RED DEER - September 15 & 16 marked the start of the 2018-2019 Sledge Hockey season with an enthusiastic group of players and coaches conjugating in Calgary for a weekend filled with sledge specific programs and events.

A Coach 2 - Coach Level clinic saw 13 coaches deepen their knowledge of the game while 22 players took part in a Sledge Hockey Player Development Camp that included a one hour skill session and two game play sessions.

The clinic and development camp were both run by Canada’s Women’s National Para-Ice Hockey team Head Coach, Tara Chisholm, and included guest coaches Monica Sparling, Steph Leslie and Geneva Coulter.

RED DEER - The inaugural Midget AAA Showcase Weekend highlights the 2018-19 Alberta Female Hockey League schedule, which is set to kick off on Friday, October 5.

The 2018-19 AFHL schedule features a total of 400 games - 90 in Midget AAA, and 155 each in the Midget Elite and Bantam Elite leagues.

As the AFHL enters its third season, the Midget AAA league will kick off the year with a regular season tournament for the first time.

All six Midget AAA teams will take part in the Showcase Weekend in Edmonton on October 5-7 at the Clare Drake Arena.

The Midget Elite league will also take part in a Showcase Weekend in Leduc, February 2-3, featuring all 12 teams.

While the Midget AAA season kicks off on October 5, the Midget Elite season gets underway on October 19, with the Bantam Elite season beginning on October 20.

Midget AAA Schedule > | Midget Elite Schedule > | Bantam Elite Schedule >

The Respect in Sport program is an online certification program designed to protect our youth as well as enhance Hockey Alberta’s mandate of providing a safe and fun environment for all of our participants. Respect in Sport is Canada’s leading online bullying, abuse, harassment, and negligence prevention program for parents, coaches, and community leaders.

Before a child steps onto the ice, Hockey Alberta requires at least one parent complete the RIS program. After completing the program, the parent will receive an RIS number. The parent must provide this RIS number to the team coach or manager before the first practice date. If a parent registers more than one child for hockey, all children must be registered with that RIS number.

Hockey Alberta also requires Parents and Coaches/Team Officials to recertify their Respect in Sport every four seasons.

To help with the process, an RIS FAQ has been compiled and can be found on the Hockey Alberta website. If you need help accessing your account, you MUST contact the Respect Group Helpdesk by phone: 1-866-945-9906 or Email rgihelp@respectgroupinc.com

Respect In Sport > | Respect In Sport FAQ >

A two-time Olympic gold medallist and the only coach to earn membership in the IIHF Triple Gold Club, Mike Babcock is a strong proponent of half-ice hockey. The Toronto Maple Leafs head coach talks about the importance of the added puck touches, the need for games on the smaller ice to advance skills, and the challenges of embracing change and reinventing the game at the grassroots to maximize development.

RED DEER - The Hockey Alberta Foundation is seeking communities across the province to host an EKEC Speaker Series, benefiting both the Every Kid Every Community program, and your local Minor Hockey Association.

The event could be a luncheon, pub night, or breakfast event, and could include a silent or live auction, raffle, and a hockey hotstove with current or former NHL players. Past events have featured Jason Strudwick, Brian Trottier, Rob Brown and Jamie McLennan.

All costs for the event are covered by the Hockey Alberta Foundation, and fifty per cent of the proceeds will go directly to your local MHA.

Minor Hockey Associations that have previously hosted events include Calgary, Calmar, Grande Prairie, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Olds, and Red Deer.

For more information on hosting an EKEC Speaker Series in your community, please contact foundation@hockeyalberta.ca.

About Every Kid Every Community

The Every Kid Every Community program was launched in 2011, with the goal of ensuring a gateway to play hockey for any child in Alberta who is interested in the sport. The 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.

Funding through Every Kid Every Community is available to assist amateur sports organizations, minor hockey organizations, youth groups, recreation groups, or any community group with an idea, project or program that helps establish an event or program to get local children active in hockey. 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.

