Kraft Hockeyville
Kraft Hockeyville | |
---|---|
Created by | Tony Chapman Fred Nicolaidis Pamela McNair Harry Doupe Jack Hewitt |
Country of origin | Canada (2006–present) United States (2015–2020) |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 13 |
Production | |
Running time | 44 minutes (2006) 5 minutes (2007–present) |
Original release | |
Network | CBC Television/Sportsnet (Canada, 2006–present) NBC/NBCSN (United States, 2015–2020) |
Release | 2006 present | –
Kraft Hockeyville is an annual competition sponsored by
The idea and theme was developed by Capital C, a Canadian Advertising Agency that was founded by Tony Chapman. The contest itself was developed by Fred Nicolaidis, Pamela McNair, Harry Doupe of the CBC and Jack Hewitt of Kraft Canada. The competition was first held across Canada in 2006 as a reality television series aired by CBC Television, but since 2007, it has been relegated to segments aired during CBC's Hockey Night in Canada. Kraft expanded the event in 2015 to the United States, with segments of the US contest airing on the NHL on NBC until 2020.
The Kraft Hockeyville games are televised regionally, in their respective countries on national basis. From 2006 to 2014, the Canadian game was broadcast across Canada on CBC, while Sportsnet took over airing it in 2015. The United States game was televised nationally in the U.S. on NBCSN from 2015 to 2019.
Rules
Communities are invited to submit their nominations. The application form also requires a short essay, and photographs or a video, depicting the community's hometown pride and passion for the game of hockey. A judging panel then selects four finalists. The winner is then determined by a public vote.[1][2]
History
2006 season
The inaugural 2006 season of Hockeyville featured finalists
The NHL exhibition game was held September 25 at the Colchester Legion Stadium in the neighbouring town of Truro (the Deuville Rink being too small); the Montreal Canadiens beat the Ottawa Senators 7–3.
- The Deuville rink was awarded the C$50,000 Home Depot gift card prize and with the cards the roof was reshingled, new rink lights were installed, ceiling insulated and a heated section was installed at the end of the arena.
2007 season
The 2007 season of Hockeyville began on March 4 and was changed significantly from the previous season's format. Organizers made the application process more accessible. Communities could now enter by logging on to the website, creating a team name, filling out an application form, submitting a short essay and including three photographs which depict hometown pride and passion for the game of hockey. A video, which was a requirement in previous contests, is no longer part of the process.
In 2007 the series was no longer given its own time slot, but rather shown during broadcasts of Hockey Night in Canada.
The Top 10 communities resulting from the first round were Cornwall, Ontario; Nanaimo, British Columbia; Noëlville, Ontario; North Bay, Ontario; Plaster Rock, New Brunswick; Rockyford, Alberta; Saint-Hubert, Quebec; Smithers, British Columbia; Vernon, British Columbia and Warner, Alberta.
The Top 5 communities resulting from the second round were Cornwall, Noëlville, North Bay, Smithers and Warner.
North Bay was the winner. The Atlanta Thrashers beat the New York Islanders 4–3 in overtime.
2008 season
The 2008 season of Kraft Hockeyville began February 23.
The top 10 communities that were in the running for Kraft Hockeyville 2008 were:
- East: Port aux Basques, Newfoundland and Labrador vs. Rothesay, New Brunswick
- West: Wilcox, Saskatchewan vs. Redwater, Alberta
- Quebec: Rouyn-Noranda vs. Village sur Glace de Roberval
- Ontario: Huntsville vs. Kingsville
- Wildcard: Winnipegosis, Manitoba vs. Pilot Mound, Manitoba
The top five communities were:
- Week 1: Village sur Glace de Roberval (Quebec Region)
- Week 2: Port aux Basques, Newfoundland and Labrador(Atlantic Region)
- Week 3: Kingsville, Ontario (Ontario Region)
- Week 4: Wilcox, Saskatchewan (Western Region)
- Week 5: Pilot Mound, Manitoba (Wildcard)
On April 8, 2008, Roberval won the title of Kraft Hockeyville 2008. Roberval won:
- C$100,000 towards upgrades to the Roberval Arena
- An NHL pre-season game at the Roberval Arena on Tuesday, September 23, 2008, in which the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Buffalo Sabres 3–2.
