Kraft Hockeyville 2022 winner Sydney, Nova Scotia, matchup to feature the Florida Panthers and Ottawa Senators; Kraft Hockeyville 2023 winner West Lorne, Ontario, matchup to feature the Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple LeafsNHL Public RelationsJune 21, 2023 TORONTO, ON (June 21, 2023) – Today, Kraft Heinz, in partnership with the National Hockey League (NHL®) and the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) announced their official 2023 NHL preseason matchups celebrating Kraft Hockeyville 2022 and 2023 winning communities. The Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs will face off on Wednesday, September 27, 2023 at Joe Thornton Community Centre in St. Thomas, Ontario, and the Florida Panthers and Ottawa Senators will face off on Sunday, October 1, 2023 at Centre 200 in Sydney, Nova Scotia. “Over the past 17 years, Kraft Hockeyville continues to make an impact by uniting communities through the love of the game and helping to make the sport more accessible and inclusive for all,” said Adam Butler, President, Kraft Heinz Canada. “Our partnership with the NHL and NHLPA makes it possible to celebrate these deserving communities by bringing preseason games to sport fans and to further ignite the passion of local fans and players. We look forward to seeing that excitement again this fall in Sydney and West Lorne.” In addition to their NHL® preseason game, each community received $250,000 in arena upgrades. The NHLPA Goals & Dreams fund also donated $10,000 worth of youth hockey equipment to the winners. While both Kraft Hockeyville games will be played in nearby facilities due to logistical requirements, the Canada Games Complex in Sydney, Nova Scotia and the West Lorne Arena in West Lorne, Ontario will be the beneficiaries of the grand prize arena upgrades.
Kraft Hockeyville 2022 and 2023 Winning Communities Sydney, Nova Scotia (Kraft Hockeyville 2022):Cape Breton is a small island with a huge passion for hockey. Locals describe the island the way they describe their love for community hockey: fierce, resolute and resilient. The Canada Games Complex in Sydney was built 35 years ago to host the 1987 Canada Winter Games but has since had to close its doors to hockey. Since then, the demand for rink access on the island has outweighed the supply, making it difficult to accommodate the sharp increase in participation in girls’ hockey the community has seen over the last number of years. Winning Kraft Hockeyville will help the community purchase the new compressor it needs to reopen its arena’s doors and empower the girls on the island itching for ice time. West Lorne, Ontario (Kraft Hockeyville 2023):West Lorne Arena has been a hub for the communities of West Lorne, Rodney, and Dutton since it was rebuilt after a fire in 1968. Since then, the arena has been full every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with families either on the ice or supporting behind the scenes. That includes current NHL® player Bo Horvat who grew up at the arena. His family still supports first year minor hockey registrants through the “Gooday Lets Play” program. As the number of minor hockey registrants grows to record levels, the community is running out of space. Winning Kraft Hockeyville will help with a range of upgrades including a new front entrance with more accessible larger doors, new dressing rooms to accommodate more players and an expanded warm room for families and fans. “Our organization is thrilled to visit Nova Scotia this fall to bring an exciting preseason matchup to the passionate fans in the Sydney community,” said Florida Panthers General Manager Bill Zito. “The Kraft Hockeyville program does a great deal of good for the growth of our game across North America and we are honored and excited to participate and get the chance to spend some time with the avid hockey fans at Centre 200.” “We are thrilled to participate in the Kraft Hockeyville preseason game as part of West Lorne, Ontario winning Kraft Hockeyville 2023,” said Buffalo Sabres General Manager Kevyn Adams. “This is a fantastic opportunity for our organization to compete in a unique environment that is dedicated to strengthening communities and fostering inclusivity in our sport through the community’s passion for hockey. It is an embodiment of our organizational dedication to the future of the sport and the fans who care deeply about the game.” “Hockey fans on the east coast love the game and their hospitality is second to none,” said Ottawa Senators General Manager Pierre Dorion. “The Senators have been lucky enough to take part in Hockeyville before and I can’t say enough about how important the opportunity of showcasing the NHL and leaving a lasting legacy piece in the community is for us. Our players are excited to have the chance to engage with the fans in Sydney when we take on the Panthers.” “Kraft Hockeyville provides us an exciting opportunity to bring the Maple Leafs closer to fans in smaller communities, who might not otherwise have the chance to see the team up close,” said Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Brad Treliving. “We’re very much looking forward to participating in Kraft Hockeyville to give back to so many fans who have helped make this game what it is today.” The details of these games, including broadcast timing, are currently being finalized and will be announced at a later date, along with other important community event details. For complete program details, please visit krafthockeyville.ca.
