Hockey Alberta University Spotlight

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 >

Sixteen teams were crowned champions in their respective divisions as the first weekend of action concluded on Sunday in the 2024 Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships hosted by ATB.

Teams skating away with the banner from the first weekend of action (March 21-24) are:

AFHL U18 Female AAA – Edmonton Jr. Oilers White 2, Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs 1

U18 Female Tier 1 – St. Paul U18 Canadiens 3, SP750 1

U18 Female Tier 2 – Beaverlodge U18 Female 5, Battle River U18 Knights 2

U16 AA – Calgary Northstars 4, SSAC Cameron Homes 3 (2OT)

AEHL U15 AAA – St. Albert Raiders Sabres 5, Airdrie Xtreme 2

U15 AA – Lakeland Panthers 2, Calgary Royals White 1

U15 Tier 1 – Chestermere U15 Lakers 5, Trails West Wolves 2

U15 Tier 2 – Duchess U15 Storm 7, Beaverlodge 5

U15 Tier 3 – Delburne U15 Outlaws 6, Beiseker Blazers 2

AFHL U15 Female AA – Edmonton Pandas Black 3, Red Deer Sutter Fund Chiefs 1

U13 Tier 1 – Red Deer U13-1 Chiefs 4, Medicine Hat U13-1 2

U13 Tier 2 – Medicine Hat U13-2 7, Slave Lake Thunder 3

U13 Tier 3 – Irma U13 Aces 5, Hughenden U13 Jets 3

U13 Tier 4 – Cremona U13 Cowboys 7, Vulcan U13 Hawks 2

U13 Female Tier 1 – West Central 3, Airdrie 2 (2OT)

U13 Female Tier 2 – 3C’s Coyotes 6, Fort McMurray U13 Huskies 5 (OT)

Tournament action continues the next two weekends - March 28-31 and April 3-7. Schedules for each division are available on the Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships page.

HOCKEY ALBERTA PROVINCIALS PAGE >

2024 Hockey Alberta League Playoffs

In the Alberta Elite Hockey League’s U18 AAA division, the Calgary Buffaloes won a triple overtime game against the Sherwood Park Ennis Kings in Game 2 of their championship finals, 2-1, to take a controlling 2-0 series lead. Caleb Matthews notched the winner at the 5:40 mark of period six. The Buffaloes won game one on Saturday afternoon, in double overtime, as Cooper Williams scored the winner.

Full schedule is available on the AEHL U18 AAA Website. Livestreaming is available through FloHockey.

In Alberta Junior Hockey League action, the Whitecourt Wolverines, Canmore Eagles, Calgary Canucks all won their first round matchup and await their semi-final matchups en route to the Inter Pipeline Cup Finals.

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.”

RED DEER – Two-time Stanley Cup champion Andrew Ladd and his wife Brandy are ensuring that youth hockey teams across Alberta and North America are focusing on their mental, physical, and social well-being through their 1616 initiative.

1616 focuses on making those three traits a more significant focus for youth hockey. It’s also looking to shift the culture in minor hockey to one that not only emphasizes hockey performance, but also development of character, confidence, and connections through environments both with parents and coaches that promotes this healthy development.

"Having grown up in the game I understand the challenges players face,” said Andrew Ladd. “At 1616 we are intentionally leveraging stories of the top athletes in our game to teach the next generation that in every challenge lies an opportunity to strengthen your mind and grow as a person."

The program is designed by a team of experts to create a 16-module experience with video content from some of the best hockey players in the world including Adam Oates, Blayre Turnbull, and Mark Giordano. It features guided in-person discussion prompts for coaches and parents, as well as on-ice drills to enhance on-ice performance, and challenges to help participants apply 1616 principles.

The benefits of 1616 have already been noticed from players, teams and parents who have previously participated in the initiative. 1616 has grown exponentially, as the pilot project in 2021 had 500 participants across North America.

Since then, it has grown to 88 teams across North America including 36 teams from Alberta in 2022 and more than 200 teams in 2023 with over 100 teams coming from this province.

The Hockey Alberta Foundation has played a key role in the success and growth of 1616, partnering with the Ladd Foundation through two donations totalling $120,000 in the last year.

"This program was recommended to the team by a family physician and we’re having a great experience. My son is very introverted and quiet, and it’s been great for helping him think about how to build more connections with his teammates... and the resilience aspect, seeing famous hockey players have a similar experience as him has been meaningful. At this age of 10-12 years old, they’re starting to understand the world and become self conscious, so it’s great."

1616 Parent/ Caregiver

"I would like to say thank you to the program... I can feel that my son is being shaped and developed mentally along his hockey path. It is much more difficult for parents to communicate or teach our children directly, especially when they are transitioning to teenagers. With the program saying it, the program, coaches and players are actually working as a team, and it seems quite effective. You have full support from our family. Cheers to 1616."

