with the 2024-25 WHL Regular Season.

“On behalf of the WHL Board of Governors, I would like to congratulate Landon on being the first defenceman in WHL history to be granted exceptional status by Hockey Canada,” commented WHL Commissioner Dan Near. “Landon is a fine young man, who not only possesses tremendous talent on the ice, but has been raised with solid moral character, a positive attitude, and a great work ethic. These attributes make him truly deserving of being among those exceptional players to come before him, and we look forward to him continuing his development in the WHL.”

An Exceptional Player must possess a level of mental, social, and emotional maturity that belies his age, along with hockey skills that greatly exceed those of other elite level players both in their age group and among players several years older. For an individual who is granted exceptional status, they earn the rare privilege of participating in the Western Hockey League at an early age. It is believed their development is more likely to be enhanced significantly by playing in the WHL as a 15-year-old, than by participating in their designated age division.

The Exceptional Player Status process was administered by Hockey Alberta with a Hockey Canada Special Evaluation Panel, which reviewed DuPont’s hockey and academic documentation. The process also assessed DuPont’s level of maturity.

“Hockey Canada wishes to congratulate Landon DuPont and his family on the impressive achievement of becoming only the second player to be granted Exceptional Status into the WHL, and the ninth player in the entire CHL,” said Scott Salmond, Senior Vice-President of High Performance and Hockey Operations with Hockey Canada. “Landon not only boasts impressive hockey ability that will allow him to succeed in the WHL at a young age, but he also possesses the incredible maturity required to be an exemplary young person off the ice.”

Born May 28, 2009, the 14-year-old DuPont is eligible to be selected in the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft, which is scheduled for Thursday, May 9.

A 5-foot-11, 170-pound right shot defenceman, DuPont spent the 2023-24 season playing for the Edge School U18 Prep squad in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL), where he recorded 62 points (19G-43A) in 30 regular season games to finish third in CSSHL U18 scoring. His 62 points led all blueliners and established a new CSSHL U18 Prep single-season scoring record for defencemen. DuPont added another 16 points (5G-11A) in five playoff games, tying the CSSHL U18 Championship scoring record held by former Edmonton Oil Kings and Seattle Thunderbirds star Dylan Guenther. DuPont’s record-tying performance earned him CSSHL U18 Prep Championship MVP honours as he helped Edge capture the CSSHL U18 title.

“It is such an honour for me to receive Exceptional Player Status from Hockey Alberta and Hockey Canada. I’m extremely humbled to have received this designation,” DuPont said. “I would like to thank my family, all of my coaches, trainers, advisors and most of all, my teammates, through my entire hockey journey for helping me get to this point. I’m excited to continue my development in the WHL and will work hard every day to continue to improve.”

DuPont becomes the first defenceman and second player in WHL history to be granted Exceptional Player Status by Hockey Canada, following Connor Bedard (2020 – Regina Pats / West Van Academy Prep).

“Congratulations to Landon DuPont on being the first-ever player from Alberta granted Exceptional Status with the Western Hockey League. Landon’s achievement is a testament to his skills, desire, and hard work,” said Rob Litwinski, CEO and President, Hockey Alberta. “It also reflects the commitment and effort of everyone involved in Landon’s hockey circle. This is a proud day for Landon, the DuPont family, and the staff and students at Edge School, and the entire Hockey Alberta community shares that pride.”

DuPont is the third defenceman and ninth player in Canadian Hockey League (CHL) history to be granted Exceptional Player Status by Hockey Canada. He was preceded by defencemen Aaron Ekblad (2011 – Barrie Colts / Sun County Panthers) and Sean Day (2013 – Mississauga Steelheads / Compuware 16U AAA), along with forwards John Tavares (2005 – Oshawa Generals / Toronto Marlboros), Connor McDavid (2012 – Erie Otters / Toronto Marlboros), Joe Veleno (2015 – Saint John Sea Dogs / Lac St-Louis Lions), Shane Wright (2019 – Kingston Frontenacs / Don Mills Flyers), Michael Misa (2022 – Saginaw Spirit / Mississauga Senators).

The Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships, presented by ATB has reached its final weekend.

Action begins today (April 3) with the Junior B provincials in Peace River, and continues through to Sunday, April 7. The six teams competing in the tournament are the Carstar Okotoks Bisons, La Crete Lumber Barons, North Peace Navigators, NWCAA Stampeders, St. Albert Merchants, and Wainwright Bisons.

The AEHL U17 AAA provincials features five clubs. The Airdrie Cannex Avalanche, Calgary Flames (NWCAA), Sherwood Park Squires, St. Albert Raiders Flyers and LJAC Techmation Oil Kings are preparing for battle in Leduc. Games for that tournament starts tomorrow (April 4).

The Alberta Junior Hockey League playoffs are midway through the semi-final series. The Whitecourt Wolverines are up two games to one in their best-of-seven series against the Canmore Eagles with the Calgary Canucks also find themselves up two games to one over the Drumheller Dragons. Game 4 in both series is tonight.

The final Provincial Championship tournaments will be played April 3-7. Schedules for each division are available on the Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships page.

HOCKEY ALBERTA PROVINCIALS PAGE >

The 2024 Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships are Powered by ATB. ATB is sharing the top tips for players, teams, and families to take to the ice without breaking the bank. Tap into their Good Advice for all things financial well-being, including how to teach your kids about money at every age.

Plus the ultimate savings, a chance to win the Possibility Pot. That’s $2,500 for yourself, and $2,500 for you to direct to a charity of your choice.

Enter to win >

Good luck to all the teams taking the ice this weekend and next!

TBS is Hockey Alberta’s preferred apparel provider for the Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships, powered by ATB. A number of merchandise items are available to purchase with options to customize items (for example “Champions 2024). Any questions regarding merchandise can be directed to Kara Spady ([email protected]) at Hockey Alberta.

Shop Here >

Eleven teams have been crowned champions over the weekend in their respective divisions in hard fought battles all throughout the province as part of the 2024 Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships hosted by ATB.

Read below to see who walked away with the banner in the second week of play.

2024 Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships

The second week of action kicked off on Thursday, March 28 and ran until Sunday, March 31. Twenty-two teams hit the ice in search of the championship banner on Sunday.

