RED DEER - Team Alberta U16 Male opened up round-robin play at the 2019 Canada Winter Games with a 4-3 overtime loss to Saskatchewan Saturday night.

Alberta never trailed at any point, and held a lead for much of the game, but Saskatchewan wouldn’t go away.

Kai Uchacz opened the scoring for Alberta early in the first, but Saskatchewan countered just two minutes later on the powerplay. Dylan Guenther’s powerplay marker gave Alberta the lead heading into the second period, where Saskatchewan tied the game again.

Zack Stringer’s late second period goal gave Alberta the lead once more, but Saskatchewan tied the game yet again halfway through the third, before Nolan Allan sealed the victory for his team.

Goaltender Drew Sim made 18 saves for Alberta, while his counterpart Brent Mirwald stood tall to earn the win for Saskatchewan, stopping 40 of the 43 shots he faces.

Team Alberta is right back at it again Sunday afternoon against Manitoba at 4:00pm at the Centrium. The game will be shown on TSN at 5:00pm.

Game Stats > | Team Alberta Roster > | Team Alberta CWG Guide >

RED DEER - Sixteen outstanding young Albertans will hit the ice in Calgary on Saturday for the International Ice Hockey Federation’s Global Girls Hockey Game.

In addition to the game itself, athletes will participate in skills clinics, visit the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame, and take in presentations from guest speakers.

The Global Girls Game goes at 3pm at the Flames Community Rink.

The sixteen Bantam-aged Albertans participating in the Global Game are:

About the Global Game

The Global Game embodies the spirit of enjoyment, teamwork, and collaborating with those from diverse backgrounds. This unique game starts on Saturday and will be played in 28 different countries before being handed off to Canada to play the final segment of the game. A cumulative score is kept across all 28 countries between Team White and Team Blue with a winner being declared after the Canadian portion of the game. The goal this game is to unite all females currently playing hockey as one global family.

RED DEER - Hockey has been included as an event in the Canada Winter Games since its inaugural year in 1967. Throughout each passing year, the sport has seen its share of different winners and famous alumni. Since its inception, Alberta has been the only province to compete in each iteration of the Canada Winter Games, achieving great results in both the male and female competitions.

The 2019 Games set to begin on Friday – the first to be held in Alberta since 1995. Here is a look at the history of Team Alberta at the Canada Winter Games:

Team Alberta Male

Male hockey was introduced at the 1967 Canada Winter Games with just three teams participating: Alberta, BC, and Ontario. Team Alberta won the gold medal, followed that up with a silver in 1971, and then gold again in 1975. Each tournament contained three teams.

The 1979 Games marked the first year where all provinces and territories entered a team into the tournament. Over the next three Canada Winter Games, Team Alberta finished out of the medals, with 1987 the last Games where Team Alberta Male did not win a medal. Since 1991, Team Alberta has finished with two bronze, three silver, and two gold medals. Alberta is the only province to win a medal in each of the last seven Canada Winter Games events.

The 1999 gold medal winning team was a 2018 inductee into the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame. They were led by notable alumni Jay Bouwmeester and Scott Hartnell.

Team Alberta U16 Roster/Schedule >

Team Alberta Female

Female hockey was introduced to the Canada Winter Games in 1991. Team Alberta wasted no time finding success, taking home the gold medal with a team that included 13-year-old Hayley Wickenheiser. Since 1991, Team Alberta earned bronze in 1999 and 2015 while taking home the gold for a second time in 2011.

The 1991 gold medal winning squad was also inducted into the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018.

Team Alberta U18 Roster/Schedule >

RED DEER - Hockey Alberta is pleased to announce the leadership group for Team Alberta’s U16 Male team for the 2019 Canada Winter Games.

Sean Tschigerl (Edmonton) will captain Team Alberta, with defenceman Marc Lajoie (St. Albert) and forwards Dylan Guenther (Edmonton) and Kai Uchacz (De Winton) serving as Assistant Captains.

"I’m honoured to be named Captain of Team Alberta, it’s super exciting, and a big opportunity, playing on home soil," said Tschigerl.

Team Alberta kicks off play round-robin play against Team Saskatchewan on Saturday at 7:30pm, with games against Manitoba and BC set for Sunday at 4:00pm and 7:30pm, respectively. All games are at the Centrium at Westerner Park.

RED DEER – A unique skill development opportunity is available to 2005-born male hockey players in Alberta, as Hockey Alberta and the Western Hockey League are co-hosting the fifth annual WHL Skills Camp.

The camp, for U15 players, is set to run June 7-9, 2019 in Calgary at East Calgary Twin Arenas. The cost of the camp is $300.

Register >

The WHL Skills Camp provides athletes with the opportunity to learn from an impressive array of instructors, including instructors from the WHL. Participants will be divided into eight teams for the weekend, and participate in a variety of activities, including:

• Friday: On and Off-Ice Combine testing
• Saturday: Team Alberta/WHL presentation, Yoga, and two skill sessions.
• Sunday: one skill session, a dry land session and the event will wrap up with a game officiated by the WHL Officials Development Camp.
• Goaltenders will also participate in an on and off-ice goaltender session.

NOTE: Only Hockey Canada/Hockey Alberta Registered Athletes are eligible to register.

The camp will focus on skill development and proper training techniques, and provides athletes with information about the Team Alberta process, information on the WHL, while challenging players to excel on and off the ice. The maximum capacity for the camp is 168 athletes. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information, please contact Dustin Moore, Coordinator, Team Alberta

About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and five in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 350 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.

RED DEER - Two outstanding post-secondary students have received Distinguished Leader status from the 2018 Future Leaders Development Program.

Brett Ponich and Jake Wozney will each receive a $3,000 scholarship for their work during the Development weekend and Team Alberta Male U16 Summer Camp in Camrose.