RED DEER – Who will comprise the 2019 induction class for the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame (AHHF)?

Is there a member of the Alberta hockey community who should join the AHHF, alongside the members of the 2018 Induction Class – Grant Fuhr, Mike Vernon, Ron Maclean, Wally Kozak, 1991 Team Alberta Female and 1999 Team Alberta Male (Canada Winter Games champions).

Nominations are now open for the 2019 AHHF Induction Class. A maximum of seven inductees will be recognized, including up to six individuals and/or two teams or groups. Nominations are sought from members of the public to recognize:

• individuals who have made a significant contribution to the game of hockey in Alberta through regional, national, or international accomplishments, or for their contributions to the growth and development of the game in Alberta.
• groups or teams who achieved a significant result at a National or International level or impacted on a provincial level under exceptional circumstances.

Nomination Forms >

At minimum, a nominee must have:

• Made a significant impact to hockey during their time as an Alberta resident, having resided in Alberta for at least five years
• Exceptional service or contribution to the game of hockey in Alberta or at a national or international level
• Achieved significant personal, team and or professional accomplishment in the game
• Made an impact in the game beyond a local or regional level
• Received significant other recognition (i.e. inducted into the Canadian Sport Hall of Fame, Hockey Hall of Fame, Alberta Sports Hall of Fame, won a national or international medal or championship, major individual award)

For the 2019 inductions, the nomination period has changed. Nominations are now being accepted until the closing date of November 30. Nominations are submitted through the online nomination forms found on the new Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame website (ahhf.ca).

The 2019 AHHF Induction Class will be announced early in the new year, with the inductees recognized at the annual special gala event held in Canmore in late July.

For more information on the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame, including biographies of all Honoured Members, check out the new AHHF website.

Hockey Alberta has completed the transition to our new home in the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre at Red Deer College.

Here is the important information you need to know if you are trying to reach us:

EDMONTON/CALGARY - It was quite the weekend for 11 former members of Team Alberta’s U16 Male and U18 Female teams, with six alumni winning the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, and five alumnae named to Team Canada’s Development and U18 team rosters.

Bowen Byram, Kirby Dach, Taylor Gauthier, Dylan Holloway, Peyton Krebs and Matthew Robertson took home a gold medal with Team Canada on Saturday at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Edmonton, defeating Sweden 6-2. All six players were members of Team Alberta’s gold-medal winning U16 Male squad at the 2016 WHL Cup.

Meanwhile, Team Alberta Female alumnae Stephanie Markowsk, Danielle Serdachny and Rachel Weiss were named to Canada’s National Women’s Team’s Under-18 roster on Sunday, while alumnae Alex Poznikoff and Malia Schneider were among the 22 players named to Canada’s National Women’s Development team.

Canada’s National Women’s Development Team and Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team will take part in a pair of three-game series against the United States, Aug. 16-19 at the Markin MacPhail Centre in Calgary.

Hockey Alberta is proud to unveil a new section at hockeyalberta.ca. Home Ice Feature stories will focus on interesting stories about the individuals and groups who make a difference within the hockey community in Alberta. If you have a suggestion for a Home Ice Feature story, email info@hockeyalberta.ca.

RED DEER - As the Hlinka Gretzky Cup continues in Edmonton this weekend, Hockey Alberta is offering numerous events to promote player, coach and official development, in conjunction with the Centre ICE Summit.

The weekend kicks off with the Alberta Built Coach Seminar, which runs all day Friday and Saturday at MacEwan University. The seminar is a rare opportunity for more than 100 Alberta coaches to participate in presentations from top level coaches, and internationally-renowned experts in the fields of coaching and player development. The list of presenters includes: Todd McLellan and Glen Gulutzan (Edmonton Oilers); Paul Dennis (University of Toronto); John Dunn (University of Alberta); Dr. Stephen Norris (iMobius Ingenuity Inc); Richard Monette (Active for Life); and panel discussions, including an IIHF panel with guest speakers from Slovakia, Germany and Switzerland.