- A Hockey Night in Canada broadcast from Roberval
The pre-season game has been taped and shown on a Hockeyville special Saturday, September 27.[3]
The four remaining communities from the Top 5 won:
- C$20,000 to be used for upgrades to the Home Arena that the community endorses
- A Hockey Night in Canada broadcast from each of the remaining top five communities
2009 season
The 2009 edition had these cities as the five regional finalists:
- Atlantic: Harbour Grace, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Quebec: Thetford Mines, Quebec
- Ontario: Woolwich Township, Ontario
- Western: Terrace, British Columbia
- Wildcard: Humboldt, Saskatchewan
The winner, announced on March 7 during the
2010 season
The five finalists for the 2010 edition of Hockeyville were:
- Atlantic: Bishop's Falls, Newfoundland and Labrador
- Quebec: Stanstead, Quebec
- Ontario: Dundas, Ontario
- Western: Cranbrook, British Columbia
- Wildcard: Lawrencetown, Nova Scotia
Dundas, Ontario was announced as the winner by Gary Bettman on April 3, 2010, during the Hockey Night in Canada broadcast with 1,066,855 votes.[4] The game featured division rivals Buffalo Sabres and Ottawa Senators playing in Dundas's J. L. Grightmire Arena on September 28, 2010, with Buffalo winning 2–1.[5] (Incidentally, Dundas has been, since 2000, within the boundaries of the city of Hamilton, Ontario, a frequent target of efforts regarding potential National Hockey League expansion.)
2011 season
In 2011, the wildcard was eliminated and the West and Pacific divisions were split from each other.
The top five communities were:
- Pacific: Mackenzie, British Columbia
- West: Bentley, Alberta
- Ontario: Wolfe Island
- Quebec: Saint-Raymond
- Atlantic: Conception Bay South, Newfoundland and Labrador
Conception Bay South, NL, was declared the winner of Kraft Hockeyville 2011 on April 2, 2011. The town's arena received C$100,000 worth of renovations, and also was to host a pre-season game between the
Each of the other four finalists received C$25,000 in arena upgrades from Kraft.
2012 season (Game played in 2013 season)
Stirling-Rawdon, Ontario, was the winner of the 2012 Kraft Hockeyville contest. The planned game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 3[7][8] was eventually cancelled due to the 2012–13 NHL lockout, but other festivities continued as scheduled. An NHL alumni charity game was held in the town instead, with one of the participants being Stirling native Rob Ray. No contest was held in 2013 due to the lockout.[9] A makeup game for the market was held in Belleville, Ontario, on 2013 between the Washington Capitals and the Winnipeg Jets.[10]
2014 season
The Top 16 towns for the Kraft Hockeyville contest were announced on Saturday, March 8. This year's contest has a theme much like the NHL itself: East VS West. This means there are eight towns chosen from Eastern Canada and eight towns from Western Canada.[11]
From Eastern Canada:
- Richmond, ON
- Prescott, ON
- Beeton, ON
- Exeter, ON
- Chicoutimi, QC
- Kingston, NS
- Amherst, NS
- Central Bedeque, PEI
From Western Canada:
- Salmon Arm, BC
- Kimberly, BC
- Osoyoos, BC
- Bruderheim, AB
- St. Albert, AB
- Sylvan Lake, AB
- Swift Current, SK
- Arborg, MB
This year, the top 16 towns are guaranteed C$25,000 in upgrades to their arenas instead of the top 5. Then the top 4 (two from the East and two from the West) received at least C$50,000. The winner receives the usual prize of C$100,000, an NHL pre-season game hosted in their community, and a visit from CBC's Hockey Night in Canada. Sylvan Lake won the competition on April 7, and hosted a pre-season game between the Arizona Coyotes and the Calgary Flames on September 24.