The Future Leaders Development Program is designed to develop and train post-secondary students in the area of coaching. Areas of focus include proper instruction, administration, leadership, technical and tactical skills in hockey, so that the future leaders can carry those skills into our communities. Scholarship opportunities are made possible by the Hockey Alberta Foundation. Since the Future Leaders Scholarship program was established in 1998, the Hockey Alberta Foundation has invested annually in the development of great leaders for the future of the game and our communities in Alberta.

Ponich started his playing career in the Beaumont Minor Hockey Association. He moved on to play Bantam and Midget AAA in Leduc before spending time with the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks, NHL’s St. Louis Blues and Columbus Blue Jackets organizations. Currently, Ponich is a student-athlete for the University of Alberta - Augustana Vikings where he is working on a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education degree, with hopes of entering medical school after his graduation.

"The Future Leaders Program allowed me to receive structured coaching instruction that complemented my experience of playing the game," said Ponich. "I was able to not only learn more about the game of hockey, but also how to communicate and work with people better."

Wozney grew up in Richmond, BC and began playing with the Seafair Minor Hockey Association. He has been well-travelled, spending time with the Greater Vancouver Canadians, Junior B Richmond Sockeyes, BCHL’s Nanaimo Clippers, AJHL’s Fort McMurray Oil Barons, and SJHL’s Weyburn Red Wings. He is currently playing with the Red Deer College Kings, where he is in his second year of the Kinesiology and Sports Science Program.

"It means a lot to me that experienced coaches with Hockey Alberta can see potential in my coaching ability, even with the limited experience that I have," said Wozney. "It gives me motivation to pursue a career in coaching, as well as to continue to grow and add more tools."

Registration is now being accepted for the 2019 Future Leaders Development Weekend, taking place in Red Deer, May 3-5.

LEDUC – Icy temperatures may have garnered the big headlines across the province.

But it was a generous donation, on national television through Rogers Hometown Hockey, by the Gord Bamford Foundation to the Hockey Alberta Foundation that provided the hot news.

Bamford was one of the special guests in attendance as part of Rogers Hometown Hockey, and he showed his love for the sport, and the kids who play hockey, in two ways. When Bamford took to the stage for a song, he was proudly sporting a Team Alberta jersey. Then, he presented Tim Leer, the Executive Director of the Hockey Alberta Foundation, with a cheque for $10,000 in support of the Every Kid Every Community program.

The generous donation will help ensure that any child in Alberta who wants to will be able to enjoy the game of hockey through the EKEC grant program.

This weekend in Leduc was also a big weekend for female hockey in the province. The Alberta Female Hockey League (AFHL) Midget Elite Showcase saw all 12 teams in the Midget Elite division on the ice for a total of 18 games. Game results, and a summary of what happened in the AFHL in January, can be found at the league’s website, afhl.ca.

RED DEER - The Hockey Alberta Foundation has been accepted as a participating charity in the 2019 Birdies for Kids program. This fundraising program is designed so that the Hockey Alberta Foundation will receive 100% of every donation accepted on its behalf and allows for additional funding of up to 50% of the original donations made.

The Hockey Alberta Foundation’s goal is to provide every child in Alberta the opportunity to play hockey, have fun and, in many cases, experience the sport for the first time through programs like Every Kid Every Community and Future Leaders. Hockey is a great way for kids to be active, healthy and surrounded by positive leaders in their community. Keeping kids active in sport helps reduce childhood obesity, creates a safe and fun environment and forms friendships.

Donating is easy and open now!

Visit shawcharityclassic.com/donatenow/ and select ‘Hockey Alberta Foundation’ to donate online.

If you’d like to donate by cheque, make your cheque payable to ‘Calgary Shaw Charity Classic Foundation” and using the memo section to indicate ‘Hockey Alberta Foundation’ and mail to:

Calgary Shaw Charity Classic Foundation

Suite 1700, Bow Valley Square III
255 5th Avenue SW
Calgary, AB T2P 3G6

Help us improve the quality of life of Albertans through hockey and donate now >

Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink is a non-profit program run under the Calgary Shaw Charity Classic Foundation.

The Springbank Rockies are the only Alberta team to qualify as a semi-finalist in the Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup. Help win $100,000 for an Alberta charity. CLICK HERE or on the photo above to watch this incredible 60 second video. Each view equals one vote. Once you click and watch the FULL video, it registers your vote. The entire hockey community is encouraged to get involved... every age group, every team, every association to help win $100,000 for the Nathan O’Brien Children’s Foundation and The Calgary Food Bank.

CALGARY - The Springbank Peewee AA Rockies agreed that the team should perform a “good deed” in the community that would bring value to the team and community and inspire others to participate or support the “good deed”.

The Rockies took their inspiration from their superhero Nathan O’Brien and The Nathan O’Brien Children’s Foundation support for the Calgary Food Bank. Nathan was a member of the Springbank Rockies Timbit Senators at the time of his tragic death in 2014. This season the AA team proudly wears the Nathan O’Brien Children’s Foundation logo on their helmets and pre-game warm-up gear.

The team worked with the Foundation and the O’Brien family to keep Nathan’s spirit alive, make a significant impact in the community, inspire others, and represent Springbank Minor Hockey, the Foundation, and the Calgary Food Bank as proud ambassadors.

The team set a goal to make a significant contribution to the Calgary Food Bank in support of The Nathan O’Brien Children’s Foundation. The goal - to fill a 40-foot transport trailer with non-perishable food. In order to achieve this goal, Purolator graciously provided a 53-foot transport trailer – 13 feet more than planned. The 53-foot challenge was eagerly embraced. Here is what was accomplished in a week:

• 1,200 volunteer hours.
• More than 5,000 bags distributed throughout the Springbank community and collected several days later.
• Total amount of food collected: 53 feet = 16,752 lbs (approx. value $43,555)
• Total cash donated: $4,920 (or approx. 9,500 lbs of food)
• Total equivalent of approx. 16,200 meals to Calgarians.