1616 Parent/ Caregiver

In the 2023 season 1616 expanded its reach. The program launched a school partnership with Edge School in Calgary where more than 40 families enrolled into a facilitated 1616 experience. The Ladd Foundation also took 1616 and partnered with Jumpstart to bring to bring the experience to new communities across Canada. On top of that, The Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers Foundations partnered with 1616 to bring expanded support and awareness to teams across the province, which resulted in more Alberta based teams participating than anywhere else in North America.

“Every parent wants the best for their kids, whether that’s opportunity or health,” Ladd said. “Unfortunately, not everyone is lucky enough to be able to provide those things to their children. We have great compassion for those parents and if we can alleviate some of the stress that comes with facing these issues, we want to help.”

For more information on 1616, registration or placing a donation please visit www.1616.org.

The Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup program is making its return once again for its eighth season!

To date, the program has had a wide positive impact on hockey communities, achieving more than 1,000 Good Deeds and donating over $700,000 to charities all over the country.

Hockey Alberta has watched proudly as Alberta teams such as the U13 Canmore Eagles (2021) and the Lloydminster Female U13 Blazers (2022) became finalists for the program, with the Blazers becoming the first Alberta team and the first female team to win the Good Deeds Cup.

The Blazers charity donation was to Inclusion Lloydminster, an organization that advocates on behalf of children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families, with the goal of meaningful family life and community inclusion.

This season, the 2024 Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup is all about doing as many good deeds as possible, no matter the size and scope of the good deed. This year, the target is a minimum of 150 teams across Canada, completing over 1,500 good deeds. Teams are encouraged to do multiple ‘smaller’ and more frequent good deeds as opposed to one big deed. These deeds will add to your team’s total – players on these teams are welcome to also do individual deeds, which will also add to your team total. In addition to this, members of the community can complete good deeds themselves on behalf of their team. Big or small, there’s so many ways to add to your team’s total for good deeds!

Good Deeds will be tracked online via a live leaderboard on the Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup website. The program runs until March 3.

Upon completion of a deed, teams/individuals are asked to submit their completed good deed online via picture or video on any social channel available, tagging the following:

• @ChevroletCanada
• #GoodDeedsCup
• #Contest
• #MinorHockeyTeamName + Age Division + Level (ex. #CanmoreEaglesU13A)

This program is open to U11, U13 and U15 teams registered with Hockey Canada/ Hockey Alberta. The champion of the Good Deeds Cup receives a $100,000 donation to the registered Canadian charity of their choice.

REGISTER HERE >

In addition, the first 150 teams to complete and submit a good deed online are rewarded with Team Kits, with contents valuing around $400. These kits feature:

• Branded toques
• Towels
• Stick tape
• Stickers
• A letter from the Season 7 winners with some tips and tricks on how to get started.
• The box the Kits are sent in can are branded Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup and are to be repurposed for additional good deeds, such as a canned goods donation box or toy drive box

The 150 teams who win a Team Kit will be connected to their local Chevrolet dealerships to increase community impact!

IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ THIS MESSAGE IN ITS ENTIRETY

RED DEER - Registration for the 2024 Prospects Cup Regional Camps opens on Monday, January 22 at 4 pm (MT) on the Hockey Alberta and Prospects Cup websites.

All 2011-born male players, registered with a Hockey Alberta-sanctioned Minor Hockey Association or are eligible to register for a Regional Camp and try out for the Prospects Cup.

Positions at the four Regional Camp tryouts are limited and awarded based on the order that registration is completed and confirmed in the online registration system. Regional Camps are scheduled for the weekend of April 12-14 at the following locations:

• South (Olds Sportsplex - Olds)
• Calgary (Don Hartman NESS – Calgary)
• Capital (The Meadows - Edmonton)
• North (Wally Fedun – Vegreville)

REGISTER IN THE CORRECT REGION

Prior to Regional Camp registration, please review the Prospects Cup registration directory to determine in which region your child resides.

2024 PROSPECTS CUP REGISTRATION DIRECTORY >

Athletes are only permitted to register for the region in which they reside and the position (goaltender, defence or forward) for which they wish to be considered for the Prospects Cup. Any athlete who registers for an incorrect region or position may have their registration refunded (less an admin fee) and is not guaranteed a spot at to the Regional Camp tryout, subject to position availability in the correct region.

Please ensure you have your athlete’s Alberta Health Number when registering. This is a required field. Player Hockey ID numbers are not required.

The cost to participate in a Regional Camp is $250 (plus tax and admin fee) and includes:

• Four ice sessions
• One practice jersey
• Three zoom webinars in March to help athletes prepare for the Regional Camp, and learn more about Short Term Competition, and the Team Alberta program.

Once registered, a confirmation email will be sent to the billing email. Athletes who register will be sent webinar information in February. Approximately one week prior to Regional Camp weekend, rosters and schedules for the tryouts are sent to each player.