2015 season
For the 2015 season, Kraft Hockeyville USA, for the first time, drew candidates from the United States. The US finalist in the east was the Cambria County War Memorial Arena in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, while the finalist in the west was the Decatur Civic Center in Decatur, Illinois. Johnstown was named the winner on May 2, received US$150,000 for arena upgrades, and hosted the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Pittsburgh Penguins.[12] The game was televised in the United States on NBCSN.
The Canadian Kraft Hockeyville finalist in the east was the
2016 season
The Canadian Kraft Hockeyville finalist in the east was the Aréna St-Isidore in Saint-Isidore, Chaudière-Appalaches, Quebec, and the finalist in the west was the Pat Duke Memorial Arena in Lumby, British Columbia. Lumby was named the winner on April 2, and received C$100,000 in upgrades.[15] Because the Pat Duke Memorial Arena had a limited seating capacity, the pre-season game featuring the Los Angeles Kings and the Edmonton Oilers on October 2 was instead played at Kal Tire Place in nearby Vernon.[16]
The Kraft Hockeyville USA finalist in the east was the Lakeview Arena in Marquette, Michigan, and the finalist in the west was the Rushmore Thunderdome in Rapid City, South Dakota. Marquette was named the winner on April 30, received US$150,000 in upgrades, and hosted the Carolina Hurricanes and the Buffalo Sabres on October 4.[17]
2017 season
The Canadian Kraft Hockeyville finalist in the east was the O'Leary Community Sports Centre in
The Kraft Hockeyville USA finalist in the east was the Rostraver Ice Garden in Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania, and the finalist in the west was the Bloomington Ice Garden in Bloomington, Minnesota. Belle Vernon was named the winner on April 29, 2017, and received US$150,000 in arena upgrades. Because the Rostraver Ice Garden (despite being large by community arena standards and having hosted professional sports in the preceding decade) was deemed not fit to host a pre-season game, the contest between the St. Louis Blues and the Pittsburgh Penguins on September 24, 2017, was instead played the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry, Butler County.[19][20]
2018 season
For 2018, the East vs. West theme that began in 2014 was discontinued. Instead in each contest, four finalists were selected from the pool of nominations to compete in the final round of voting.[21][22]
The four Canadian finalists were
The four USA finalists were Brandon, South Dakota, Clinton, New York, Middlebury, Vermont, and Shreveport, Louisiana. Clinton was named the USA winner on April 14, 2018, and awarded a prize of US$150,000 to upgrade Clinton Arena.[25] The pre-season game in Clinton was between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Buffalo Sabres on September 25.[26]
2019 season
The four Canadian finalists were
The four USA finalists were Cadillac, Michigan, Calumet, Michigan, Eagle River, Wisconsin, and Sartell, Minnesota. Calumet was named the USA winner on March 31, and awarded a prize of US$150,000 to upgrade the Calumet Colosseum.[30] The Colosseum hosted the St. Louis Blues and the Detroit Red Wings on September 26.[31]
2020 season
Due to the
The four USA finalists were announced on August 16: East Grand Forks, Minnesota; El Paso, Texas; Wichita, Kansas; and River Falls, Wisconsin. Online voting was from August 29 to August 30.[34] El Paso was announced as the winner on the NHL on NBC broadcast on August 30, and was awarded a prize of US$150,000 to upgrade El Paso County Coliseum.[35]
Games held at both El Paso and Twillingate were postponed, as the NHL canceled the entire 2020 pre-season due to the pandemic.[36] The makeup game for El Paso was rescheduled for October 3, 2021, between the Arizona Coyotes and the Dallas Stars.[37] It was not televised nationally in the U.S., as ESPN and TNT replaced NBC as the league's U.S. national broadcasters prior to the start of the 2021–22 season, and neither of the two committed to airing the game on a Sunday night. Instead, the contest was streamed on nhl.com.[38]
The makeup game for Twillingate was played on October 6, 2022, at the
2021 season
Only the Canadian contest ran in 2021; in the United States, the previous year's unplayed matchup was made up in lieu of a new contest. The four Canadian finalists were announced on March 20, 2021:
2022 season
The U.S. Hockeyville contest was discontinued after Kraft Heinz's USA division declined to renew its part of the sponsorship with the league.[
2023 season
The four finalists for 2023 were announced on March 11:
List of winners/pre-season games
Bolded teams denote winners
- ^ Deuvilles Rink was too small to host an NHL game. The pre-season match was moved to Truro.