The team recognized the significance of its undertaking and realized the opportunity (and need) to inspire the entirety of Springbank’s Peewee division to help fill the trailer. Proudly, EVERY Springbank Peewee team – House league through AA – participated in this year’s Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup competition.

The enthusiasm and commitment from the Peewee division was truly amazing, producing results that were equally spectacular. The 53-foot trailer was filled from front to back with almost 17,000 pounds of food and nearly $5,000 was collected - all within one week.

In addition, the Peewee AA team gained an appreciation of their Good Deed’s significance when they invested more than three hours at the Calgary Food Bank and witnessed firsthand the need in Calgary. The team and parents received a tour, sorted food into hampers, and learned that there are neighbours in the community who rely on the Calgary Food Bank for groceries - something that is generally taken for granted.

VIEW THE SPRINGBANK VIDEO >

RED DEER - Hockey Alberta would like to congratulate the seven officials selected to represent the province on the Road to Red Deer at the 2019 Canada Winter Games.

Referees Mason Stewart (Calgary) and Austin Weisgerber (Medicine Hat), and linesman Derek Bandstra (Calgary) will be part of the officiating crew during the male hockey competition in the first week of the Canada Games.

For the female hockey competition in week two, referees Cassandra Gregory (Edmonton) and Jessica Trombley (Sherwood Park), and linesmen Megan French (Coaldale) and Kelsey Hagan (Calgary) will all take to the ice to officiate.

Earning the opportunity to work at a national event such as the Canada Winter Games is a significant accomplishment in an official’s career, and recognizes dedication, perseverance and commitment towards officiating.

The 2019 Canada Winter Games run February 14 - March 3 in Red Deer.

Congratulations to Hockey Calgary’s Springbank Rockies, who are one of 10 semi-finalists selected by Chevrolet in the Good Deeds Cup!

Now, it’s up to YouTube viewers across Alberta to help the Rockies reach the final three and have a chance at $100,000 for their designated charity.

From now until February 9, all 10 semi-finalist videos are available for viewing at Chevrolet Canada’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/ChevroletCanada. The three teams that receive the most views will each be eligible to win a Finalist Prize, which includes $2,000 to the team’s designated charity.

The three finalist entries then will be reviewed by a judging panel from Chevrolet and Hockey Canada, with a Good Deeds Cup champion selected and announced on February 17. The Good Deeds Cup champion receives a $100,000 cheque for its designated charity, along with prizes for individual team members.

More than 300 entries were received from Peewee teams across the country for the Good Deeds Cup.

RED DEER – Who has made an impact on you or the sport this season?

Nominate that individual or team for one of six Hockey Alberta Awards, presented for outstanding achievements or contributions to amateur hockey in Alberta.

Awards Nomination Form >

Hockey Alberta recognizes the amazing work done by groups and individuals in the game every year through the Hockey Alberta Awards Program. All members of the hockey community in Alberta are encouraged to submit a nomination for a deserving individual or team.

There are six awards open for nominations including: Volunteer of the Year, Coach of the Year, Player of the Year, Official of the Year, and Team of the Year. Nominations are also being accepted for the Order of Merit, which recognizes exceptional leadership and distinguished service to amateur hockey in Alberta for 10 years or more. Order of Merit may be presented for Administration, Coaching/ Development, or Officiating.

BE ALBERTA BUILT! UNLOCK YOUR PLAYER’S POTENTIAL - REGISTER FOR A SKILLS CAMP TODAY

Registration is ongoing for Alberta Built Skills Camps offered by Hockey Alberta. Your young players can have their potential unlocked at one of the following camps: Small Area Games, Power Edge Pro (PEP), Super Skills, Dynamic Shooting, Developing Defencemen and Goaltender Skills. Camps are scheduled in numerous locations across the province. ALBERTA BUILT SKILLS CAMPS REGISTRATION >

RESOURCES FOR MINOR HOCKEY PARENTS

Being a a parent in minor hockey can be a challenging role. Hockey Alberta is pleased to present information on a variety of topics to help parents as they try to provide the most positive hockey experience possible for their children. Check out the Parents tab at the Hockey Alberta website. Resources include Parents & Players: A Guide for Enjoying Hockey In Alberta. The publication provides a lot of important information for parents new to the game, and those who have been around for a while. INFO FOR PARENTS >

SPACES STILL AVAILABLE FOR ALBERTA CUP, ALBERTA CHALLENGE AND PEEWEE PROSPECTS

Registration is ongoing for athletes interested in participating in a Regional selection camp for the Alberta Cup (2004-born males), Alberta Challenge (2004-05 born females), and Peewee Prospects (2006-born males). Registration has been brisk, and varying numbers of spots are available for each event. Don’t delay, register today.

ALBERTA CHALLENGE REGISTRATION > PEEWEE PROSPECTS REGISTRATION > ALBERTA CUP REGISTRATION >

EKEC SPEAKER SERIES COMING TO VEGREVILLE

The Hockey Alberta Foundation, in conjunction with Vegreville Minor Hockey and KidSport Vegreville, is bringing the Every Kid Every Community (EKEC) Speaker Series to Vegreville. The evening will feature former NHL players Rob Brown and Jason Strudwick in a candid Hockey Hot Stove. TICKET INFO >

EKEC GRANT DEADLINE IS JANUARY 31

The deadline for second quarter applications for the Every Kid Every Community grants will be accepted until Thursday, January 31. APPLY NOW >

LET’S RECOGNIZE OUR PEOPLE!