REGIONAL CAMP WAIT LISTS

It is expected that registration will fill up quickly on January 22. In the event the region and position your child falls within, or the registration in its entirety is sold out at the time you try and register, do not attempt to register for another position or camp. Instead, please do the following:

• Email Hudson Kelly ([email protected]) to be added to a waitlist
• In your email, provide the following information for the player you are looking to add to the waitlist:
  • Full name,
  • Position (F,D,G),
  • Region (South, Calgary, Capital, North)
  • Date of Birth
  • Current team

PROSPECTS CUP

Two teams of 20 players are selected from each Regional Camp to compete at the Prospects Cup, May 8-12. The cost for those selected for the Prospects Cup is being finalized (usually approximately $1000 per player) and includes:

• 5 days and 4 nights of accommodations and meals (including busing to offsite meals) at the event
• One practice on Wednesday of the event
• One practice on either Thursday or Friday
• 4 games from Thursday - Sunday
• Team jersey and socks
• Team Alberta apparel

RED DEER – Hockey Alberta official Brayden Arcand was part of the officiating crew selected to work the World Junior A Challenge December 10-17 in Truro, Nova Scotia.

“It was a great experience. It was my first international experience in a while and Hockey Canada did a good job making sure that it was ran professionally,” Arcand said. “The volunteers and the town of Truro were great hosts and the support the tournament had was strong. It was a great overall experience for me.”

Not only was Arcand one of the few officials selected to referee games in the tournament, he was part of the crew that earned the right to officiate the gold medal final between Canada West and Canada East.

“I think any time an official gets asked to be part of a tournament, the end goal is to do the last game,” Arcand said. “Anytime you get selected it’s a really good feeling. It’s a feather in your cap for all the hard work you put in over the course of the tournament as well as the season. There are so many good officials to pick from, it was an honour to get selected.”

This isn’t the first high-level event in which Arcand has taken part. The 32-year-old has called games throughout several AJHL playoffs, an AJHL final and the Centennial Cup. He said the World Junior A Challenge is up there with those accomplishments.

“It’s hard for me to rank them honestly,” he said. “I think getting to officiate in a national championship such as the Centennial Cup is definitely an honour. The World Junior A Challenge has a different flair to it, it’s a little bit shorter and there is a smaller group of teams so there’s much more focus on each game…. I think it’d be hard to rank them because they’re all special in their own way and I’m happy to be part of them.”

Arcand has been an official since he was 13 and has made it part of his full-time occupation over the past 10 years.

“Right now, I’m just taking it day-by-day. You always try and set goals for yourself … and I’ve been very lucky to achieve some of those goals,” he said. “But with where I’m at with my career outside of hockey and my family, I think taking it day-by-day is the best thing for me right now.”

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.

“My brother was one of those officials that got abused as a young official and he quit,” Arcand said. “I don’t know why we’re so hard on our young officials …. At the end of the day, we were losing such a high number of officials.”

But Arcand also has a positive message for those who are hesitant to dip their toes into the officiating world.

“For me officiating helped me in a lot of different areas. It’s helped me with my communication, professionalism, and learning to be part of a team … there’s so many aspects that you can translate over to the real world that are very important. It also helped me stay close to the game I love. A lot of officials just love hockey and being part of it in any capacity is a plus. I think officiating is a good way of doing that, being able to balance your work and social life, I’ve gotten to travel all over North American to referee a hockey game so there are a lot of benefits that come with officiating as well. I always look back and am grateful to becoming an official because it helped me get to a lot of place I otherwise wouldn’t have gotten to as a player.”

The highest levels of elite female hockey in Alberta are increasing by three teams for the 2024-25 season.

The Alberta Female Hockey League (AFHL) U18 AAA division is expanding to eight teams with the addition of teams within Hockey Calgary and Sherwood Park Minor Hockey Association.

There will also be a U18 Female Accredited School team operated by OHA Edmonton.

The new teams are the result of work over the past two years where Hockey Alberta has engaged several parties to help measure the successes of the Elite Female Hockey Model and where the model can be improved. Remaining focused on the principles of the model, the recent growth of female hockey has been evaluated, along with the opportunities available for players to progress within Alberta’s female hockey system.

The Elite Female Hockey Model was implemented in the 2016-17 season, after a three-year independent review commissioned by Hockey Alberta in 2013. The model established provincial criteria for the number of teams permitted at each level within the Elite system. The U18 AAA division was reduced from 11 teams to six; Accredited School expansion of female hockey programs was put on hold; and the AA system was created to help players develop their skills at the right level for their age, and to help them progress to the next level of hockey.

Since 2016 and the implementation of the new model, registration numbers for female players in Alberta have increased by 22 per cent overall. This includes a 28 per cent increase in registration at the U15 level, 38 per cent at U13, and 41 per cent at U11.