Junior C - Wolverines 6, Chestermere Lakers 4

AFHL U18 AA - Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs 2, Calgary Fire White 1

U18 AA - Strathcona Warriors 5, KC Colts 1

U18 Tier 1 - La Crete 5, Edson Octane Controls Sabres 1

U18 Tier 1 NBC - Trails West Red 4, SZ707 2

U18 Tier 2 - Hanna U18 Colts 2, Fairview 1 (OT)

U18 Tier 3 - Kneehill U18 Chiefs 3, Thorsby-West 39 U18 Bucks 0

U15 Female Tier 1 - Irma U15 Aces 2, Cochrane 0

U15 Female Tier 2 - Grande Prairie Female U15 2, Camrose 1

U13 AA - Red Deer Wesco 4, Calgary Northstars Green 1

AFHL U13 AA - Lloydminster Western Financial Steelers 3, Calgary Fire Red 1

Tournament action concludes this weekend (April 3-7) with Junior B in Peace River and the Alberta Elite Hockey League U17 AAA in Leduc. Schedules for the Junior B division are available on the Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships page, while the schedule for the U17 AAA provincials is available on their AEHL website.

HOCKEY ALBERTA PROVINCIALS PAGE >

2024 Hockey Alberta League Playoffs

In Alberta Junior Hockey League action, the semi-finals are currently underway in best-of-seven series. The Whitecourt Wolverines and Canmore Eagles are currently tied 1-1, while the Calgary Canucks are up 2-0 on the Drumheller Dragons.

In the Alberta Elite Hockey League’s U18 AAA division, the Calgary Buffaloes defeated the Sherwood Park Ennis Kings in three games to win the league championship. The Buffaloes are now set to take on the Vancouver NE Chiefs AAA in the Pacific Regional Championship, beginning on April 5.

The 2024 Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships are Powered by ATB. ATB is sharing the top tips for players, teams and families to take to the ice without breaking the bank. Tap into their Good Advice for all things financial well-being, including how to teach your kids about money at every age.

Plus the ultimate savings, a chance to win the Possibility Pot. That’s $2,500 for yourself, and $2,500 for you to direct to a charity of your choice.

Enter to win >

Good luck to all the final teams taking the ice this weekend!

TBS is Hockey Alberta’s preferred apparel provider for the Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships, powered by ATB. A number of merchandise items are available to purchase with options to customize items (for example "Champions 2024). Any questions regarding merchandise can be directed to Kara Spady ([email protected]) at Hockey Alberta.

Shop Here >

OKOTOKS – A group of Okotoks Oilers hockey players decided to celebrate acts of kindness at their school.

U15 Tier 1 players Thomas and Dylan Williams, Cooper Crook, Ty Brockhoff, and Aubrey O’Brien wanted to raise school spirit while also raising awareness about the Hockey Alberta Provincial Championship tournament they were hosting March 21-24 in Okotoks.

The players, who all attend Meadow Ridge School in Okotoks, were presented with a pilot project where they spent most of a day in the gym teaching hockey skills and sportsmanship, and leading activities for students in grades three through six. They decided to do a contest where a student got the opportunity to drop the puck at the opening ceremonies at the U15 Provincials. The students decided to run a kindness draw, where carrying out a good deed entered you into the draw.

“We were kind of thinking what we could do to reward other students,” said Crook. “We thought what’s the best way to bring people together? And we thought it was kindness and hockey.”

The contest ran for two weeks and saw an uptick in acts of kindness around the school. The student who won the contest was sixth grade student Riley Gustafson, who is a hockey player herself.

“She consistently was cleaning up the classroom, holding doors for people, always offering to help out. She’s just such a great kid,” said Heather Crook, a teacher at Meadow Ridge, who helped the group organize their contest. “Anything she’s asked to do, she’ll do it. She’s always happy. Really, really, really loves the sport of hockey. She really wanted to have an opportunity to, to do this. It worked out well.”

The five players are part of the oldest grade at their school, which ranges from kindergarten to Grade 9. They thought it was important to set a good example for the younger students.

“You have to set a good example before and after because (other students are) always watching you and looking up to you to see what you can do,” said Thomas Williams. “It’s really important to show them how to do the right thing.”

Grade five and six students were invited to the opening ceremonies as well as the Oilers’ first game of the provincials, but the team noticed they had much more support once the game was about to start. Students from grades three to nine came to the game with their families and created an incredible home ice atmosphere.

“It’s cool to see a bunch of people I didn’t even expect to go ended up showing up,” Dylan Williams said. It was great to see them and have their support.”

“It was really fun because some of them, most of them have never really seen us play hockey or known us that well,” Brockhoff said. “They were all kind of chanting and had a whole bunch of posters, so it was really cool. Definitely our loudest game of the season.”

The Town of Cochrane and the Cochrane Arena are looking for your support to help them get crowned as this year’s Kraft Hockeyville grand prize winner.

Voting begins tomorrow (March 29) at 7 A.M. and ends on March 30 at 3 P.M. Voting is unlimited, meaning Albertans can vote as many times as possible to help push Cochrane across the finish line.

Your vote means Cochrane could win the grand prize of $250,000 in arena upgrades as well as the opportunity to host an NHL pre-season game.

VOTE >

The Cochrane Arena has been around for 50 years, and the town is hoping for it to be around for another 50. But the arena is showing the long-term effects after five decades and needs some crucial repairs. If Cochrane wins Kraft Hockeyville, the money will go towards a new roof, new electrical and lights, and major upgrades to the female dressing rooms.

The town is holding a rally at 4:30 P.M today, which includes skating, a mascot dance-off, glitter tattoos and a “Battle of Alberta” U18 hockey game between the Calgary Raiders and Edmonton KC 707.

COMMUNITY RALLY PAGE FOR COCHRANE >

The last (and only) Alberta community to win Kraft Hockeyville was Sylvan Lake in 2014. With the prize money, Sylvan began to build a new arena. They also hosted a pre-season NHL game between Arizona and Calgary.

The Alberta Elite Hockey League crowned its U18 AAA champion on March 26, as the Calgary Buffaloes defeated the Sherwood Park Ennis Kings 6-2 in Game 3.

Calgary’s win kicks off week two of the Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships, presented by ATB.

The three-game sweep in the best-of-five championship results in the Buffaloes moving onto the Pacific Regional Championships where the Vancouver North East Chiefs await. The winner advances to the Telus Cup, the Men’s U18 National Club Championship.

In Provincial Championship action this weekend (March 28-31), 11 tournaments are taking place throughout the province.