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2019 Hockey Alberta Awards. You can nominate a deserving individual for any of the following awards: Coach of the Year, Player of the Year, Official of the Year or the Award of Merit. You may also nominate an outstanding team for Team of the Year. This is a chance to recognize the outstanding people in your organization. Recipients will be honoured at a special event later in the year. HOCKEY ALBERTA AWARDS NOMINATION FORM >

TEAMMATES HELPING TEAMMATES RAFFLE

Throughout the hockey season many team focus fundraising efforts on a charity of choice to support. We hope you will consider your teammates at the Hockey Alberta Foundation as your hockey charity of choice. We have launched the Teammates helping Teammates raffle in support of the Every Kid Every Community Grant Program. There are only 100 tickets available, with two identical grand prizes available: 25 tickets to the Calgary Flames vs Anaheim Ducks game on Friday, March 29, and transportation via motorcoach to and from Scotiabank Saddledome. Tickets are available for $100 each and can be purchased by cash, cheque or credit card by contacting the Hockey Alberta Foundation office or completing the online form.

ARE YOU READY TO VOLUNTEER AT THE ALLAN CUP?

The Lacombe Generals are hosting the 2019 Canadian Senior AAA hockey championship - the Viking Projects Allan Cup, April 8-13 in Lacombe. If you are interested in tickets, sponsorship or being a Volunteer at the event, email info@generalshockey.ca or check out the Generals’ website. GO TO THE WEBSITE >

JOIN THE FLAMES OR HITMEN TO WRAP UP YOUR SEASON

The Calgary Flames and Calgary Hitmen want to help your team celebrate the season with some special Minor Hockey Association ticket packages. With the Flames, your team can hold its Wrap Up Team Party at a Flames game for a special party price that includes game ticket, reserved area for your team pre-game, and exclusive food and beverage options. For the Hitmen, check out the Corral Series Minor Hockey Team Party options.

FLAMES’ PARTY OPTIONS > HITMEN PARTY OPTIONS >

RED DEER - Registration is now open for an array of Hockey Alberta camps across the province for a variety of ages and skill levels.

Throughout 2019, Hockey Alberta offers Alberta Built camps in the following skill development areas: Small Area Games, Power Edge Pro (PEP), Super Skills, Dynamic Shooting, Developing Defencemen and Goalie Skills.

Register Now >

Each camp features Hockey Canada-trained instructors, including Hockey Alberta staff, and WHL/Team Alberta graduates.

All Alberta Built camps focus on skills and tactics identified by hockey experts trained by Hockey Canada and Hockey Alberta, in correspondence with the Long Term Player Development Model.

For more information, please contact Jesse Hale, Manager, Hockey Development, at jhale@hockeyalberta.ca

RED DEER - Hockey Alberta is pleased to present the fourth installment of the Western Hockey League’s officiating partnership video series.

The partnership will see the production of a series of videos that will be shared with all officials in Alberta and the other Western Branches.

This is an exciting opportunity for all officials to learn from some of the best officials in the country. The link to the third video is included below, and you will receive an email from Hockey Alberta each time that a new video is available for viewing. The videos will be uploaded to Hockey Alberta’s YouTube channel, so you can always access them on your computer, tablet or mobile device.

CALGARY – The World Under-17 Hockey Challenge will return to Alberta in 2019.

For the first time in the 33-year history of the event, the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge – an international showcase of the best young hockey talent in the world – will be co-hosted in a pair of Prairie provinces. Medicine Hat and Swift Current will welcome the event from Nov. 2-9.

The 2019 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge represents a partnership between Hockey Canada, Hockey Alberta, the Saskatchewan Hockey Association and the Canadian Hockey League, as well as the cities of Medicine Hat and Swift Current, and the Medicine Hat Tigers and Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League.

“Alberta has hosted a number of successful Hockey Canada events in recent history, and Hockey Alberta looks forward to ensuring the 2019 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge is even more successful,” said Rob Litwinski, Chief Executive Officer of Hockey Alberta. “We are thrilled to welcome the top under-17 hockey players in the world to Alberta for the first time since 2005, and to work with the host committee in Medicine Hat on this prestigious event.”

“There was a great deal of effort from many individuals to bring this event to our community, so it’s a tremendous honour to co-host with our counterparts in Swift Current,” said Ted Clugston, Mayor of Medicine Hat. “We’re looking forward to welcoming the players, their families, and hockey fans to our city, and showcasing our community and its amenities on an international scale.”

The 7,100-seat Canalta Centre will host teams and fans when the tournament returns to Alberta for the third time; Lethbridge hosted in 2005, and Red Deer in 1997.

The official tournament schedule and ticket information will be announced at a later date.

Is your Minor Hockey Association looking to grow its membership?

The Canadian Tire First Shift is seeking hosts for its sixth season.

The initiative, which partners with Bauer Hockey and Hockey Canada, has seen over 620 programs delivered across the country with more than 23,000 kids trying hockey since 2014. The mission is to inspire new families to join our community and enrol their kids in our sport by making hockey accessible, affordable, and most importantly, fun!

Canadian Tire First Shift is a six-week program that focuses on having fun and learning basic skills. Full head-to-toe Bauer equipment is included with registration, which is only $199.

The application process for Minor Hockey Associations wishing to host the Canadian Tire First Shift in 2019-20 is now open by going to www.firstshift.ca/for-hosts/

Interested Minor Hockey Associations can find more information in the attached document or at www.firstshift.ca.

RED DEER - Registration is now open for 2006-born male athletes to participate in one of four Regional selection camps for the 2019 Peewee Prospects Cup.

The 2019 Peewee Prospects Cup runs May 8-12 in Lethbridge.

Register >

NOTES:

1. Registration is limited at each position at each camp.
2. Only Hockey Canada/Hockey Alberta Registered Athletes are eligible to register.

All regional camps will take place April 12-14 at the following locations (dates and locations subject to change):

Calgary - East Calgary Twin Arenas
South - Olds Sportsplex
Captial - Edmonton Castle Downs Arena
North - Vegreville Rec Centre

Peewee Prospects Cup Regional Directory > | Peewee Prospects Cup Regional Map >

If you are unsure in which region you reside, or have any other questions, please contact Dustin Moore at dmoore@hockeyalberta.ca prior to registration.