The first portion of the current review of elite female hockey saw two changes to the AFHL implemented for this season (2023-24):

• creation of a U13 AA division to provide a competitive all-female entry point for female athletes to access elite hockey.
• expansion to 14 teams within the U15 AA division to provide more opportunities for the increased numbers of female players in the system.

Hockey Alberta Bulletins 2023-24 >

RED DEER – Hockey Alberta was pleased to partner with Hockey Canada for the 2024 World Junior Hockey Championship 50/50 Draw, with all proceeds being invested into grassroots initiatives, directly impacting the capacity of local leaders and our members to deliver a positive experience for all participants throughout Alberta.

The winners of the three jackpot draws are shown below:

• Draw 1: Jackpot = $147,080.00; Prize Amount = $73,540.00; Winning Ticket = A-100039327; Winner = Karen Traverse
• Draw 2: Jackpot = $164,500.00; Prize Amount = $82,250.00; Winning Ticket = A-100608203; Winner = Trevor Brady
• Draw 3: Jackpot = $91,850.00; Prize Amount = $45,925.00; Winning Ticket = A-100214053; Winner = Riley Herzog

For early-bird prizes and winners, click the link below:

WINNING TICKET NUMBERS >

RED DEER – The 2023 hockey season was an eventful one. Hockey Alberta wants to highlight all the amazing athletes, coaches, volunteers, teams and people that are intertwined into the fabric of the sport across the province.

To celebrate the achievements of those who made an impact throughout the season, Hockey Alberta wanted to recognize 10 stories from this past year that represent what the game of hockey should be about in this year’ version of the Year in Review.

Without further ado, here are those impactful stories from the year 2023.

Hayleigh Craig’s journey to USports ran through the National Women’s U18 Championship

Hayleigh Craig is a key member on the fifth ranked Alberta Golden Pandas hockey team, but before she was trying to help the Pandas win its ninth USports national championship she was competing for Team Alberta at the 2019 National Women’s U18 Championship in Morden and Winkler, Manitoba. The female game has taken a huge leap even since 2019 in the province, as Craig’s team finished sixth at the event, while the 2023 edition of the U18 squad qualified for the bronze medal game. Female hockey is one of the fastest growing sports in Alberta with nearly 8,000 females participating in the sport. There are several initiatives to continue that growth, such as Female Hockey Day, Global Girls Game and World Girls Ice Hockey Weekend.

HAYLEIGH CRAIG’S JOURNEY >

Hockey Alberta giving an assist

Hockey Alberta believes everybody should have the opportunity to play hockey. The Hockey Alberta Foundation raised or donated more than $1.8 million that was used to support over 80 communities and programs across the province for the 2022-23 season. These programs included: the 11.4 Maltreatment Campaign, school programs, Female Hockey Day, Every Kid Every Community (EKEC) grants, Future Leaders, Hockey Alberta Member Grant, Who’s Hockey and volunteer recognition. Some examples of where these funds are going: Hockey Alberta raised $150,000 for the Every Kid Every Community program while the foundation also awards a maximum of $20,000 per member organization as part of the Hockey Alberta Member Grant - supported by the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation. Hockey Alberta also donated $90,000 towards Andrew Ladd’s 1616 campaign, a 16-week mental, physical and social wellbeing experience for youth hockey teams. The Hockey Alberta Foundation supports those who need us, those who lead us and those who came before us.

HOCKEY ALBERTA GIVING AN ASSIST FOR GIVINGTUESDAY >

When Connection Meets Opportunity

Once his playing career was over, 23-year-old Brett Kramers started his coaching journey when he was 18, becoming the goaltending coach with South Side Athletic Club. After going through Hockey Alberta’s development programs, five years later he is the youngest head coach in the Alberta Elite Hockey League (AEHL) assuming the role of bench boss with the U17 AAA Fort Saskatchewan South Fort Chev Rangers. Kramers was given the chance to advance quickly due to the opportunities available to young coaches in the province. Future Coaches and Future Leaders programs are designed to develop and train young coaches who have shown an interest in the position. Coaches can progress to volunteer coaching positions for various Spring Showcase events which are core Hockey Alberta Elite Development program that provides athletes, staff and on-ice officials an opportunity to grow for the next step in their hockey journey.

BRETT KRAMERS STORY >

ALBERTA CUP >

ALBERTA CHALLENGE >

PROSPECTS CUP >

COACH DEVELOPMENT >

Rob Virgil and Loren Krukowski recognized as Hockey Alberta Life Members

Hockey Alberta celebrated two new Life Members in 2023 - Loren Krukowski and Rob Virgil – recognizing their decades of volunteer service to minor hockey in the province. Life Member is the highest and most prestigious honour that may be bestowed by Hockey Alberta, and recognizes the integral roles played by thousands of volunteers across the province in ensuring that amateur hockey operates on a daily basis at the grassroots regional and provincials levels. Krukowski started his volunteer work in Warburg; Virgil in Edmonton. A candidate for Life Member will have enhanced the recognition of Hockey Alberta at the National or International level, and/or made an outstanding contribution to the development of hockey in Alberta.