The second weekend of tournament play includes:

• Junior C – Ardrossan
• U18 AA – Whitecourt
• U18 Tier 1 – Stettler
• U18 Tier 2 – Olds
• U18 Tier 3 – Mallaig
• U18 Tier 1 (NBC) – Calgary (Trails West)
• U18 Female AA – Okotoks
• U15 Female Tier 1 – Cold Lake
• U15 Female Tier 2 – Grande Prairie
• U13 AA – Calgary (Northstars)
• U13 Female AA – Lloydminster

The Alberta Junior Hockey League playoffs are down to its final four, as the Whitecourt Wolverines, Calgary Canucks, Drumheller Dragons, and Canmore Eagles look to qualify for the championship final. Both series begin on Friday, March 29.

The final Provincial Championship tournaments will be played April 3-7. Schedules for each division are available on the Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships page.

HOCKEY ALBERTA PROVINCIALS PAGE >

The 2024 Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships are Powered by ATB. ATB is sharing the top tips for players, teams and families to take to the ice without breaking the bank. Tap into their Good Advice for all things financial well-being, including how to teach your kids about money at every age.

Plus the ultimate savings, a chance to win the Possibility Pot. That’s $2,500 for yourself, and $2,500 for you to direct to a charity of your choice.

Enter to win >

Good luck to all the teams taking the ice this weekend and next!

TBS is Hockey Alberta’s preferred apparel provider for the Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships, powered by ATB. A number of merchandise items are available to purchase with options to customize items (for example “Champions 2024). Any questions regarding merchandise can be directed to Kara Spady ([email protected]) at Hockey Alberta.

Shop Here >

RED DEER – The 2023-24 hockey season is culminating with the Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships presented by ATB.

Thirty-two Provincial Champions are going to be crowned this year, with 29 teams battling it out in a tournament style format while league play will determine three champions in the Junior A, Junior Female and U18 AAA divisions.

The Edmonton Wolves of the Alberta Junior Female Hockey League claimed the banner over the Cochrane Chaos on Saturday, March 16, winning the best-of-five series in three games.

The final two divisions determined through league play are in the midst of playoffs.

Eight teams remain in the Alberta Junior Hockey League playoffs, with Whitecourt, Camrose, Lloydminster, Canmore, Calgary, Grande Prairie, Bonnyville and Drumheller still in the hunt. The AJHL champion will be competing at the Centennial Cup in Oakville.

The Calgary Buffaloes and Sherwood Park Ennis Kings are on a collision course for AEHL bragging rights in the U18 AAA division. The two teams wrapped up their respective semi-final series on Tuesday, both winning in four games. The winner advances to the Pacific playoffs in hopes of competing at the 2024 Telus Cup.

Week 1 of tournament action begins March 21 with 16 divisions hosting games across the province.

The first weekend of tournament play includes:

• U18 Female AAA – Red Deer (AFHL)
• U18 Female Tier 1 – St. Paul
• U18 Female Tier 2 – Calgary
• U16 AA – Strathmore
• U15 AAA – Edmonton
• U15 AA – Edmonton
• U15 Tier 1 – Okotoks
• U15 Tier 2 – Provost
• U15 Tier 3 – Delburne
• U15 Female AA – Airdrie (AFHL)
• U13 Tier 1 – Mannville
• U13 Tier 2 – Slave Lake
• U13 Tier 3 – Irma
• U13 Tier 4 – Grande Cache
• U13 Female Tier 1 – Rimbey
• U13 Female Tier 2 – 3C’s

Alberta Female Hockey League (AFHL) and Alberta Elite Hockey League games are available on FloHockey.

Tournament action will continue through March 28-31 and April 3-7. Schedules for each division are available on the Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships page.

HOCKEY ALBERTA PROVINCIALS PAGE >

The 2024 Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships are Powered by ATB. ATB is sharing the top tips for players, teams and families to take to the ice without breaking the bank. Tap into their Good Advice for all things financial well-being, including how to teach your kids about money at every age.

Plus the ultimate savings, a chance to win the Possibility Pot. That’s $2,500 for yourself, and $2,500 for you to direct to a charity of your choice.

Enter to win >

Good luck to all the teams taking the ice this weekend and next!

TBS is Hockey Alberta’s preferred apparel provider for the Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships, powered by ATB. A number of merchandise items are available to purchase with options to customize items (for example "Champions 2024). Any questions regarding merchandise can be directed to Kara Spady ([email protected]) at Hockey Alberta.

Shop Here >

CALGARY – With less than two months until puck drop, Hockey Canada has announced the schedule for the 2024 World Para Hockey Championship, May 4-12 at WinSport Arena at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary.

“Hosting the World Para Hockey Championship in Alberta for the first time will be a significant moment for our organization and para hockey in Canada,” said Dean McIntosh, senior vice-president of revenue, fan experience and community impact. “We cannot wait to welcome each of the competing nations to Calgary this spring, and to drop the puck on what will be an incredible tournament at one of the top facilities in the country.”

Canada will be joined by Czechia, Italy and Japan in Group B, while Group A will include China, Korea, Slovakia and the United States. The two group winners will advance to the semifinals, while the second- and third-place teams cross over in the quarterfinals.

The preliminary-round schedule begins with a matchup between Slovakia and the United States at 10 a.m. MT on May 4, before Canada opens its tournament at 5 p.m. MT against Japan. The gold medal game is scheduled for May 12 at 5:30 p.m. MT.

The full tournament schedule can be found here.

Tickets for the 2024 World Para Hockey Championship will be on sale Thursday, March 21 at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets, with full-event packages starting at $99. Medal-round packages begin at $75, single-game tickets start at under $15 and group tickets are available for under $12.

Hockey Canada is seeking volunteers to support the 2024 World Para Hockey Championship. Those interested in supporting the tournament as a volunteer can sign up here.

For more information on Hockey Canada and Canada’s National Para Hockey Team, please visit HockeyCanada.ca.

RED DEER – Six individuals and a Memorial Cup championship team are being called to the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame (AHHF) as the Class of 2024.