2019 Peewee Prospects Cup staff announced

Hockey Alberta is pleased to announce the staff for each team competing in the 2019 Peewee Prospects Cup. A director of operations, coach mentor, head coach, and two assistant coaches were selected for each of the eight teams.

2019 Team Staff >

The Hockey Alberta Foundation, in conjunction with Vegreville Minor Hockey and KidSport Vegreville, is bringing the Every Kid Every Community (EKEC) Speaker Series to Vegreville. The evening will feature former NHL players Rob Brown and Jason Strudwick in a candid Hockey Hot Stove.

Tickets for the event are $50 for individuals or $350 for a table of 8 and includes a buffet dinner, door prizes, live and silent auctions, and entertainment.

• DATE: Saturday, February 2
• LOCATION: Vegreville Social Centre - 4802 47A Street
• TIME: Doors open 5:30 pm, dinner at 6:30, entertainment at 8 with a dance to follow

For tickets, contact Mike van der Torre at 780-603-7851, or Mandy Chipps at 780-777-9770 or mandychipps@gmail.com

All proceeds from the event will go towards Vegreville Minor Hockey, KidSport Vegreville and the Every Kid Every Community program.

RED DEER - Registration is now open for 2004-born male athletes to participate in one of three Regional selection camps for the 2019 Alberta Cup.

The Alberta Cup is being held in Red Deer, at the new Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre, April 24-28. The 2019 event has a new structure, with six teams competing in a tournament format.

Register >

NOTES:

1. Registration is limited at each position at each camp.
2. Only Hockey Canada/Hockey Alberta Registered Athletes are eligible to register.

The 2019 Alberta Cup has a new regional format of three ‘tryout’ / selection camps with each camp leading to the selection of two teams. The six teams of players will then move on to compete at the Alberta Cup tournament. This updated model establishes a better environment for providing ‘best-on-best’ competition for 14-year old players. More Information >

All regional camps will take place March 29-31 at the following locations (dates and locations subject to change):

Calgary Regional Camp - East Calgary Twin Arenas
Blackfalds Regional Camp - Blackfalds Multiplex
Spruce Grove Regional Camp - Spruce Grove Agrena

Alberta Cup Regional Directory >

If you are unsure in which Region you reside, or have any other questions, please contact Dustin Moore at dmoore@hockeyalberta.ca prior to registration.

2019 Alberta Cup staff announced

Hockey Alberta is pleased to announce the staff for each team competing in the 2019 Alberta Cup. A director of operations, coach mentor, head coach, two assistant coaches, and one trainer were selected for each of the six teams.

2019 Team Staff >

RED DEER - With 2018 now in the rear-view mirror, Hockey Alberta looks back on the year that was with some of our favourite moments (in no particular order).

Alberta Hockey Day / Female Hockey Day

Photo credit: Dave Brunner

A pair of popular participation events served as book-ends for 2018 to highlight hockey development in the province: Alberta Hockey Day and Female Hockey Day.

Alberta Hockey Day was celebrated on January 20 in six different communities across Alberta: Brooks, High Level, Paradise Valley, Red Deer, Strathmore and Westlock. Alberta Hockey Day had a special focus on age-appropriate programming at the Initiation and Novice levels.

Alberta Hockey Day Photo Gallery >

The inaugural Female Hockey Day ran December 15 at the new Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre in Red Deer, with on and off-ice activities in all areas of the game, including coaching, officiating, and parenting. The day was capped off the the very first Canadian Women’s Hockey League game in Red Deer, as the Calgary Inferno took on the Toronto Furies in a regular season game, which saw more than 600 fans an attendance.

Female Hockey Day Photo Gallery >

#AlbertaBuilt

Photo credit: LA Media

The 2018 Alberta Winter Games in Fort McMurray saw a clean sweep in hockey as Zone 2 won gold in both the Male and Female categories. Full Story >

Team Central skated away from Spruce Grove as the 2018 Alberta Cup champions with a 2-0 win over Edmonton Yellow. Full Story >

Team Alberta North earned a pair of podium finishes at the 2019 Arctic Winter Games in Fort Smith and Hay River, NWT. The Bantam Male squad narrowly missed out on gold, with the host Northwest Territories scoring the decisive goal with less than 10 seconds to go in regulation. Meanwhile, the Junior Female team defeated the Yukon in a shootout to claim bronze. Full Story >

The March to a Title

Photo credit: Rob Ganzeveld/FX Photo

Back-to-back winners and multiple championships highlighted the 2018 Hockey Alberta Provincials, presented by ATB Financial.

The Wainwright Bisons (Junior B), Lethbridge Hurricanes (Minor Midget AAA), St. Albert Slash (Midget Female AAA), Calgary Fire White (Bantam Female Elite), Irvine Bulldogs (Peewee D), and Drayton Valley Meter All Stars (Atom A) all repeated as Provincial champions.

It was quite the year for Lethbridge Minor Hockey in the Midget category as well. In addition to Minor Midget AAA, the Lethbridge Hurricanes also took home a provincial title in Midget AAA and Midget A.

2018 Parade of Champions >

History at the Esso Cup

Photo credit: Dennis Pajot/Hockey Canada Images

After becoming the first team from Alberta to win the Esso Cup in 2017, the St. Albert Slash of the Alberta Female Hockey League made history again in 2018, becoming the first-ever team to repeat as Esso Cup champions.

After claiming the Midget AAA provincial title for the second straight year, the Slash defeated the Saskatoon Stars 2-1 to win gold once again. Full Story >

The Humboldt Broncos

April 6, 2018 is a date most will never forget. But, in the wake of the unthinkable Humboldt Broncos tragedy, a country came together as one.