LIFE MEMBERS INDUCTIONS >

VIRGIL INDUCTION >

LIFE MEMBERS EVENING >

Everyone needs a Budd

Selected as Hockey Alberta’s 2023 Player of the Year presented by ATB, goaltender Ryley Budd made more of an impact than just his .916 save percentage. The 15-year-old from Calgary, who played in the Alberta Elite Hockey League, made waves off the ice when he teamed up with EnerCorp where he donated $1 for every save and $10 for every shutout to donate to HEROS Hockey. The Hockey Alberta Player of the Year is given out annually to a player who has achieved significant achievements, performances and contributions within amateur hockey during the current season, and is one of the Hockey Alberta Awards presented annually to deserving recipients across the province.

EVERYONE NEEDS A BUDD >

2023 Induction Class for the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame

The 2023 Induction Class for the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame highlighted two areas of significant growth in our sport.

Karen Kost was honoured for the 34 years she spent as a hockey referee, linesperson, mentor, instructor and administrator. She officiated at almost every level of hockey nationally and internationally and was the first female official in Canada to earn Level 5 certification. Officials recruitment and development is a key responsibility for Hockey Alberta - ensuring every game across the province has trained and certified officials, and providing opportunities for qualified officials to work at higher levels, including world championship events.

OFFICIALS >

ALBERTAN OFFICIALS SELECTED FOR IIHF EVENTS >

The Edmonton Chimos, from 1983-1993, were honoured for their decade of excellence in women’s hockey. Over the course of the decade, the Chimos earned three gold medals, four silver medals, and three bronze medals at the national championships, marking not only their dominance but also their leadership in the growth of women’s hockey in Alberta.

ELITE FEMALE >

JUNIOR FEMALE >

MINOR FEMALE HOCKEY >

ALBERTA HOCKEY HALL OF FAME >

KAREN KOST AND EDMONTON CHIMOS HALL OF FAME INDUCTION >

You belong, Maltreatment does not

Racism has no place in our game. After overhearing racial slurs during one of their games, the Hinton Havocs decided to act, including entering Hockey Alberta’s Maltreatment Awareness contest (in partnership with the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation), to bring awareness to Maltreatment happening in the game. Eliminating maltreatment from hockey is a significant focus for Hockey Alberta. November 2022 saw the inaugural Maltreatment Awareness Day (11.4 Day), and the day was recognized again in 2023 with Hockey Alberta partnering with 17 AAA and AA programs around the province to circulate ‘These Don’t Belong’ banners. Hockey Alberta is also accepting applications for Hockey Alberta’s Local Hockey Leaders EDI Grant, to help minor hockey organizations across the province in how they deal with equity, diversity and inclusion challenges. The program provides up to $5,000 in funding towards general EDI fundamentals training, or a specific awareness and education project.

YOU BELONG, MALTREATMENT DOES NOT >

A family affair

Hockey is a family affair for the Obobaifo brothers. After their parents moved to Alberta from Nigeria, Charles, Aaron, and Kyle fell in love with the game and the sibling love and rivalry followed. The trio of brothers have been mainstays in Hockey Alberta’s Team Alberta development programs, with Charles participating in the Prospects Cup and Alberta Cup; Kyle in the Prospects Cup in 2022; and Aaron at the Canada Winter Games. Team Alberta programming is crucial to the development of players in Alberta. The Prospects Cup and Alberta Cup features opportunities for minor hockey players to be identified for potential positions at higher level events such as the WHL Cup, Canada Winter Games, World U17 Hockey Challenge, World Junior A Challenge and World Junior Hockey Championships. On the female side, the Alberta Challenge is a core Hockey Alberta Female Development program, providing players, coaches, therapists, equipment managers, administrators and referees an equal opportunity to discover the great qualities of competitive hockey.

A FAMILY AFFAIR >

Just go for it

Sadie Makokis knows a thing or two about representing Team Alberta. Makokis is a freshman defender for the University of New Hampshire Wildcats, and was able to end her minor hockey career on a positive note. During the 2022-23 season, she laced up the skates for her province at the Canada Winter Games and at the National Aboriginal Hockey Championship where she represented the Saddle Lake Cree Nation. In 2023 Hockey Alberta partnered with the Indigenous Sport Council of Alberta to oversee and coordinate the selection process for the coaches and players representing the province of Alberta at the championships. It also includes recruiting and selecting the Indigenous coaching staff, registration and selection camp for the players looking to participate in the tournament, team training, and designing the uniforms.

