Four finalists vie for ‘Hockeyville’ title

By Sulz, Dave on August 7, 2020.

LETHBRIDGE HERALD

And then there were four.

Kraft Heinz Canada, in partnership with the National Hockey League (NHL) and the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA), recently announced the top four Canadian communities competing for the coveted title of Kraft Hockeyville 2020.

This year’s shortlisted communities are (from west to east):

– Pense, Saskatchewan (Pense Memorial Rink)

– Saint-FŽlicien, QuŽbec (Recreation Center Marianne St-Gelais)

– Tyne Valley, Prince Edward Island (Tyne Valley Community Sports Centre)

– Twillingate, Newfoundland and Labrador (George Hawkins Memorial Arena)

The Kraft Hockeyville program received a record number of nominations from hockey communities across the country, which submitted compelling stories about their love for the game and the importance of their arena to the community.

“This year we received some of the most memorable and passionate stories on record,” Matt Bruce, Senior Brand Manager, Kraft Heinz Canada, said in a news release. “After a very difficult deliberation and an unexpected delay brought on by COVID-19, we are pleased to announce the Top 4 finalists and look forward to once again seeing the incredible support of Canadians as they rally behind the remaining communities.”

The four finalists are one step closer to the grand prize after being selected based on their unique nomination stories and their ability to score additional rally points by engaging their communities, which Kraft Hockeyville recommends doing “virtually.”

The Kraft Hockeyville 2020 grand-prize winner will have an opportunity to host an NHL pre-season game and receive $250,000 for arena upgrades. The remaining community finalists will also be awarded $25,000 each for arena upgrades and all four of the finalists will receive $10,000 to purchase new hockey equipment for their minor hockey programs, courtesy of the NHLPA Goals & Dreams fund.

To determine the winner of Kraft Hockeyville 2020, Canadian residents, 13 and older, can vote for their favourite community online at krafthockeyville.ca. Voting opens Aug. 14 at 9 a.m. ET and closes Aug. 15 at 6 ET. Votes can only be cast on the website, krafthockeyville.ca, during the voting phase and voting is unlimited.

The final announcement will take place later that evening on Hockey Night in Canada on Sportsnet and CBC.

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