In addition to a Canadian record-setting $15 million GoFundMe campaign, an outpouring of support came in from across Canada, and beyond. #HumboldtStrong became an immediate movement on social media, as did #JerseysForHumboldt and #PutYourSticksOut, which encouraged Canadians to leave a hockey stick at their front door to honour to victims of the crash.

On opening night of the 2018 Alberta Cup, Team Northwest and Team Edmonton Yellow paid tribute to those affected by the tragedy, including four Broncos who previously played in the Alberta Cup.

Alberta players, officials take the next step

Photo credit: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

Every year, Alberta sees many of its players and officials take the next step in their career, and earn a number of accolades and recognition. 2018 was no different.

For the fourth straight year, an Albertan was the top selection at the Western Hockey League Bantam Draft as the Edmonton Oil Kings took Dylan Guenther with the first overall pick. A total of 11 Albertans were taken in the first round of the WHL Bantam Draft, including fellow Alberta Cup All-Stars Kai Uchacz and Keagan Slaney, who were selected 10th and 20th overall by the Seattle Thunderbirds and Edmonton Oil Kings, respectively. Full Story >

At the 2018 NHL Entry Draft in Dallas, seven players from Alberta heard their names called by NHL teams. Lloydminster’s Ty Smith, a former number one pick in the WHL Bantam Draft, was the highest Albertan selected, going number 17 overall to the New Jersey Devils. Jacob Bernard-Docker also went in the first round, taken 26th overall by the Ottawa Senators. Full Story >

Meanwhile, in October, four of Alberta’s officials, Taylor Burzminski, Cody Huseby, Fraser Lawrence, and Lacy Senuk, were selected to represent the province on the national and international stage this season in Hockey Canada and IIHF events. Full Story >

Centre Ice Summit - Focus on Development

In conjunction with the Centre ICE Summit and the Hlinka/Gretzky Cup, Hockey Alberta offered several events to promote player, coach and officials development in August.

For players, in addition to the two-day Summer ICE Jamboree tournament for novice-aged players, Hockey Edmonton hosted a special session for parents to discuss the benefits of half-ice hockey.

The weekend also featured the Alberta Built Coach Seminar, a rare opportunity for more than 100 Alberta coaches to hear presentations from Todd McLellan and Glen Gulutzan (Edmonton Oilers); Dr. Paul Dennis (University of Toronto); Dr. John Dunn (University of Alberta); Dr. Stephen Norris (iMobius Ingenuity Inc); and Richard Monette (Active for Life).

For officials, the weekend included an on-ice session led by Dave Smith, the NHL Officials Director of Fitness and a classroom session with presentations from Hockey Alberta and the Western Hockey League.

Albertans Get The Call To The Hall

Photo credit: LA Media

Four outstanding individuals, and two Canada Winter Games gold medal-winning teams comprised the 2018 Induction Class for the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame (AHHF) in July.

Grant Fuhr, Wally Kozak, Ron MacLean, Mike Vernon, and 1991 Team Alberta U18 Female and 1999 Team Alberta U16 Male were enshrined in Alberta’s hockey history at the AHHF Awards Gala in Canmore. Full Story >

Lessons From Behind The Glass / Hockey Alberta Awards

Hockey Alberta’s 2018 Annual General Meeting was held November 23-24 in Red Deer. Allyson Tufts, author of the book ’Lessons from Behind the Glass’, delivered the Keynote Address to kick off the weekend. Her address focused on the ways hockey is changing - both the game itself, and the kids who play it. Full Story >

The 2018 AGM also saw a new format for the Hockey Alberta Awards, which included the inaugural recipients named in several new categories including Coach of the Year, Official of the Year, and Team of the Year, . Full Story >

The Road to Red Deer Continues

Photo credit: Rob Wallator

2018 saw many steps taken on the Road to Red Deer, as the Team Alberta U16 Male and U18 Female squads prepared for the 2019 Canada Winter Games in Red Deer.

On the male side, the process began with the 2018 Alberta Cup in Spruce Grove, where 80 players were identified and chosen to attend Summer Camp in Camrose in July. From there, a shortlist roster was established, with the final roster announced in December. The Canada Games team got together for three days in December for Christmas Camp, which was highlighted by a pair of exhibition games against the Red Deer Optimist Chiefs and the St. Albert Raiders.

For the Female team, 88 athletes were invited to take part in the Team Alberta U18 Spring Camp in Spruce Grove in May. Forty-six of those athletes attended Summer Camp in Camrose in July, with a shortlist roster of 28 players established for September’s Fall Camp in Edmonton. The final roster was announced in December, with the team converging in Red Deer for Christmas Camp, playing exhibition games against the Red Deer Bantam AAA Rebels and the Leduc AAA Oil Kings.

Hockey Alberta’s New Home

Photo credit: Red Deer College

Hockey Alberta completed the transition to our new home in the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre at Red Deer College. The new offices are located on the second floor of the facility, with boardroom windows overlooking the ice surface.

Hockey Alberta was proud to host the first official events on the new ice surface – a Super Skills Camp and Female Development Camp. Hockey Alberta has hosted several coaching and officiating clinics, player development camps, and Female Hockey Day, and will be hosting the 2019 Alberta Cup at the new facility.

Every Kid Every Community - The Gateway to Hockey Opportunities Around the Province

Photo credit: LA Media

The Hockey Alberta Foundation’s Every Kid Every Community program, aimed at giving all kids across Alberta the chance to play hockey, saw no shortage of support in 2018.

To kick off the year, the Piper Creek Optimist Club of Red Deer’s annual Battle of Alberta fundraiser brought in $21,000 for EKEC in January. The Foundation’s annual Golf and Gala events saw another $107,000 come in for the program in July, and the annual Glencross Invitational Charity Roughstock Event raised $190,000 for EKEC, as well as Ronald McDonald House Central Alberta.

More than $54,000 was dispersed to organizations across the province, through Player Assistance Grants or Program Grants.