JUST GO FOR IT >

National Volunteer Week: Ben Woodlock

Teenager Ben Woodlock proves that volunteers can come in all ages. After having undergone two kidney transplants and his small stature, his future playing the sport he loved became uncertain. Insert Geoff Giacobbo, the head coach for the AEHL’s U15 St. Albert Raiders Sabres who approached Ben to join him on the staff last season as an apprentice coach. Volunteers are an integral part of the sport. Janet Fairless (Grimshaw) was named the 2023 Hockey Alberta Volunteer of the Year. Fairless has volunteered with Hockey Alberta for over a decade in a variety of roles including serving on the Minor Administration Committee, volunteering with Junior B teams, and has been a registrar with senior male and female teams. Hockey Alberta has recognized several volunteers for their hard work and dedication to the game of hockey.

BEN’S INSPIRING STORY >

VOLUNTEERS >

VOLUNTEER CONTACTS >

Happy Holidays from Hockey Alberta!

Staff at Hockey Alberta would like to wish you and your families Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas. The Hockey Alberta office is closed on December 25, 26, 27, and January 1. Regular office hours resume Tuesday, January 2.

RED DEER – The teams competing at the 2024 Alberta Winter Games have been announced for the U15 AA Male and U13 AA Female competition.

For the Male competition, U15 AA teams declared their interest in representing their zone by October 12. The team in each zone with the highest win percentage in its respective league, as of December 19, was selected to compete at the Games. Male teams competing at the Alberta Winter Games are:

For the Female competition, U13 AA teams in the Alberta Female Hockey League participated in playdown games from December 3-10 to identify the eight teams participating in the Alberta Winter Games. Female teams competing at the Alberta Winter Games are:

The Alberta Winter Games are scheduled to take place February 16-19 in Grande Prairie.

RED DEER – Hockey Alberta is pleased to announce the host communities for the 2024 Hockey Alberta Provincial Championships, presented by ATB.

Host communities for 25 of the 33 provincial championships have been confirmed. Five events are still in need of hosts (deadline for submissions is today). The remaining three provincial champions are determined through league playoffs.

Championship tournaments are being hosted in locations across the province – from Peace River to Okotoks, and Cold Lake to Grande Cache.

2024 Provincial Hosts >

ATB is returning as the presenting sponsor of the 2024 Provincial Sponsorships.

Participating teams for the provincial championship tournaments are determined through league playoffs.

Most Minor tiered provincial championships feature eight teams – the host, the champions from each division’s respective leagues, and one or more wild cards. Most Minor Female events feature six teams. Hockey Alberta’s Tiered and Female leagues include: Hockey Calgary, Edmonton Federation Hockey League, Central Alberta Hockey League, All Peace Hockey League, North Eastern Alberta Hockey League, Rocky Mountain Female Hockey League, and East Central Female Hockey League.

Week one (March 21-24) is the busiest weekend, with the following tournaments on the schedule: U18 Female AAA, U18 Female Tier 1, U16 AA, U15 AAA, U15 AA, U15 Female AA, U15 Tier 1, U15 Tier 1 NBC, U15 Tier 2, U15 Tier 3, U13 Tier 1, U13 Tier 2, U13 Tier 3, U13 Tier 4, and U13 Female Tier 1, and U13 Female Tier 2.

Week two (March 28-31) features: Junior C, U18 Female AA, U18 AA, U18 Tier 1, U18 Tier 2, U18 Tier 3, U15 Female Tier 1, U13 Female AA and U13 AA.

The final weekend (April 3-7) showcases Junior B and U17 AAA.

Junior A, Junior Female, and U18 AAA provincial champions are decided through league playoffs.

The following events still require a host, and will be cancelled if no bid applications are received: U18 Female Tier 2, U15 Tier 1 NBC and U13 Female Tier 1 (March 21-24); U18 Tier 1 NBC and U15 Female Tier 2 (March 28-31).

For all the details on this year’s Provincial Championship, please visit the new-look Provincials website at www.haprovincials.ca.

RED DEER – Seven individuals are representing the province at the upcoming 2024 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships December 26-January 5 in Gothenberg, Sweden.

Matthew Savoie of St. Albert, Nate Danielson of Red Deer, and Scott Ratzlaff of Irma have been named to the 22-player roster. Shaun Clouston of Viking (Assistant Coach), James Emery of Calgary (Video Coach), Jason Smart of Red Deer (Security Liaison) and Esther Madziya of Lethbridge (Media Relations) are part of the Hockey Canada staff headed to Sweden.

This is the first time any of the three players from the province have suited up for Canada at the World Juniors, but that doesn’t mean they don’t come with a ton of pedigree. Savoie and Danielson were both drafted in the first round of consecutive NHL Drafts. Savoie went ninth overall in 2022 to the Buffalo Sabres, while Danielson went ninth in 2023 to the Detroit Red Wings. Ratzlaff was selected in the fifth round of this most recent draft to Buffalo.