The members of this year’s class are:

• BILLY DEA – 19-year pro hockey career, along with several years coaching in the NHL. He had two playing stints in the NHL, sandwiched around nine years in the American Hockey League with the Buffalo Bisons, where he set a longevity record by playing 596 straight games. He is a member of the AHL Hall of Fame.
• JAROME IGINLA – 20 seasons in the National Hockey League, including 16 with the Calgary Flames. He is the all-time leader for the Calgary Flames in games played (1,219), goals (525) and points (1,095). He is also a multi-time gold medalist with Team Canada, a two-time Memorial Cup champion, and an Honoured Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
• DAVE KING – Coach and mentor for over 40 years and one of hockey’s finest tacticians and teachers of the game. He has coached at every level of hockey around the world, including major junior, Canadian university, Canada’s national team, the National Hockey League, and European and Russian pro leagues. He is a two-time medalist at the Winter Olympics.
• KELLY KISIO – 761 games in the National Hockey League and captain of the New York Rangers for more than three years. He helped turn the Calgary Hitmen into one of the most successful franchises in the Western Hockey League (including two WHL championships), as coach and general manager. Currently a scout with the Vegas Golden Knights, 2023 Stanley Cup champions.
• CRAIG MACTAVISH – Four-time Stanley Cup champion during a 17-year playing career in the National Hockey League. Craig also served as an executive, coach and assistant coach in the NHL, coached Team Canada internationally, and coached internationally n Russia and Switzerland. Craig was the last NHL player not to wear a helmet during games.
• SHANNON SZABADOS – Trailblazer for female hockey players, one of Canada’s top goaltenders, and the IIHF’s Goaltender of the Decade (2010-20). She is the only goaltender in women’s hockey history to backstop her nation to two gold medals at the Winter Olympics; the first and only female to record a shutout in men’s pro hockey; and the first female to play in the WHL and the Southern Professional Hockey League.
• RED DEER REBELS, 2000-01 – The 2001 Memorial Cup champions, defeating Val-d’Or in a come-from-behind overtime victory in Regina. The Rebels had a dominating season, leading the Canadian Hockey League with a 54-12-3-3 regular season. They advanced to the Memorial Cup by defeating Lethbridge, Calgary, Swift Current and Portland in the WHL playoffs.

Hockey Alberta hosted the announcement on Tuesday morning at the Gary W. Harris Centre at Red Deer Polytechnic. It was also announced that the AHHF Induction Gala is returning to Red Deer and is being hosted at the Gary W. Harris Centre on Saturday, July 20. Tickets for the AHHF Induction Gala are available to purchase here.

For more information on the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame, check the AHHF website: ahhf.ca.

Team Alberta North was all smiles at the Arctic Winter Games in Alaska as the Junior Female and U15 Male teams both won the gold ulu in their respective hockey events.

Junior Female

The Junior Female championship final featured the host Alaska team looking to avenge an earlier loss in round-robin to Alberta North. The teams were tied 1-1 after regulation time before Kaitlyn Senkoe emerged as the overtime hero in a 2-1 victory. Reagan Lynch scored for Alberta North in regulation time, as Alberta North successfully defended the gold ulu won last year in Fort McMurray.

The Junior Female team had no issues in the round robin, finishing the four-game stretch with a goal differential of +14. In game one, Alberta North defeated Nunavut, 7-1, with Reagan Lynch (3), Ashtyn May, Brielle Hedges and Victoria Willsey scoring in the win. The next matchup against Northwest Territories was a tougher battle, as the game remained scoreless until late in the third period, when Mckenna Bowers scored the lone goal in a 1-0 win. In the third game, Shea Line recorded a 16-save shutout in a 3-0 win against Alaska. Willsey (2) and Carolyn Head found the back of the net in the victory. Alberta North closed out the round robin with a convincing 5-1 win against Yukon. Head, Willsey, Hedges, Sayj Peters and Riley Bourque scored in the win.

The semi-finals were a rematch of the final round robin game with Yukon. This time, the game was much more tightly contested as Alberta North booked their ticket to the championship final with a 2-1 win. Hedges and Anna Jeffs scored in the win.

U15 Male

The U15 Male championship final pitted Alberta North against Yukon. In round-robin action, Alberta North secured an 8-3 victory. In the championship, the final score was closer, with Alberta North claiming the gold ulu, 4-1. Goals were scored by Kayton Reinders (2), Lucas Anderson and Brant Moodie.

The U15 Male team finished with a 3-1 record in the round robin. Alberta North opened their round robin with a 7-3 win over Nunavut. Cole Longphee (2), Moodie, Riley Drake, Ryan Sieker, Reinders and Ryder Remillard all found the back of the net in the victory. Their second game had just as much offensive firepower, winning 8-3 against Yukon. Sieker (2), Reinders, Anderson (2), Ryder Flynn (2) and Moodie scored for Alberta North. The third game was a harder battle, as the team pulled out a 2-1 win over Northwest Territories. Anderson and Sieker scored the goals in the win. Alberta North dropped their final round robin game against Alaska, 6-5. Reinders (4) and Sieker scored in the loss.

The team finished first in round robin and met Northwest Territories in the semi-finals. Bracken Larocque earned the shutout in a 6-0 win to earn a berth in the championship final. Reinders (2), Anderson (2), Moodie and Sieker provided the offence.

RED DEER – Hockey Alberta is proud to announce the Player Pledge – a significant strategic initiative to help achieve the organization’s objective to nurture a positive hockey culture.

Nurturing a positive hockey culture is one of four Objectives undertaken by Hockey Alberta to provide new and improved opportunities for all participants.

Therefore it is only appropriate that the Player Pledge is being introduced during the most exciting time of year for amateur hockey across the province – the 2024 Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships, presented by ATB.

The Player Pledge encourages participants – on and off the ice – to play and act with respect and to be inclusive. The Player Pledge reads:

I recognize that inclusive and respectful hockey starts with me. I pledge to:

• Be AWARE of the language I use and how it impacts others.

• ACKNOWLEDGE everyone’s differences regardless of the jersey they are wearing.

• COMPETE HARD while leading positive and RESPECTFUL interactions with others.

• Be an ALLY by contributing to safe spaces where everyone feels welcome.

“Hockey culture and how we change to make this game inclusive for anyone who wants to play this sport is essential,” said Len Samletzki, Chair of Hockey Alberta’s Board of Directors. “We’ve talked about this for a number of years, and it gives us an opportunity to be inclusive and to be part of something that brings us forward. We have a great sport and we’re excited about being at the start of this in Alberta and doing it with all the players that we get an opportunity to work with.”

In September, Hockey Alberta released its statement on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) where Hockey Alberta committed to removing all forms of discrimination and maltreatment from the sport of hockey.