Intro to Hockey - For Our Youngest Players

Photo credit: Dave Brunner

As part of the continuing evolution of development for our youngest players, Hockey Alberta unveiled the new Intro to Hockey model for Initiation and Novice divisions.

The Intro to Hockey model operates as part of the Hockey Canada mandate that all Novice-aged players receive age-appropriate programming on half-ice surfaces effective for the 2019-20 season.

The Intro to Hockey model evolved to its final format through on-ice demonstration events, and a variety of meetings and sessions with minor hockey associations. The model includes specific details on Seasonal Structure, Grouping of Players, Practice Environment, and Game Format requirements for Initiation and Novice hockey, starting in 2019-20

Standardized Tiering

Photo credit: Tracy Hope/Hired Gun Photography

A new Alberta One Standardized Tiering Model was developed and has been in operation for the 2018-19 season.

Hockey Calgary, Hockey Edmonton, Central Alberta Hockey League (CAHL), Northern Alberta Interlock, All Peace Hockey League, and North Eastern Alberta Hockey League worked within Hockey Alberta’s Minor Leagues Committee to develop a tiering model that accounts for the size of a minor hockey association, the size of a league, and geographic factors. The model features six tiers within the divisions of Atom, Peewee, Bantam, and Midget.

As well, Hockey Alberta is undertaking a trial Provincial Championship Model. The trial will see the Peewee A-D Provincial Championships transition to Peewee Tiers 1-4. The Peewee Tiers 1-4 Provincial Championship Tournaments will take place March 28-31 with eight teams – six champions from the participating Alberta One leagues/ organizations, one host team and one wild card team.

Parent Engagement

Photo credit: Dave Watling Photography

Hockey Alberta’s goal is to ensure all parents, coaches, and families are engaged, educated and supported in all areas of hockey. To achieve that goal, Hockey Alberta has developed a Parent Engagement Guide, and added a Parents component to the website.

A key aspect of supporting our athletes is providing resources and support for parents across the province. Parents are encouraged to check the Hockey Alberta website regularly, under the Parents Tab, for links to articles and videos to you support your athlete.

RED DEER - Hockey Alberta is pleased to present the third installment of the Western Hockey League’s officiating partnership video series.

The partnership will see the production of a series of videos that will be shared with all officials in Alberta and the other Western Branches.

This is an exciting opportunity for all officials to learn from some of the best officials in the country. The link to the third video is included below, and you will receive an email from Hockey Alberta each time that a new video is available for viewing. The videos will be uploaded to Hockey Alberta’s YouTube channel, so you can always access them on your computer, tablet or mobile device.

View the third installment of the video series:

Missed the first two videos? View them here:

RED DEER - The Hockey Alberta Foundation is excited to once again partner with the Piper Creek Optimist Club of Red Deer for the third straight year to present the Battle of Alberta Fundraiser, benefiting the Every Kid Every Community (EKEC) program. In two years, the Battle of Alberta event has raised over $40,000 for EKEC, as well as $8,000 for additional youth programs in Central Alberta.

The event runs on Saturday, January 5 at Bo’s Bar and Grill in Red Deer, in conjunction with the Toronto Maple Leafs vs Vancouver Canucks (4:30 p.m.) and Edmonton Oilers vs Los Angeles Kings (8:00 p.m.) on Hockey Night in Canada. The gold medal game of the World Junior Championship (6:00 p.m.) is also set for January 5. Red Deer Rebels game-day host, Troy Gillard, will be the night’s Master of Ceremonies.

The night will also feature a Hockey Hot Stove with NHL alumni Curtis Glencross, Jamie Macoun, Brian McGrattan and Colin Patterson.

Doors open at 4:30 p.m., with hourly prize draws, an early-bird draw at 6 p.m., and the grand prize draws at 9:30 p.m. Two grand prizes are available to be won:

• Four tickets to the January 19 Edmonton Oilers game against the Calgary Flames at Rogers Place, and a limo ride from Red Deer to Edmonton, and back.
• Four tickets to the April 6 Calgary Flames game against the Edmonton Oilers at the Scotiabank Saddledome, and a limo ride from Red Deer to Calgary, and back.

Tickets are $40 each, which includes snacks (courtesy of Bo’s), one beverage, and entry into the hourly draws, early bird draw and both grand prize draws.

A WestJet raffle prize (two tickets for anywhere WestJet flies, sold for $20 each), a 50/50 draw, and silent auction items will also be available throughout the night. As the organizers of the event, the Piper Creek Optimist Club has generously allocated the proceeds to the Every Kid Every Community program, which will go specifically to help Central Alberta kids into the game of hockey.

Only 400 tickets are available, and are sold on a first come, first served basis. To purchase tickets, or for more information, please email pcobattleofalberta@gmail.com.

The Hockey Alberta Foundation would like to thank all of the generous sponsors of this event: the Piper Creek Optimist Club of Red Deer, Bo’s Bar and Grill, Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation, Calgary Flames Foundation, ATB Financial, ATB Wealth, Black Crown Garage, WestJet, the Molson Coors Brewing Company, Your Wedding Place and the Frère Realty Team.

Alberta’s hockey community is always at its best during the holiday season, and we’ve asked Minor Hockey Associations and teams from across Alberta to share their stories of giving back to the community with us. If you would like to share your team’s story of giving back during the holidays, please email info@hockeyalberta.ca with details and photos.

Airdrie Midget Elite Lightning

The Airdrie Midget Elite Lightning of the Alberta Female Hockey League, along with the Airdrie Female Atom teams collected donations to purchase 1,015 turkeys to donate to the Airdrie Food Bank.

Brooks Prairie Thunder Atom Female

The Brooks Prairie Thunder Atom Female team volunteered their time at a long-term care nursing home, decorating crafts and ginerbread houses with the residents, helping get them into the holiday spirit.