As for international experience, Savoie played for Canada at the World U17 Hockey Challenge in the 2019 season, posting six points in six games. Ratzlaff wore the maple leaf at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, going 4-0 with a 0.50 goals-against-average, .976 save percentage and two shutouts en route to a gold medal. This is the first time donning the red and white for Danielson at an IIHF sanctioned event.

Canada kicks off their tournament against Finland on December 26. Canada’s games throughout the tournament will be broadcasted on TSN. Full schedule can be found below:

RED DEER – Three Albertans have been asked to represent Canada at the 2024 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship January 6-14 in Zug, Switzerland.

Makayla Watson, from Brooks, was named to the 23-player roster on defence. Fellow Albertans Dylan Rothwell of Calgary (Senior Manager Hockey Operations) and Tyler Roth of Edmonton (Equipment Manager) are looking to play their part in helping Canada win its third consecutive gold medal at the event, after defeating Sweden in 2023, and the United States in 2022.

This is Watson’s first time representing Canada on the international stage. The 17-year-old is having a career season at RINK Hockey Academy in Kelowna, posting 34 points in 15 games. She was named Top Freshman of the Year in the CSSHL in 2022 with the Edge U18 Prep team, and was a member of Team Alberta at the 2023 Canada Winter Games in Prince Edward Island.

Rockwell has been part of Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence for seven years. He started as a Student, National Women’s Team Programs, worked his way up to Coordinator, National Teams and Manager, Hockey Operations before being promoted to Senior Manager of Hockey Operations last March.

Roth is in his fourth season with the University of Alberta Pandas, and in his second as the Head Equipment Manager for the team. This is Roth’s first experience with Hockey Canada as an equipment manager, but he worked as a camp equipment manager for Hockey Canada in August and was part of Team Services at the 2022 summer World Junior tournament in Edmonton.

Team Canada will begin its tournament against Germany on January 6. Canada’s games throughout the tournament will be broadcasted on TSN. Full schedule can be found below:

RED DEER – Shaun Clouston’s Christmas plans are going to look a little bit different than what he’s accustomed to.

The 55-year-old from Viking will be behind the bench as an assistant coach for Team Canada at the 2024 World Junior Hockey Championships December 26 to January 5 in Gothenburg, Sweden. Clouston has represented Canada on the international stage three times before - winning gold medals with Canada at the Ivan Hlinka tournament (now Hlinka/ Gretzky) in 2014 and 2015, and bronze at the 2016 U18 World Championships.

“It means a lot. It’s a huge honour for me,” Clouston said about his first trip to the World Juniors. “I’m thankful for the opportunity and I’m looking forward to getting back into the Hockey Canada program…. All of us on the staff have experience in these types of tournaments so it’s our job to help support the players and remove any obstacles they might have so they can play to the best of their abilities.”

Clouston is the General Manager and Head Coach of the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers who were last year’s Memorial Cup hosts. He said organization and execution are the two most important keys to success.

“I think the plan heading into a short-term tournament is important. I think Hockey Canada does a really good job of mapping out a plan, making sure everything is taken care of – practices, warmups, cool downs, meals, travel,” Clouston said. “Those things are all incredibly important. The support group from the equipment guys, trainers, mental performance coaches are important as well… so when the tournament starts everyone is on the same page, they know what the vision is and we can all go after the end goal, which is winning a gold medal.”

Clouston grew up in Viking, population 929 (2022 statistics), where he joins an impressive list of players and coaches, including the Sutter family. He takes great pride in representing his hometown on such a big stage.

“It’s pretty cool. You’re proud of where you come from and I sincerely looked up to all the Sutter boys growing up,” Clouston said. “They’re a little bit older than I am, but when you go to a school that’s Kindergarten to Grade 12, you know everybody. They’re all great people, they’ve been extremely supportive and have followed my career as closely as I’ve followed their careers which is pretty amazing to hear. To have those guys set the course for what’s possible, for myself and others is really awesome…. I’m very grateful to be in hockey for this long and have it be a big part of my life and to grow up in Viking and have (the Sutters) lead the way.”

Information Bulletin 23-04

Effective February 1, 2024, Hockey Alberta, along with some Member associations, is implementing a full-ice Pilot Project at the U9 level of the Intro to Hockey program.

The U9 Pilot Project focuses on the adoption of Hockey Canada’s End of Season Phase, allowing teams the option to play 5-on-5 full-ice hockey from February 1 to March 30 each season.

Teams may continue to play half-ice hockey for the full season. The Preparation/ Evaluation and Development phases of Hockey Canada’s U9 Pathway are not impacted by this Pilot.