HOCKEY ALBERTA’S EDI STATEMENT >

The Player Pledge is a key undertaking where Hockey Alberta is asking teams competing in Provincial Championships to be part of the commitment to nurture a positive hockey culture. Teams are requested to participate in a team building activity ahead of the tournament that includes watching a short video followed by the coach leading a conversation about respect, inclusion and what it means to be an ally.

The final step is a request for players to take the Player Pledge, as well as a team commitment on what the team will do throughout the tournament to help nurture a positive hockey culture. To acknowledge the Player Pledge and commitment, each team participating in Provincials receives a dressing room door magnet that includes space to share their commitment to action throughout the tournament.

“We are really excited to have the Player Pledge as part of our Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships,” said Rob Litwinski, President and CEO of Hockey Alberta. “We all have a huge responsibility in the game to ensure we continue to enhance and nurture a positive hockey culture. That includes respectful behaviour and actions on the ice, in the dressing room, in hotel rooms and it’s also going to lead to inclusive behaviour and language as well.”

Participation is not mandatory; however, teams who take the Player Pledge can enter to win $500 towards their year-end party.

In addition, Player Pledge pop-up banners will be visible in Provincial Championship arenas around the province.

Everyone attending a Provincial Championship event is encouraged to get involved on social media: take a photo with the Player Pledge, share it on social media, tag Hockey Alberta and use the hashtag, #ItStartsWithMe.

RED DEER – After 680 regular season contests, the AEHL U17 AAA division is set to drop the puck on the 2024 playoffs.

Sixteen of the league’s 20 teams are looking to be crowned league champions when the first set of games begin on Wednesday, March 13. The South East (SEAC) Tigers travel to Okotoks to face the Oilers and the Red Deer North Star Chiefs and Calgary Flames (NWCAA) do battle in Game 1 of their series at Winsport in Calgary.

The Flames were the league’s best team, posting a record of 33-3-1, good for 61 points. Calgary has gone 8-1-0-1 in its last 10 games and are looking to continue their dominance from the regular season where they posted a +95-goal differential. Knights of Columbus (KC) Centennials were the North Division leaders, posting 22 wins and 50 points. They were closely trailed by the LJAC Techmation Oil Kings and St. Albert Raiders Flyers who finished two and three points back respectively.

FINAL STANDINGS >

Dylan Westmann of the MLAC Beverly Optimist Leafs (65 points), LJAC Techmation Oil Kings Ordell Saddleback Jr. (57 points) and Mason Lowther (55 points) finished one, two and three in total points. Westmann led the league with 34 goals in 33 games. The Calgary Flames goaltending duo put on a clinic this season with Matthew Macfie and Sergio Davidson finishing one-two in wins with 17 and 13. Davidson also had the league’s best goals-against-average at 1.59 while Jaxson Hosegood of the Airdrie Cannex Avalanche finished with the best save percentage at .938. Archer Cooke of the Calgary Royals finished with four shutouts.

All series are best-of-three. Matchups are as follows:

North Division Quarterfinals

Knights of Columbus (KC) Centennials vs Parkland (PAC) Saints

LJAC Techmation Oil Kings vs South Side (SSAC) United Cycle Bulldogs

St. Albert Raiders Flyers vs MLAC Beverly Optimist Leafs

Sherwood Park Squires vs Canadian (CAC) Gregg Distribution

South Division Quarterfinals

Calgary Flames (NWCAA) vs Red Deer North Star Chiefs

Airdrie Cannex Avalanche vs Calgary Bulls (CBHA)

Calgary Northstars vs Calgary Royals

Okotoks Oilers vs South East (SEAC) Tigers

For complete schedules and links to the FloHockey broadcasts, check out the Playoffs tab on the U17 AAA website.

PLAYOFFS >

RED DEER – Four Alberta Female Hockey League U18AAA teams are competing in two Provincial Qualifier series, with playoffs getting underway this weekend.

The first series between the Calgary Fire and Rocky Mountain Raiders begins on this afternoon, and continues tomorrow (March 9 and 10) while the St. Albert Raiders Slash and Lloydminster PWM Steelers meet on March 15 and 16. The winners of each series book their ticket to the Provincial tournament.

The top two teams in the league have already qualified for Provincials. The Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs won 24 of 30 games to finish in first place with 72 points. Red Deer is this year’s Provincial host, meaning that second place Edmonton Jr. Oilers White have also qualified for the year end tournament with 21 wins and 64 points. Both the Chiefs and Oilers White won eight consecutive games to close out the regular season.

FINAL STANDINGS >

Lyvia Butz of Red Deer had a dominant season, scoring at over a point-per-game clip with 45 points in 30 games, while also leading the league in goals with 23, four more than teammate Chloe Goofers. There was a two-way tie for most goalie wins this season with Edmonton’s Mackenzie Gould-Sharpe and Red Deer’s Olivia Davidson both registering 12 victories. Edmonton’s Ella Dunham-Fox was the league leader in both goals-against-average (1.14) and save percentage (.944).

Both series are best-of-three. Matchups are as follows:

Provincial Qualifier Series A

Calgary Fire vs Rocky Mountain Raiders

Provincial Qualifier Series B

St. Albert Raiders Slash vs Lloydminster PWM Steelers

For complete schedules and links to the FloHockey broadcasts, check out the Playoffs tab on the U18 AAA website.

PLAYOFFS >

RED DEER – Fourteen AFHL U13 teams are preparing for puck drop to kickstart the 2024 playoffs.

The first round begins on Friday, March 8 when all 14 teams take to the ice for game one in their respective series. Games 2 and 3 (if necessary) will take place March 9 and 10.

All eyes will be on the undefeated, top-ranked Lloydminster Western Financial Steelers as they head into playoffs as the top seed in the North Division with a 24-0 record (48 points). The Steelers scored nearly eight goals per game (181 total) while posting a +131-goal differential as they only allowed 50 goals. St. Albert Raiders Bolts were second in the division and the overall league standings with 37 points and a +75-goal differential.

Calgary Fire Black were the first-place finishers in the South Division going 15-5 along with four ties. They were followed closely by Calgary Fire Red, one point back with 33. The Airdrie Lightning finished third with 32 points.

St. Albert Raiders Bolts had the two leading scorers this season as Whitney MacMillan and Norah Ludlow finished head and shoulders above the rest of the pack. MacMillan registered 68 goals and 106 points, good for 4.42 points per game while Ludlow finished the season with 75 points, 26 points ahead of the third leading scorer. Calgary Fire White’s Sawyer Gillings finished second in goals with 37. Sherwood Park Monarchs goaltender Maddox Mohr was the league leader in wins with 15 and Calgary Fire Black’s Peyton Lane had the best goals-against-average (1.63) and save percentage (.951), and was tied with Alexandra Seminuk of Calgary Fire Red with most shutouts at five.