### (6/21/23) About The Kraft Heinz CompanyWe are driving transformation at The Kraft Heinz Company (Nasdaq: KHC), inspired by our Purpose, Let’s Make Life Delicious. Consumers are at the centre of everything we do. With 2022 net sales of approximately $26 billion, we are committed to growing our iconic and emerging food and beverage brands on a global scale. We leverage our scale and agility to unleash the full power of Kraft Heinz across a portfolio of six consumer-driven product platforms. As global citizens, we’re dedicated to making a sustainable, ethical impact while helping feed the world in healthy, responsible ways. Learn more about our journey by visiting www.kraftheinzcompany.com or following us on LinkedIn and Twitter. About the NHLThe National Hockey League (NHL®), founded in 1917, consists of 32 Member Clubs. Each team roster reflects the League’s international makeup with players from more than 20 countries represented, all vying for the most cherished and historic trophy in professional sports – the Stanley Cup®. Every year, the NHL entertains more than 670 million fans in-arena and through its partners on national television and radio; more than 191 million followers – league, team and player accounts combined – across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube; and more than 100 million fans online at NHL.com. The League broadcasts games in more than 160 countries and territories through its rightsholders including ESPN, WBD Sports and NHL Network in the U.S.; Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada; Viaplay in the Nordics, Baltics and Poland; YLE in Finland; Nova in Czech Republic and Slovakia; Sky Sports and ProSieben in Germany; MySports in Switzerland; and CCTV5+ in China; and reaches fans worldwide with games available to stream in every country. Fans are engaged across the League’s digital assets on mobile devices via the free NHL® App; across nine social media platforms; on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio™; and on NHL.com, available in eight languages and featuring unprecedented access to player and team statistics as well as every regular-season and playoff game box score dating back to the League’s inception, powered by SAP. NHL Original Productions and NHL Studios produce compelling original programming featuring unprecedented access to players, coaches and League and team personnel for distribution across the NHL’s social and digital platforms. The NHL is committed to building healthy and vibrant communities using the sport of hockey to celebrate fans of every race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, age, sexual orientation and socio-economic status. The NHL’s Hockey Is For Everyone™ initiative reinforces that the official policy of the sport is one of inclusion on the ice, in locker rooms, boardrooms and stands. The NHL is expanding access and opportunity for people of all backgrounds and abilities to play hockey, fostering more inclusive environments and growing the game through a greater diversity of participants. To date, the NHL has invested more than $100 million in youth hockey and grassroots programs, with a commitment to invest an additional $5 million for diversity and inclusion programs over the next year. About the National Hockey League Players’ AssociationThe National Hockey League Players’ Association, established in 1967, is a labour organization whose members are the players in the National Hockey League. The NHLPA works on behalf of the players in varied disciplines such as labour relations, product licensing, marketing, international hockey and community relations, all in furtherance of its efforts to promote its members and the game of hockey. In 1999, the NHLPA Goals & Dreams fund was launched as a way for the players to give something back to the game they love. Over the past 23 years, more than 80,000 deserving children in 34 countries have benefited from the players’ donations of hockey equipment. NHLPA Goals & Dreams has donated more than $25 million to grassroots hockey programs, making it the largest program of its kind. For more information on the NHLPA, please visit www.nhlpa.com. NHLPA, National Hockey League Players’ Association and the NHLPA logo are registered trademarks of the NHLPA and are used under license. © NHLPA. All Rights Reserved. NHL and the NHL Shield are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League. NHL and NHL team marks are the property of the NHL and its teams. © NHL 2023. All Rights Reserved. |