Participation in the Pilot is optional and is being implemented only for one-time event sanctions.

The Pilot Project is based on the recognition that players are missing game play skills and tactics when they transition from U9 to U11. The Pilot allows players to have more success at U11, allowing more enjoyment of the game.

Feedback was provided by minor hockey associations across Alberta. As well, input was sought from Hockey Canada’s provincial branches across the country. Regardless of whether teams are playing 4-on-4 half-ice, or 5-on-5 full-ice, the focus continues to be on development of individual skills, individual and team tactics for U9 players across the province.

NOTE: League games take priority over one-time event sanctions within the Pilot Project. Failure of a team to fulfill its league obligations may result in discipline, fines and/ or removal of permit/ sanction privileges for the remainder of the season.

For details on the new U9 Full-Ice Transition Pilot Project, and the updated Intro to Hockey model, check the Hockey Alberta website:

INTRO TO HOCKEY MODEL (UPDATED NOVEMBER 2023) >

RED DEER – Applications are now open for nominations for the BFL Canada Women in Coaching Award.

There are three different categories to nominate your coach:

Community Coach: Defined as a woman coaching athletes of any age who play and compete in divisions where there is not a national championship identified as a culminating event. (ex. U7-U15 house league coaches, up to A/AA)

Competitive Coach: Defined as a woman coaching athletes who play and compete in divisions where the participants are eligible to compete in national championships, accredited Sport Schools championships, or provincially designated programs of excellence. (ex. Sport Schools, U15-U18 AAA, U22 Elite)

High Performance Coach: Defined as a woman coaching athletes that are above the age of 16 and compete at the USports, Canadian collegiate hockey, or professional levels.

Nominees are required to meet the following criteria in all three categories:

• Leads by example in demonstrating fair play and sportsmanship,
• Places the emotional and physical well-being ahead of a personal desire to win,
• Places an emphasis on equitable participation of all players registered on the team,
• Demonstrates a commitment to the development of every player and staff member,
• Treats each player as an individual and understands the range of emotional and physical development,
• Does her best to provide a safe playing situation for all players,
• Uses the coaching techniques that are appropriate for the age and skill levels of all players on her team,
• Must be actively coaching at the female hockey, minor hockey or high-performance levels within the province the nomination originates from,
• Must be trained and/or certified in the Hockey Canada National Coach Certification Program,
• Must have completed all elements required to be an active coach,
• Must be a member in good standing within the Province the nomination originates from.

This is the fifth season for the award. National winners of the award in the community and competitive categories will receive $5,000 bursary and a customized Team Canada jersey. Provincial and territorial winners in the Community and Competitive categories will receive a $1,000 bursary. The national winner in the High Performance category will receive a $5,000 bursary and an invite to Canada’s National Women’s Team camp in September 2024.

NOMINATE A COACH >

RED DEER - Hockey Alberta has selected the 78 volunteers who will lead teams at the 2024 Spring Showcase.

Each team will consist of a director of operations, coach mentor, head coach, two assistant coaches and a trainer. Staff for each Alberta Challenge team also includes an apprentice coach. Some staff members will be listed on a later date.

Staff for each team is listed below.

2024 Alberta Cup Team Staff

2024 Alberta Challenge Team Staff

2024 Prospects Cup Team Staff

The Spring Showcase features the Alberta Cup, Alberta Challenge and Prospects Cup in back-to-back-to-back weekend action, beginning with the Alberta Cup on April 24. Events take place at the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre at Red Deer Polytechnic.

Registration for regional camps will open on January 8th for Alberta Cup, January 15th for Alberta Challenge and January 22nd for Prospects Cup.

RED DEER – Sixteen teams in the AFHL U13 AA division will be taking a break from in–season play to vie for the right to compete at the 2024 Alberta Winter Games in Grande Prairie.

Zones with more than one team will see those clubs face off in a playdown series, with the winning team representing the Zone at the Games, February 16-19. Some Zones (two teams) are playing a best-of-three series, while others (three teams) are playing a round-robin and final game.

In best-of-three series, Airdrie Lightning visit the Rocky Mountain Raiders on Dec. 3; Edmonton Ice Blue and Edmonton Ice White open on Dec. 4; Camrose Wildcats and the Central Alberta Twins open on Dec. 6; and the undefeated first-place Lloydminster Western Financial Steelers take open with Lakeland Panthers on Dec. 7.

The remaining two zones will see three teams playing a round-robin format, with the top two teams squaring off Dec. 10 in the zone final. North Central Impact and St. Albert Raiders Bolts open the Zone 5 playdown on Dec. 5. Calgary Fire Red and Calgary Fire White drop the puck on Dec. 7 to open the Zone 3 playdown.

The full schedule of games in all zones can be found on the Playoffs tab on the U13AA league website.

FULL SCHEDULE, VENUES AND TIMES >