Friday afternoon and evening features a special development opportunity for Hockey Alberta officials. The event features a 90-minute on-ice session led by Dave Smith, the NHL Officials Director of Fitness. Also included is a 60-minute classroom session with presentations from Hockey Alberta, the WHL, and other guest presenters.

On Saturday and Sunday, player development will take centre stage as Hockey Alberta, in partnership with the Oilers Entertainment Group (OEG), will host the first ever Summer ICE Jamboree for novice players. The event, open to any players born in 2010 and 2011, will be structured according to Hockey Alberta’s new Intro to Hockey model which focuses on long-term player development by utilizing smaller ice surfaces to enhance skating, passing, shooting and overall touches of the puck. Games will be ongoing throughout the weekend at the Downtown Community Arena.

CALGARY - Six members of Team Alberta’s 2016 WHL Cup gold medal-winning squad will suit up for Team Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Edmonton and Red Deer August 6-11.

Forwards Kirby Dach, Dylan Holloway and Peyton Krebs, defencemen Bowen Byram and Matthew Robertson, and goaltender Taylor Gauthier are among the 22 players selected to represent Canada in Red Deer and Edmonton for the annual international under-18 tournament.

Canada hits the ice in Red Deer on Saturday, August 4 at 7 p.m. for a pre-tournament game against the Czech Republic before heading to Edmonton to open round-robin play against Switzerland on Monday at 7p.m.

This year marks the first time the newly rebranded Hlinka Gretzky Cup will be played in Canada. Ticket packages and single-game tickets for Red Deer and Edmonton can be purchased at HlinkaGretzkyCup.com.

RED DEER – Hockey officials in Alberta will find a few changes in the registration and clinic process as they prepare for the 2018-19 season.

As part of a larger restructuring at the provincial and regional levels, Hockey Alberta is implementing a fully online registration and payment process for clinics that also requires ALL adult officials (19 years and older) to have a current Criminal Record Check (CRC) on file as a prerequisite to being allowed to register for a clinic.

Adult officials must complete a CRC every three seasons, as per Hockey Alberta’s policy. The CRC requirement has been in place for three seasons; therefore, officials who completed a CRC in that initial season will need to complete the CRC process again this year.

CRCs are accepted only through the online platform of Sterling Talent Solutions. Once received by Hockey Alberta, it may take up to a week for HCR to be updated; therefore, officials are advised to complete the CRC process as soon as possible.

HOW TO COMPLETE A CRC AND FAQ >

Clinic listings and registration links go live on the Hockey Alberta website on August. The deadline to register for a clinic is 10 days prior to the clinic date, to allow for materials to be shipped to instructors. Registration and payment for a clinic must be done online, with payment only accepted via Mastercard or Visa (no debit or prepaid credit cards allowed).

HOW TO REGISTER FOR A CLINIC >

For new officials, the requirement to complete Hockey University (HU – ONLINE OFFICIATING 1/2) prior to attending a clinic remains in place. This will require a new official to set up an eHockey account if the individual does not already have one.

HOW TO CREATE AN EHOCKEY ACCOUNT >

The changes to the registration and clinic process are components of the new operational structure for the Hockey Alberta Officials Committee, and the six Officials Regions effective for the 2018-19 season. The new Officials Committee includes:

• Chair – Craig DeCoursey
• Data Coordinator – Dave Butler
• Supervision Coordinator – Dave Ganley
• Match Penalty Coordinator – Kumail Moledina
• Male Development Coordinator – TBD
• Female Development Coordinator – Carrie Keller
• Leadership Coordinator – Chris Bruce
• Peace Region Coordinator – CJ Senkow
• North East Region Coordinator – Rob Larson
• North Region Coordinator – Stefan Brown
• North Central Region Coordinator – Darren Kuz
• Central Region Coordinator – Lance McKinnon
• South Region Coordinator – David Shaw

“The new structure of the Officiating Committee will better support a broader and more provincial perspective where it comes to officiating in Alberta,” said Craig DeCoursey, Chair of the committee. “The committee remains largely unchanged from the previous season, allowing us to retain the vast experience and knowledge of the team members, and at the same time promotes a nimble decision-making process that will provide a new level of support for associations, teams and leagues. I’m excited to lead the group in the coming years and be a part of a new beginning for officiating in Alberta.”