- ^ Robert French Memorial Stadium was initially slated to host the game. However, it was moved to St. John's in recognition of the Winnipeg Jets' then-new affiliated minor league team, the St. John's IceCaps.
- ^ The game was originally scheduled October 3, 2012, between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Toronto Maple Leafs at Stirling Arena. Due to the 2012–13 NHL lockout, the entire preseason was cancelled, as well as the ensuing Kraft Hockeyville contest for the next season. The 2013-14 season Hockeyville game is a makeup game for the Stirling-Rawdon/Belleville area.
- ^ Panorama Recreation Center was too small to host an NHL game. The pre-season match was moved to Colwood.
- ^ Pat Duke Memorial Arena was too small to host an NHL game. The pre-season match was moved to Vernon.
- ^ Rostraver Ice Garden was not adequately equipped to host an NHL game. The pre-season match was moved to Cranberry Township.
- ^ The pre-season match was moved to Summerside due to transportation issues.
- ^ Tom Donovan Arena was too small to host an NHL game. The pre-season match was moved to Bathurst.
- ^ a b Games for the 2020 winners were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- ^ Game for the 2021 winner was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- ^ The game for the 2022 winner was postponed, as the previous two Hockeyville games were rescheduled into 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
References
- ^ "Karft Hockeyville Canada rules" (PDF). Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- ^ "Karft Hockeyville USA rules" (PDF). Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- ^ CNW Group | NEWS - MEDIA | Roberval, Quebec wins KRAFT HOCKEYVILLE 2008
- ^ "Dundas: Canada's Hockeyville". TheSpec.com. 2010-04-04. Retrieved 2010-06-09.
- ^ "Second time around for many Sabres, Senators".
- ^ "NHL set to play preseason games all over world". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Retrieved August 15, 2011.
- ^ a b "Stirling-Rawdon crowned Kraft Hockeyville". National Hockey League. March 31, 2012. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
- ^ a b "Leafs announce 2012-13 schedule". Toronto Sun. June 21, 2012. Retrieved May 3, 2015.
- ^ "Another NHL lockout casualty: Kraft cancels Hockeyville, gives $1M to minor hockey". Archived from the original on 2012-11-28.
- ^ "Capitals to face Blackhawks, Bruins twice each in preseason - Washington Times". www.washingtontimes.com. Archived from the original on 2013-07-09.
- ^ "Hockeyville Top 16 communites [sic] announced | CBC Sports".
- ^ "Johnstown, PA wins title of first-ever 'Kraft Hockeyville USA'". National Hockey League. May 2, 2015. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
- ^ "North Saanich, B.C. named Kraft Hockeyville 2015". National Hockey League. April 5, 2015. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
- ^ "North Saanich's Kraft Hockeyville game headed to The Q Centre". Times Colonist. June 25, 2015. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
- ^ "Kraft Hockeyville chooses Lumby, British Columbia". National Hockey League. April 3, 2016. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
- ^ "Kal Tire Place will host Kraft Hockeyville NHL pre-season game Oct. 2". Vernon Morning Star. July 26, 2016. Retrieved July 30, 2016.
- ^ "Marquette, Mich., wins Kraft Hockeyville USA 2016". National Hockey League. April 30, 2016. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
- ^ "Kraft Hockeyville game to be played in Summerside". CBC News. June 19, 2017. Retrieved September 25, 2017.
- ^ Rosenberg, Matt; Peirce, Paul (August 2, 2017). "Rostraver Ice Garden deemed unfit to host Penguins preseason game". Trib Live. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
- ^ Benderev, Chris (August 3, 2017). "Western Pa. Ice Rink Must Forgo Honor Of Hosting NHL Preseason Game". WHQR. Retrieved August 4, 2017.