All series are best-of-three. The first-round matchups are as follows:

North Division Quarterfinals:

Lloydminster Western Financial Steelers vs North Central Impact

St. Albert Raiders Bolts vs Lakeland Panthers

Norlan Ram PCFAC Storm vs Edmonton Ice White

Edmonton Ice Blue vs Camrose Wildcats

South Division Quarterfinals:

Calgary Fire Black vs Southern Express

Airdrie Lightning vs Rocky Mountain Raiders

Calgary Fire White vs Central Alberta Twins

For complete schedules and game updates, check out the Playoffs tab on the U13 AA website.

PLAYOFFS >

RED DEER – Playoffs are here for the Alberta Female Hockey League’s U18 AA teams. Four teams earned first round byes with eight teams battling it out in the first round.

The first round begins on Thursday, March 7 with the Always Find a Reason to Smile PCFAC Storm and St. Albert Raiders Sharks. The remaining first round series kick off the following day.

The top two teams from each division get a bye to the second round and await the winners of the first round series. The North Central Impact and Edmonton Pandas were the North Division leaders, separated by 10 points. Edmonton finished with a record of 19-9-3 while North Central locked down first place by winning 21 of their 31 games with only four regulation losses.

Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs and Calgary Fire White led the pack in the South Division. Red Deer finished with 74 points in 31 games, including going 9-1 in their final 10 games. Calgary came in second with 22 wins and 67 points.

FINAL STANDINGS >

Edmonton Pandas Lena Loomer led the U18 AA division with 23 goals and 41 points in 31 games, including five powerplay goals, three shorthanded goals and three game winning goals. Calgary Fire Red forward Eden Schellenberg finished the season as the league leader in points-per-game with 1.34. Goaltending leaders became a two-horse race with Red Deer’s Brylee Hull and North Central’s Ainsley Stauffer-Rolseth. Hull led the way with 16 wins and .933 save percentage, Stauffer-Rolseth had the best goals-against-average with 1.57. The duo tied for most shutouts with four each.

All series are best-of-three. The first-round matchups are as follows:

North Division Quarterfinals:

St. Albert Raiders Sharks vs Always Find a Reason to Smile PCFAC Storm

Sherwood Park Fury vs Lloydminster Musgrave Steelers

South Division Quarterfinals:

Calgary Fire Red vs Southern Express

Rocky Mountain Raiders vs Airdrie Lightning

For complete schedules and links to the FloHockey broadcasts, check out the Playoffs tab on the U18 AA website.  

PLAYOFFS >

RED DEER – Sixteen AEHL U15 AAA teams are vying for the chance to be crowned league champion.

The first round begins on Tuesday, March 5 when Parkland (PAC) Saints travel to Sherwood Park to take on the United Cycle Flyers. The remaining first round matchups start Wednesday and Thursday.

The top two seeds in the regular season were St. Albert Raiders Sabres and the Calgary Flames (NWCAA), who lost a combined six games in their respective 34-game seasons.

St. Albert recorded 31 wins, with a regulation loss, an overtime loss and a tie to round out their season (.941 win percentage). They scored nearly seven goals a game (237 total), allowed 66 goals, won 22 of their last 23 games for 64 points, 23 points ahead of Sherwood Park atop the North Division.

In the South Division, a pair of Calgary teams fought for top spot with the Flames edging out the Northstars by eight points. The Flames finished the season with 27 wins and a goal differential of +88. They also come into the playoffs winning seven of their past 10 games.

FINAL STANDINGS >

St. Albert not only found themselves at the top of the standings, but the top of the statistical categories as well. Forward Ossie McIntyre posted the most points (104) and goals (55) this season. McIntyre averaged over three points a game, which includes seven game winning goals on the season. His 104 points were 38 points better than the league’s second leading scorer. Raiders Sabres goaltender Pacey Thomas finished first in wins (18), goals-against-average (1.69), and was tied for first in shutouts with four. Red Deer Rebels goaltender Grady Gardiner had the league’s best save percentage at .932.

All series are best-of-three. The first-round matchups are as follows:

North Division Quarterfinals:

St. Albert Raiders Sabres vs Lloydminster Lancers

Sherwood Park United Cycle Flyers vs Parkland (PAC) Saints

Golden Arrow GP Storm vs Knights of Columbus (KC) Squires

Fort Saskatchewan Enhance It Rangers vs South Side (SSAC) Southgate Lions

South Division Quarterfinals:

Calgary Flames (NWCAA) vs Calgary Royals

Calgary Northstars vs Calgary Bisons

Red Deer Rebels vs Okotoks Oilers

Airdrie Xtreme vs Lethbridge Val Matteoti Golden Hawks

For complete schedules and links to the FloHockey broadcasts, check out the Playoffs tab on the U15 AAA website.

PLAYOFFS >

EDMONTON – Hockey Canada has announced that four marquee international hockey tournaments will be played in the Province of Alberta through 2027, in addition to Rivalry Series games featuring Canada’s National Women’s Team and camps involving Canada’s national men’s, women’s and para hockey programs.

The announcement was made before Saturday’s Battle of Alberta between the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers and included a commitment of $11 million from the Province of Alberta to host events in communities throughout the province.

“Alberta’s government is thrilled to be hosting these major sporting events,” said The Hon. Joseph Schow, minister of tourism and sport of Alberta. “These events will create excitement around the game of hockey while driving visitors to the province, increasing tourism and bolstering local businesses. These tournaments and events will be an inspiration to young Albertans as they get a chance to learn from and watch the world’s best hockey players.”

The first two tournaments will take place in 2024: the World Para Hockey Championship at WinSport Arena in Calgary from May 4-12 and the Hlinka Gretzky Cup at Rogers Place in Edmonton from Aug. 5-10.

Alberta will also host Rivalry Series games in 2025 and 2026, the 2026 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and 2027 IIHF World Junior Championship.

“Hosting international games and tournaments are critical to provide opportunities for our men’s, women’s and para athletes to develop and compete on the world stage, showcase our teams and communities, and inspire the next generation of participants and fans,” said Katherine Henderson, president and chief executive officer of Hockey Canada. “We are grateful that the Province of Alberta has made this significant investment to enable these events to be played on home ice, which will significantly benefit each of our programs, including our national teams that are preparing for the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.”