Included in the changes is the addition of Curtis Nichols as the new Manager of Officials, based in the Hockey Alberta office in Red Deer.

For any questions pertaining to the new registration and clinic process, or regarding Criminal Record Checks, please contact Curtis Nichols, Manager, Officiating (Registration/Clinics), or Mike Klass, Director, Business Operations (Criminal Record Checks).

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

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 on Sunday night at the AHHF Awards Gala, held at the Coast Hotel in Canmore.

Grant Fuhr was one of the National Hockey League’s greatest goaltenders, playing on five Stanley Cup champion teams over a 20-year career (1981-2000) and earning induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2003 in his first year of eligibility. The Spruce Grove native is best known for his 10 seasons with the Edmonton Oilers (1981-91).

In his speech, Fuhr said thank you to some of the people who made his Hall of Fame career possible, including: Spruce Grove Minor Hockey and the parents and volunteers who made playing hockey possible; the Oilers and Glen Sather, who took a chance on a kid who was a little rough around the edges; and the Calgary Flames for allowing him to finish his career in Alberta.

Full bio >

Wally Kozak is known as one of the best technical hockey coaches in the world. A career coach and past Head Scout and manager of Player Development for Team Canada Women’s Team, he has been an instrumental part of developing female hockey in Canada thanks to more than four decades of involvement at all levels of the sport.

Kozak acknowledged four significant individuals from Alberta who pioneered coaching development programs in Canada - Dale Henwood, Clare Drake, Dr. George Kingston and Dave King. He also talked about his one year with Father David Bauer’s national team, and the influence Father Bauer had on the type of coach that Kozak would become.

Full bio >

Ron MacLean has interviewed the greatest players, coaches and personalities, and his extensive knowledge and passion for the game of hockey, combined with three decades of hosting Hockey Night in Canada, has made him one of the country’s most famous and beloved broadcasters.

For MacLean, this was a weekend full of memories, as he also attended his 40^th anniversary high school reunion. He had memories about each of the other members of the 2018 induction class, including recalling the best save he saw from Grant Fuhr, during an exhibition tour in Norway, and Mike Vernon’s performance in an exhibition game in the 1985-86 season against Moscow Dynamo.

Full bio >

Mike Vernon is a two-time Stanley Cup champion and a Memorial Cup winner, who played 19 seasons in the National Hockey League with four teams. Mike hoisted the Stanley Cup in 1989 with the Calgary Flames, and then again in 1997 with the Detroit Red Wings.

In his speech, Vernon recalled how he used to attend camps coached by Wally Kozak, and how he and Fuhr squared off not just in the NHL, but also in the junior ranks. He extended thanks to his minor hockey coaches and teammates throughout the years; talked about how coach Bob Johnson made the game fun; and acknowledged the key roles played in his career by goaltending greats such as Glenn Hall, Dan Bouchard, Rejean Lemelin and Rick Wamsley.

Full bio >

The 1991 Canada Winter Games in Charlottetown, PEI marked the first year for female hockey in the Canada Winter Games, and it was a record-setting performance for the players who were selected for the inaugural Team Alberta Female Hockey squad. First and foremost, the team won the gold medal, defeating British Columbia, 2-1, in the championship final.

