Kraft Hockeyville Canada Opens Nominations for 20th Anniversary

Communities can submit written or video stories by March 1 for a chance to host a milestone event — and an NHL preseason game in fall 2027.

Updated: January 6, 2026

Nominations for the 20th anniversary of Kraft Hockeyville Canada are now open at KraftHockeyville.ca, where communities can answer three questions via written submission or video story to enter. Bids must be filed by 11:59 p.m. ET on March 1, with the grand prize winner earning the right to host the milestone event and an NHL preseason game in the fall of 2027.

The launch marks Hockeyville’s biggest campaign in years, building on a program that began in 2006 when Salmon River, Nova Scotia, was crowned the inaugural winner. Since then, the initiative says it has awarded $5.4 million to more than 105 communities across Canada. Nineteen communities have won the grand prize to date, which includes an NHL preseason game, $250,000 toward arena upgrades and $10,000 in youth hockey equipment through the NHLPA’s Goals & Dreams program.

Expanded format nearly triples total prize pool

New this year, Kraft Hockeyville is rolling out an expanded contest format that nearly triples the total prize pool. One community from each of Canada’s 13 provinces and territories will be disclosed on March 14, and 11 of those communities will receive $50,000 for rink upgrades.

The final two communities will be unveiled on March 21, followed by national voting on April 3–4. The winner will be announced during Hockey Night in Canada on April 4. The runner-up is set to receive $100,000 in youth hockey equipment.

Bissonnette and Fleury named program ambassadors

Retired NHL forward and broadcaster Paul Bissonnette was named a program ambassador alongside goaltender Marc-André Fleury, framing the competition as a national celebration of local rinks and the people who keep them running.

“Hockey isn’t just a sport, it’s the lifeblood of Canadian communities. Kraft Hockeyville gets that better than anyone,” Bissonnette said.

Bissonnette pointed to his own Hockeyville experience with the Los Angeles Kings, who played the Edmonton Oilers in a preseason game at Kal Tire Place in Vernon, British Columbia, on Oct. 2, 2016. Lumby earned the hosting bid after the death of local coach Peter Catt, who died of a heart attack at age 46 on Nov. 3, 2015.

That 2016 game also featured Oilers center Connor McDavid, who recorded a goal and an assist three days before Edmonton named him the youngest captain in NHL history, according to the account shared in the nomination announcement.

“For 20 years, it’s been a spark that energizes local rinks and gets people fired up,” Bissonnette said. “I remember playing in the Kraft Hockeyville NHL preseason game in Vernon back in 2016 when Lumby took home the winning title, and the local community was absolutely buzzing. That’s exactly why I love hockey.”

Last year’s winner: Saint-Boniface, Quebec

The most recent grand prize winner, Saint-Boniface, Quebec, will be celebrated this fall after winning the 19th edition of Kraft Hockeyville and securing $250,000 for upgrades to Arena de Saint-Boniface. The municipality is roughly three hours from Roberval, where Quebec hosted the event for the first and only time in 2008.

Speaking during the televised announcement in 2025, Saint-Boniface community representative Sylvain Gervais said the funding would help renovate the arena and keep the sport accessible for local kids.

How to nominate your community

Communities can submit their entry at KraftHockeyville.ca and review complete contest rules and program details on the official site. Submissions close at 11:59 p.m. ET on March 1.

Note: Dates and prize amounts above reflect the program’s stated 20th anniversary format and schedule for disclosures, voting and the televised winner announcement.