- ^ "Kraft Hockeyville Canada: How It Works". Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- ^ "Kraft Hockeyville USA: How It Works". Retrieved January 27, 2018.
- ^ "Lucan wins! Kraft Hockeyville is coming to town". CBC News. April 1, 2018.
- ^ "Maple Leafs and Senators to play at Kraft Hockeyville 2018". Sportsnet. April 19, 2018.
- ^ "Clinton, N.Y., named Kraft Hockeyville USA 2018". National Hockey League. April 14, 2018.
- ^ "Sabres, Blue Jackets to play in Kraft Hockeyville USA game". National Hockey League. May 18, 2018.
- ^ "Hockeyville win 'overwhelming' for small N.B. town". CBC News. March 31, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
- ^ a b "Montreal Canadiens and Florida Panthers to Face Off at 2019 Kraft Hockeyville Canada on September 18" (Press release). National Hockey League. April 17, 2019. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
- ^ a b "Renous Kraft Hockeyville game will be played in Bathurst". CHHI-FM (95.9 Sun FM). Retrieved August 5, 2019.
- ^ "Calumet Colosseum named Hockeyville USA winner". MiHockey. March 31, 2019. Retrieved April 1, 2019.
- ^ a b "Red Wings, Blues to play in Kraft Hockeyville USA game" (Press release). National Hockey League. April 16, 2019. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
- ^ "Kraft Hockeyville Canada announces Top 4 communities". NHL. August 2, 2020.
- ^ "Twillingate, Newfoundland and Labrador wins Hockeyville Canada". NHL. August 15, 2020.
- ^ "Kraft Hockeyville USA top four finalists announced". NHL. August 16, 2020.
- ^ "El Paso, Texas wins Hockeyville USA". NHL. August 15, 2020.
- ^ "NHL announces plans for 56-game season: Here are the key dates". USA Today. December 22, 2020.
- ^ "NHL preseason game between Dallas Stars and Arizona Coyotes to play in El Paso". KFOX-TV. September 15, 2021.
- ^ "Arizona Coyotes, Dallas Stars NHL game in El Paso won't be on TV. Here's how to watch". El Paso Times. September 30, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f "Kraft Hockeyville 2020 and 2021 to feature Canadiens and Senators". National Hockey League Players' Association. June 20, 2022.
- ^ "Newfoundland ready to finally celebrate Hockeyville win". NHL. October 4, 2022.
- ^ "Kraft Hockeyville Canada announces Top 4 communities (2021)". NHL. March 20, 2021.
- ^ "Hockeyville win gives Elsipogtog reason to celebrate after week of grief". CBC. April 11, 2021.
- ^ "Elsipogtog First Nation ready to experience Hockeyville, NHL atmosphere". NHL. October 7, 2022.
- ^ "Kraft Hockeyville Canada announces Top 4 communities (2022)". NHL. April 23, 2022.
- ^ "Sydney, Nova Scotia, wins Kraft Hockeyville 2022 title". NHL. May 7, 2022.
- ^ "'We want to be Kraft Hockeyville': Cape Breton female hockey programs making final push as voting opens Friday". saltwire.com. May 5, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
- ^ "Cape Breton rink could become a hub for women's hockey". atlantic.ctvnews.ca. CTV News. April 4, 2022. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
- ^ a b c d "Sabres, Maple Leafs, Panthers, Senators to play at Kraft Hockeyville". NHL. June 21, 2023.
- ^ "Cape Breton's Kraft Hockeyville won't be broadcast live on Canadian national sports networks". Saltwire. September 29, 2023.
- ^ "Kraft Hockeyville 2023 community finalists named". NHL. March 11, 2023.
- ^ "West Lorne, Ontario, wins Kraft Hockeyville 2023". NHL. April 1, 2023.
- ^ "Hockeyville". NHL Records. National Hockey League. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
- ^ "Kraft Hockeyville Canada Legacy". Kraft Hockeyville Canada. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
- ^ "Kraft Hockeyville USA Legacy". Kraft Hockeyville USA. Retrieved September 26, 2018.