Loretta Normandeau, one of the team’s assistant coaches, recalled the challenge was finding players to invite to the tryout camp. But the players who comprised the team were truly trailblazers who have helped female hockey expand from the 120 players who attended that first provincial development camp in Lacombe to the more than 8,000 registered in 2017-18 in Alberta.

Full bio >

The 1999 Canada Winter Games marked a significant year for Newfoundland and Labrador. Not only was the province celebrating its 50th anniversary of Confederation with Canada, but it was also the first time the province had ever hosted a Canada Winter Games. For the members of the Team Alberta Male Hockey squad, they helped the host province celebrate by going undefeated to win Alberta’s third gold medal in male hockey in Canada Games competition.

Ben Kilgour recalled how the team was a unique mix of players from different levels of hockey who had played against each other their whole careers but came together as a team for the Games. Then, a fortunate puck bounce in overtime, “and (Scott) Hartnell sends us here today. It happens that quick.” Kilgour thanked all the parents for the time and travel; the minor hockey programs, coaches, managers and volunteers; junior programs that allowed their players to attend the Games; and Hockey Alberta for setting the professional hockey atmosphere and giving them the chance to know the thrill of victory.

Full bio >

The evening concluded with a hot stove discussion hosted by Maclean. Fellow iInductees Fuhr, Vernon, Kozak, Hartnell and Val Gill from the 1991 Team Alberta Female squad reflected on some of the key moments of their careers and about hockey in general.

Sunday’s AHHF Gala kicked off in the afternoon with a VIP reception for the 2018 inductees, and included dinner and the awards presentation. The 20187 Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame Awards Gala is presented by Hockey Alberta, the Hockey Alberta Foundation, and ATB Investor Services.

The 2018 Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame Awards Gala runs in conjunction with the Hockey Alberta Foundation Golf Classic, a key fundraiser for the Hockey Alberta Foundation’s Every Kid Every Community Program.

The 13^th annual Golf Classic also takes place in Canmore, beginning Monday evening with a special reception for all participants, as well the celebrity golfers. The tournament goes Tuesday at the Stewart Creek Golf Club. Celebrity golfers include Grant Fuhr, Jordan Eberle, Mark Giordano, Mel Davidson, Rob Brown, Curtis Glencross, 2018 World Junior gold medalists Dillon Dube and Cale Makar, and many more. For the 12^th consecutive year, ATB Investor Services is the presenting sponsor of the Golf Classic.

In addition to the Golf Classic, Stewart Creek will also host the first half of the Hockey Alberta Foundation’s annual Rinks to Links program on Tuesday morning, where 30 first-time hockey players will take part in a golf lesson. From there, the participants will head to the Banff Arena to be outfitted head-to-toe with new equipment, and take to the ice for the very first time.

The Every Kid Every Community program was launched in 2011, with the goal of ensuring a gateway to play hockey for any child in Alberta who is interested in the sport. The 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. Funding through Every Kid Every Community is available to assist amateur sports organizations, minor hockey organizations, youth groups, recreation groups, or any community group with an idea, project or program that helps establish an event or program to get local children active in hockey.

RED DEER - Hockey Alberta is bringing a Female Skills Development Camp to Calgary and Red Deer this August.

These camps will focus specifically on female hockey players and providing the skills/development needed for unlocking athlete potential. The camps feature multiple on-ice skill development as well as multiple off-ice multi-sport sessions.

Some of the top female hockey and skills coaches in the area will comprise the on-ice staff. This group of instructors are very passionate about teaching and truly understand what skills are required at the next levels, while at the same time making sure the kids have lots of fun!

Calgary

Open to: 2006-2011 born female athletes
Cost: $250
Dates: August 10-12
Arena: Cardel Rec Centre, South

Register >

Red Deer

Open to: 2006-2009 born female athletes
Cost: $158
Dates: August 25-26
Arena: Gary W Harris Canada Games Centre

Register >

RED DEER - Thirty-five athletes from Alberta have taken the next step on the Road to Red Deer.