Duchess Minor Hockey

"Duchess Minor Hockey hosted "Hockey Day in Duchess" where all of our league teams played in a single day."

"We had a lot of fun things going on, such as a "fill the net" food bank and toy drive, a teddy bear toss, Santa selling 50/50, Christmas themed raffle items, donated baking for sale and a pancake breakfast."

"All of the proceeds from the pancakes, baking and raffle table were being given to the Canadian Tire Jumpstart program, and all the teams donated their half of the 50/50 money back for this charity as well."

"It was a fantastic weekend in the spirit of the holidays, and we ended up giving 309 lbs of food to the food bank, 4 bags of teddy bears and 4 boxes of toys to the Soctiabank Smiles for Christmas program and an amazing $1600 towards the Jumpstart Program! I also found out that our local Brooks Canadian Tire is going to top up that donation by adding another $500 towards the program!"

Fort Saskatchewan Minor Hockey

"Fort Saskatchewan Minor Hockey sponsored their 5th annual "Fill the Net" campaign for our local food bank in Fort Saskatchewan. Both the Major Midget AAA Rangers and the Novice 3B Rangers co-lead the event on December 9, 2018. All home teams playing that day were encouraged to participate."

"At the end of the day, the teams gathered almost 700 lbs of food to donate! Our local midget players took time out of their Monday (which was a day off from any practice or games) to deliver the donations to the Food Bank."

Lac La Biche Bantam Clippers

The Lac La Biche Bantam Clippers held their second annual Teddy Bear Toss against Bonnyville on December 15. All teddy bears were donated to the local women’s shelter, Hope Haven, and Victim Services.

Leduc Roughnecks AtoMc 2

"The Leduc Roughnecks AtoMc 2 team this year has committed to 10 Random Acts of Kindness within our community."

"So far this year they have donated toys to Leduc Santa’s Helper, made up Christmas cards that they left out for people at the Leduc Recreation Complex & participated in the Leduc Roughneck Bantam Female’s Teddy Bear toss where they tossed teddy bears supporting the team’s event & also was able to go onto the ice to help gather and bag the bears with the Bantam Team. It’s been a great experience for the kids so far!"

Leduc Roughnecks Bantam Female

"To show our gratitude for what we have, our Bantam Female team is giving back! They are hoping to make less fortunate kids smile this Christmas! Teddy Bear Toss happened on Friday Dec.7th."

"The Teddy Bears tossed were all donated to Santa’s Helpers! The results were amazing...we ended up with 152 bears tossed."

Lethbridge Atom Yeti

"Team Yeti from the Lethbridge Atom City Division is giving back by helping out at the local soup kitchen. We’ve already done one breakfast and are planning to go back in the new year to help serve breakfast again."

"It’s a beautiful thing to hear our boys requesting to go back because they feel like they’re helping people who need it. They made breakfast, served it to the guests and cleaned up afterwards. So proud of our boys!"

Medicine Hat Atom B Kings

"Today our Atom B Kings learned a valuable lesson.... not only is coach Jason teaching them hockey skills but more important to be great citizens. These kids gave up two hours of their saturday afternoon to work kettles for the salvation army."

"The Atom B Kings would like to challenge the other Atom teams to book a shift and help the salvation army out this holiday season. We had a very proud group of parents as we left the mall this evening."

Medicine Hat Atom Hounds

"Our Atom CAHL Hounds Black gave back for Christmas this year. For their Christmas party, they Adopted a family - raising $1400 among team families to make Christmas special for a family in need."

"The boys shopped and wrapped as a team, celebrating the gifts and lessons we have been fortunate to receive through the sport we love, along with the gift of giving back."

Olds Bantam AA Grizzlys

The Olds Bantam AA Grizzlys donated toys and money the the Olds and District Christmas Angels program to give back to the community.

Onoway Minor Hockey

"A former Onoway Midget player now for the 3rd year planned and organized our Christmas showdown, collecting food bank donations as well as money and toys for the less fortunate. We were able to collect quite a haul of food and toys to share in our community! And had a fun time wearing our Christmas sweaters too! Thanks to the Edson Sabre’s for getting in the spirit and sharing too!"

Sherwood Park SP795 Atom Arrows

"It is the Christmas season, and for many, it is a time to give selflessly to others in the community. Over the past two weeks, the SP795 Atom Arrows have been busy preparing a special gift. Led by the Arrows Coach and Manager, the boys came together as a team to decorate over 100 Christmas Cookies and to practice singing Christmas Carols, with a plan to deliver their creations to local seniors. On Sunday, the entire team met at the Summerland Retirement Village, and to the delight of the residents they handed out cookies, chatted with the residents and even sang a few Christmas carols. Although the Christmas carols were a little off key, they could see the seniors dancing in their chairs, delighted to hear these boys sing. As a parent group, we feel blessed to have had a child placed on this team, to watch our boys show politeness and kindness to the residents brought tears of joy to many and made hearts sing."

Spruce Grove Peewee AA Timberwolves

"The Spruce Grove Pee Wee AA Timberwolves organized an event at two Spruce Grove vs Spruce Grove games. One of our community hockey players, Hudson Pedlar, was hospitalized with a serious illness due to influenza. He’s has a tough battle for over 6 weeks now in the hospital and will continue to have an extremely long time for therapy and healing. He is 8 years old."

"During the Pee Wee AA Game Timberwolves vs Broncos, we held a 50/50 with all profits going to #hudsonstrong. We also added it to the Bantam AA Timberwolves vs Broncos game. We raised over $1,700 and the two winners donated their winnings back to Hudson."

"We also held a Kinettes food drive during the Pee Wee game for the food bank and ended up getting over six giant bins full! It was a great day of giving back to the community, we are so proud of the players!"

St. Albert SA731 and SA 732

The St. Albert SA731 and SA732 challenged parents and fans to bring donations for the local food bank to their game.