Ticket packages for the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup will go on sale to the public on March 22, while ticket information for the 2024 World Para Hockey Championship will be announced in the coming weeks.

Locations for events being hosted beyond 2024 will be shared at a later date.

To learn more about Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X and Instagram.

STETTLER - The puck is set to drop on the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Global Girls Game and a celebration of female hockey in central Alberta.

Twelve games are taking place from coast to coast in Canada, including Alberta’s segment which is being hosted by Stettler Minor Hockey Association on February 17.

The Global Girls Game is an IIHF initiative to unite the hockey community by having players from around the globe play in the same game. A cumulative score is kept around the world between Team White and Team Blue with a winner being declared after all games have been completed.

Alberta’s segment of the Global Girls Game is being hosted at the Stettler Recreation Centre at 1:30 p.m, as the U15 Tier 2 Stettler Storm take on the Red Deer Chiefs in the Blue Arena as part of their Rocky Mountain Female Hockey League season.

In Canada, teams from each game will be identified as Team White (home team) and Team Red (away team). The event kicked off on February 9 with a Rivalry Series game between Canada and the USA. Hockey Canada is providing players with jerseys, toques and helmet stickers as part of the event.

Stettler is also taking the IIHF Global Game a step further and engaging multiple levels of its female program to make it an unforgettable experience. Stettler’s U11 Tier 2 Blue team precedes the Global Girls Game event with a game against Camrose Red at 11:15 a.m, while the U18 Tier 1 Storm play game one of their RMFHL playdowns against the Lethbridge Cyclones at 4:15 p.m.

Hockey Alberta is pleased to welcome the return of the Instructional Stream - Goaltending 2 clinics this month.

The Instructional Stream Goaltending 2 Clinic will take a deep dive into the position as well as the structure and philosophy of coaching it. Attendees are expected to enter the clinic with an understanding of the position and will leave with a deeper knowledge of the structure and skills necessary to teach the position.

Coaches will be given the opportunity to set forth questions and learning objectives that they find prevalent in their experiences coaching the position. The structure for this clinic will allow for coaches to learn in a classroom environment for a deeper dive into the philosophy and tactics of the position as well as the opportunity to get on the ice and gain first hand practical experience in teaching.

Hosted by Matt Weninger, Manager, Goalie Development, there are two clinics available for goalies this month. The first clinic will take place in St. Albert on February 19, while the second clinic will take place in Calgary on February 23.

Details

Clinic 1:

Date: February 19, 2024

Time: 6:15-10:15 p.m.

Location: Servus Credit Union Place, St. Albert

REGISTER FOR CLINIC 1 >

Clinic 2:

Date: February 23, 2024

Time: 5:00-9:00 p.m.

Location: World Pro Goaltending, Calgary

REGISTER FOR CLINIC 2 >

Should you have any questions, please contact Matt Weninger, Manager, Goalie Development.

RED DEER – The Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) had an international flavour the past month, as Alberta teams welcomed the Korea University Tigers for a set of exhibition contests.

The Tigers, who are based in Seoul, began their trip to Alberta on January 12 against the Concordia University (Edmonton) Thunder, with Concordia winning 4-3 in overtime. Korea University would follow that up with games against NAIT, Portage College, Augustana and Briercrest. A game against SAIT was cancelled due to the injury bug hitting the Trojans roster.

Mark Kosak, Chief Executive Officer of the ACAC, said that the planning for this exhibition tour started in September when Korea University played Augustana in a pair of exhibition matchups.

“The Korean team was here in Canada, exploring the opportunity to play some Canadian competition,” Kosak said. “They’re the dominant university team in Korea so they were here for a couple of exhibition games.”

While the team was in country, the Tigers had their eyes set on potentially playing more games against ACAC oppositions.

“They reached out to my office to see if they could discuss the prospects of joining the ACAC at some point in the near future … it seemed like a crazy idea at the time that they’d want to play in our conference,” Kosak said. “We met so I could get a better understanding of their vision. One of the requirements was for them to return this year and play our teams to see if they were competitive and could legitimately be an ACAC team.”

The Tigers proved they could hang with their Alberta counterparts, defeating Portage College 7-3 and losing a pair of close games to NAIT and Augustana. The Tigers wrapped up their trip with a 5-1 loss to top ranked Briercrest College.

“It did surprise me, it shouldn’t have because they wouldn’t have asked for this opportunity or gone on this tour, unless they were confident that they could be competitive,” Kosak said. “They did their research, I give them credit, because they knew the level of playing the ACAC, and they felt that they could compete with our ACAC athletes. What we’ve observed is that they’re highly skilled, and they’re very structured.”

The team has since put in their application to play in the ACAC as early as next season. Their application is currently under review with a decision coming in May. There are a lot of logistics to sort through to make this a feasible option. Would Korea University play all road games? Would they have a home base in Canada? Kosak said that the two sides were working on piecing a possible solution together.

“It’s got a whole lot of moving parts and it’s not something that’s happening quickly. But the plan is that they would relocate to Calgary and play their games out of Seven Chiefs Sportsplex,” Kosak said. “They would move to Calgary in October, with the entire team, a delegation of support staff plus about 30 players, and they would stay in Calgary until the end of March and fulfill a schedule just like every other ACAC team.”

The academic year in South Korea is different than it is in Canada. The first semester begins in March and ends in the middle of July, then starts up again in August and goes until the middle of February. Exhibition games in the ACAC begin in September and conference play typically begins in mid October. Korean students would take online courses for the duration of their time in Canada and return in March once the season is over.

“It’s unique. The notion of them joining our league is entirely out of the box. No one else has ever done this, thought about it or been approached for it,” Kosak said. “I’m very proud of our conference that we are open minded because the easy decision would have been to say, no, no, we can’t do this. It’s crazy. Let’s not even spend the effort, the time and effort. I think everyone involved has an obligation to the sport of hockey to do what we can to contribute to the growth of hockey around the world. The ACAC has always been limited in what we can do in that respect. But this is our opportunity to help grow hockey in South Korea.”

The ACAC currently has seven teams, with bye weeks incorporated into the schedule so adding an eighth team to the conference would allow for teams to play games on a more frequent basis.

Hockey Alberta is currently accepting recommendations for additions, deletions and/or
amendments to the regulations of Hockey Alberta.