Hockey Alberta has announced its shortlist roster for the Team Alberta U16 Male squad that will participate in the 2019 Canada Winter Games in Red Deer. The shortlist includes five goaltenders, 10 defencemen, and 20 forwards.

Team Alberta U16 Male Shortlist Roster >

Players were selected to the shortlist based on their overall play throughout the Team Alberta scouting process, past Team Alberta programs, and at the U16 Summer Camp in Camrose, July 3-8. Eighty players were invited to Camrose, and worked through high intensity on-ice sessions, as well as off-ice training and classroom sessions.

“This year’s Summer Camp in Camrose showcased just how many talented athletes we have in Alberta,” said Mike Kraichy, Manager of Team Alberta. “Now, as we move towards the Canada Winter Games, these 35 players are now one step closer to representing their home province in Red Deer.”

The shortlisted players will be scouted with their club teams in the fall, prior to final decisions on the 20 players selected to the Team Alberta roster. The 2019 Canada Winter Games run February 15 - March 3 in Red Deer.

Registration is now open for the Hockey Alberta Super Skills Development Camps taking place in Calgary, Grande Prairie and Red Deer this August.

The Hockey Alberta Super Skills Development Camp focuses on individual skill development on and off the ice.

On-ice sessions include drills in conjunction with Power Edge Pro, power skating, shooting specific techniques, position specific skills and small area games. Off-ice sessions work on agility, balance and coordination and incorporate other sports, to foster overall athleticism within the Long Term Player Development model. These off-ice sessions may include activities such as golf, soccer, basketball, lacrosse, ultimate frisbee, and more.

Cost: $499

Open to: 2006-2011 born athletes

This camp includes:

• 5 consecutive days of activities (players are supervised 8:30-4:30 each day)
• 10 on-ice sessions (2 daily)
• 15 off-ice sessions (3 daily)
• Hockey Alberta practice jersey, t-shirt and shorts

Grande Prairie

August 13-17, Coca Cola Centre

Register >

Calgary

August 20-24, Vivo Arena

Register >

Red Deer

August 27-31, Gary W Harris Canada Games Centre

Register >

** Special Note: A Three day option is available for parents for this camp only

CAMROSE – Hockey Alberta’s summer provincial development and evaluation camps begin this week in Camrose and run throughout the month of July.

Some of Alberta’s best hockey talent will be on display at these camps, with more than 200 athletes take part in a variety of on-ice and off-ice development opportunities. All camps are open to the public and take place at the Border Paving Arena at the Camrose Recreation Centre.

U16 Female Summer Camp, June 28 – July 1

The U16 Female Provincial Camp is the second stage of development and identification process that feeds into the Team Alberta U18 Female program. The top 60 players participate in on and off-ice training and classroom sessions, and compete in game environments.

U16 Male Provincial Camp, July 3-8

The U16 Male Provincial Camp features the top 80 U16 athletes identified by Hockey Alberta working out in off-ice sessions, as well as on-ice games and practices. From Provincial Camp, a short list will be created, and players scouted with their club teams until the 20-player Team Alberta roster is named for the 2019 Canada Winter Games in Red Deer.

Officials Development Camp, July 3-8

The Officials Development Camp runs in conjunction with the U16 Male summer camp, as officials work provincial camp games and receive mentoring and evaluation. This is third stage of development for officials, starting with Alberta Cup zone camps, and progressing to the Alberta Cup competition.

Team Alberta U18 Female Summer Camp, July 10-15

The top 46 U18 female hockey players, selected from a spring camp held in Spruce Grove, take part in a variety of games and practices. After the summer camp, players are shortlisted to continue through a fall training camp and scouting process. From there, the final 20-player Team Alberta roster will be selected for the 2019 Canada Winter Games in Red Deer.

AJHL Development Camp, July 17-22

Selected athletes receive both on and off-ice development directed by AJHL/Hockey Alberta staff, and facilitated by the High Performance I Coaching Seminar delegates. The on-ice program will consist of both practice and game sessions, and the off-ice portion will cover athleticism, mental skills and team building as well as the technical and tactical skills required to play in the Alberta Junior Hockey League.

RED DEER - It was a dream weekend for a handful of Albertans at the 2018 NHL Entry Draft in Dallas.

Seven players from Alberta were taken over the weekend, including Lloydminster’s Ty Smith, who was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the first round, 17th overall.

Two more Albertan bluelines were off the board next in Jacob Bernard-Docker and Jonathan Tychonick, who were both selected by the Ottawa Senators with the 26th and 48th picks, respectively.

Riley Sutter was the first forward from Alberta off the board, as the Stanley Cup Champion Washington Capitals selected him with the 93rd pick in the third round, making him the 12th Sutter to be drafted into the NHL.

A full list of Albertans drafted can be found below:

RED DEER - George Hughes, a Life Member of Hockey Alberta, died on Tuesday, June 5 at the age of 93.

George had a long history of involvement in and service to the sport hockey - as a player, coach, manager, referee, executive and builder starting in 1938. George’s playing career included being a member of the University of Alberta hockey team, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1950.

Professionally, George’s involvement in hockey continued in the 1970s when, as a City of Edmonton Commissioner, he was instrumental in building eight new arenas in 1973 and in the development of Northlands Coliseum in 1974. He later joined Edmonton Northlands as general manager, overseeing the Coliseum, Agricom and Trade Centre.

In 1981, George arranged a $140,000 donation by Edmonton Northlands to Hockey Alberta as part of the Canada Cup Series, enabling Hockey Alberta to start a scholarship program and acquire a permanent office. The donation also served as core funding for a Hockey Foundation.

Amongst more than 40 recognition awards, George was inducted into the Edmonton Sports Hall of Fame in 1978, awarded a Hockey Alberta Life Membership in 1983, and inducted into the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame in 1989. In 2002, he was awarded the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal for Distinguished Contributions to Canada. In 2008 the City of Edmonton honoured George by naming the George S. Hughes South Side Arena after him.

A celebration of the life of George Hughes will be held on Friday, June 15, 1 p.m., at Connelly-McKinley Funeral Home – Edmonton South, 4820 Meridian Street, Edmonton). In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Sport Central, of which George was a founding member.

Edmonton Journal Notice – George Hughes >

EDMONTON - Oilers Entertainment Group (OEG), in partnership with Hockey Alberta, announced today a new Novice hockey event taking place August 11-12, 2018 at the Downtown Community Arena.

In conjunction with the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and Centre ICE Summit, the Summer ICE Jamboree will bring Novice hockey players from across Alberta together to be immersed in the excitement of international hockey and the thrill of learning and playing alongside new teammates. Players will register individually and be placed on teams which will represent each of the eight nations competing in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup - Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States.

Summer ICE Jamboree joins other existing Edmonton Oilers hockey programming including Oilers Hockey Institute, Oilers Hockey School, Oilers Hockey Clinic and Lil’ Oilers.

“Oilers Entertainment Group is proud to partner with Hockey Alberta and support the growth of grassroots hockey in our province,” said Oilers Entertainment Group CEO and Vice Chair Bob Nicholson.” Growing the game from the bottom up has a very positive effect on our National teams, including Team Canada which will be competing at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup this summer.”

Participation in the fun-filled weekend will include five half-ice games and a complimentary ticket to the Hlinka Gretzky Cup gold medal game on Saturday, August 11. Registration is open to any players born in 2010 and 2011. Registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis and the deadline to register is Friday, July 27.

The event will be structured according to Hockey Alberta’s new Intro to Hockey model which focuses on long-term player development by utilizing smaller ice surfaces to enhance skating, passing, shooting and overall touches of the puck.