Any Member in good standing is eligible to submit a proposal for change, provided that the
change is for their respective stream/ level of hockey. Categories of Member Organizations are:

a. Minor Hockey Association
b. Senior or Junior League
c. Accredited School
d. Recreational Hockey Program
e. Para Hockey Program

All proposals must be submitted to the Hockey Alberta Office, using the proper submission form,
through the Member’s respective President and/ or General Manager (Executive Director). The
form must be completed in its entirety and must be accompanied by detailed rationale outlining
why the amendment is required and the positive impact it would have on the players/ game:

• Hockey Alberta Regulation Amendment Form

Proposals for changes to the Hockey Alberta Regulations must be submitted prior to February 28,
to be considered for next season.

Submitted proposals will be reviewed and, if deemed necessary, Members may be asked to
review proposals and provide feedback to support Hockey Alberta in making final decisions.

If you have any questions about this process, please do not hesitate to contact the Hockey
Alberta office.

HOCKEY ALBERTA BULLETINS 2023-24 >

FORT MCMURRAY – The focus is on Fort McMurray, as Hockey Alberta hosts its annual Female Hockey Day celebrations at the Frank Lacroix Arena this weekend.

Female Hockey Day, presented by ATB, celebrates female hockey, and brings together players, coaches, officials, parents, and volunteers to participate in the continued development and growth of female hockey, January 26-27.

While Fort McMurray is the hosting site for this year’s event, 12 other communities in Alberta are hosting Female Hockey Day celebrations, thanks to grant money provided by the Hockey Alberta Foundation. Different events are planned in Castor and Coronation (3Cs), Fort Saskatchewan, Grovedale, Jasper, Lacombe (Lacoka), Slave Lake, Smoky River, Spruce Grove, Vermilion, and Whitecourt. Lakeland College and Lloydminster as well as Thorhild and Redwater are co-hosting events.

“Female Hockey Day is a great way to celebrate all aspects of the girls’ game across Alberta,” said Morgen Kidney, Hockey Alberta’s coordinator of female hockey. “It’s exciting to see how many associations will be joining in this weekend through their own events; we have over a dozen MHAs hosting in conjunction with our main event in Fort McMurray. We’re thrilled to be up here for 2024 and to focus and celebrate the growth they’ve had over the past few seasons.”

In Fort McMurray there are several events taking place over the weekend for registered teams and youth hockey players. Day 1 features sessions on Goal Scoring and Defensive Skills. The Goal Scoring session allows skaters to learn how to apply their offensive skills to the game, while the Defensive Skills program focuses on improving defensive skills, tactics, and fundamentals. A school program is also taking place at Good Shepherd Community School.

Day 2 allows youth females to play the sport for the first time with a Try Hockey event. This will be used to learn the basics and get a feel for the game. Try Hockey includes both an on-ice session and off-ice activity/ classroom session. In the afternoon, Goaltending Development is the focus for current female goaltenders, with a variety of fundamentals covered by some of Alberta’s best goaltending instructors.

Female Hockey Day was first celebrated in 2018, and has previously visited Red Deer, Lethbridge, Lloydminster, and Calgary before coming to Fort McMurray.

Celebrating Female Hockey Day in your own community? Share with us by tagging Hockey Alberta on social media and use the hashtag - #whyweplay.

For more information on Female Hockey Day, visit https://www.hockeyalberta.ca/players/minor-female-hockey/female-hockey-day/.

RED DEER – Going from being a professional hockey player to retirement can be tough for some athletes.

For former NHL defenceman Cory Sarich, he found a relatively smooth transition from the ice to the broadcast booth.

Sarich played parts of 15 seasons in the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres, Tampa Bay Lightning, Calgary Flames and Colorado Avalanche, suiting up in 969 games, amassing 158 points and over 1,000 penalty minutes while also appearing in 57 playoff games. He won the Stanley Cup in 2004 with Tampa Bay.

He transitioned to the broadcasting world once he retired, making a regular appearance on the Sportsnet telecast as an intermission analyst during Calgary Flames home games.

“I’d had people mention it towards the end of my career. I think conveying my thoughts while on camera, it never seemed to be much of an issue for me,” Sarich said of his post hockey career which also includes a number of charity events, such as Glencross Invitational that took place in October. The charity hockey tournament raises funds for the Hockey Alberta Foundation and Ronald McDonald House Charities® Alberta.

“Maybe it’s because I talk a lot too. Someone told me ‘Hey we think you might be good at filling some air time and filling some dead air’.”

Photo: Ellery Platts

While Sarich has made the move to the media look smooth, he said it wasn’t something that he actively pursued.

“I knew when I was done hockey that I was going to take time for my family. Now I have a bunch of teenagers so I’m starting to have a bit more time on my hands, but it’s not easy, the transition into post career,” Sarich said. “I am at a great spot in my career now, as a freelancer of sorts with Sportsnet. I still have lots of time with my family, and it’s in a great spot. Some athletes are very prepared, some are a little more unprepared, but you just kind of roll with the punches after your career is done.”

While making that career move wasn’t planned or necessarily thought out, Sarich always had a lot of respect for those who did the job while he was playing.

“At times you have different relationships as a player with the media. At times you think they know nothing and other times you think ‘you know what they can help boost my career’,” Sarich said. “I always tried to treat people with the utmost respect, and it always seemed very interesting to me. The way that they come up with stories, the time and commitment they put into following one specific team, players, whatever it is.

He said he was also fortunate to have some quality people help him with the move to the other side of the microphone.

“I was fortunate enough to be given a chance by the likes of Roger Millions. Ryan Leslie has put some faith in me, so it’s been an easy transition,” Sarich said. “Especially when you’re talking about the sport of hockey. I’m just trying to learn every day from the professionals. As a player you only get to see one side of it, but now that I’m on the other side, you see the prep work … you can’t just talk about the game itself. You’ve got to dig up stories and have a relationship with the players. You also must find the balance between being complimentary and critical.”

Hockey and broadcasting have more similarities than the average person might recognize, starting with pre-game preparation.

“As a player I was always prepared and you need to be prepared going on TV or radio, just so you aren’t tripping over your own tongue,” Sarich said. “There are some other things that are similar between the two … poise, thinking on your feet, teamwork. It might be Ryan Leslie kicking me under the table, telling me to get out, I’m taking too long, and we need to go to break or bailing me out when that thought doesn’t come into my head. So, there’s a lot of similarities between the two and I’m really enjoying myself.”