“Hockey Alberta is excited to partner with OEG and utilize this high-profile event to showcase our Intro to Hockey model. We believe the Jamboree will be an enjoyable experience for players and a great opportunity for Hockey Alberta to continue the education process for parents about Intro to Hockey,” said Rob Litwinski, Chief Executive Officer of Hockey Alberta.

Coaching opportunities will also be available at the Summer ICE Jamboree. Interested coaches can apply at SummerIceJamboree.com. Hockey Alberta staff will be on-site to provide coaches with support in facilitating the new Intro to Hockey format. There will also be drop-in information sessions for parents and the public to attend to learn more about this new approach to Novice hockey. For more information regarding the Intro to Hockey Model, please visit www.hockeyalberta.ca/players/intro-hockey.

For more information or to register, please visit SummerIceJamboree.com. Please email info@summericejamboree.com with any questions or concerns.

RED DEER - Close to 50 graduating Midget players from the Alberta Female Hockey League will be suiting up for post-secondary teams this fall.

In the AFHL’s second season, the number of graduating players has nearly doubled, after more than 20 graduating players were committed to post-secondary heading into the 2017-18 season.

The Alberta Female Hockey League is please to announce the following commitments for the 2018-19 season:

RED DEER - Eighty male athletes from across Alberta have been invited to take the next step on the Road to Red Deer.

Invitations have been extended to the players to attend the Team Alberta U16 Male Summer Camp July 3-8 in Camrose, which is the next step in the selection process for the 2019 Canada Winter Games in Red Deer.

U16 Male Summer Camp Invites >

"Our team staff did a fantastic job identifying the 80 players who will move on," said Mike Kraichy, Manager of Team Alberta. "It’s never an easy task, considering the depth of talent we have in Alberta, but we’re confident we have the right mix of players as we move along the Road to Red Deer."

The male list includes eight goalies, 24 defence, and 48 forwards. The selection process is based on the Team Alberta scouting process throughout the 2017-18 season, as well as the 2018 Alberta Cup in Spruce Grove in April. From the camp in Camrose, a shortlist will be established, with those players scouted with their club teams until the 20 players who will comprise the roster for Team Alberta are named.

RED DEER – The Lacombe Generals have announced Viking Projects as title sponsor for the 2019 Allan Cup.

In January, Hockey Alberta and Hockey Canada announced Lacombe as the host site for the annual Senior AAA national championship.

“We think it’s a great marriage, we are so excited to move forward from here to work towards giving the best Allan Cup we’ve ever seen,” said Steve Christie, Host Committee Chair.

Viking Projects is a pipeline, facility, fabrication, and construction company based in Alberta and Saskatchewan, with a main branch in Lacombe.

“We are looking forward to coming on board with the Generals and the Allan Cup, and really trying to drive our community and showcase to Canada how passionate we are about this community, and about the organizations within,” said Rob Wilson, Partner of Viking Projects Ltd. “For us it was an easy decision, and we look forward to getting behind it.”

The Generals previously hosted the Allan Cup in Red Deer in 2013, defeating the Clarenville Caribous in the final.

“The Allan Cup is history. Lacombe is known for its history as well, and we want to showcase the history of hockey,” said Jeff McInnis, General Manager of the Generals.

The event will be hosted at the Gary Moe Auto Group Sportsplex, April 8 -13, 2019. Six teams will participate in the round-robin, pool-play event, followed by sudden-death playoffs.

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. The Edmonton native is coming off a strong performance at the 2018 Alberta Cup, where he was named to the Alberta Cup All-Star team.

A total of eleven 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 overall and 20th overall by the Seattle Thunderbirds and Edmonton Oil Kings, respectively.

Seven forwards from Alberta went in the first 10 picks of the draft, and St. Albert’s Marc Lajoie was the first Albertan defenceman selected, going 14th overall to the Tri-City Americans.

A total of 70 Albertans were selected this year: 40 forwards, 22 defence and eight goaltenders.