Hockeyville Hub: Elliot Lake

Kraft Hockeyville, now in its 18th year, awards winning communities in Canada a once-in-a-lifetime experience for hockey fans. This year, Elliot Lake, Ontario, is hosting a preseason game with the Pittsburgh Penguins playing the Ottawa Senators at Sudbury Community Arena on Sunday (7 p.m. ET; SN, SN1, NHLN, SN-PIT). Centennial Arena received $250,000 in arena upgrades, and there will be festivities and player appearances prior to the games. NHL.com staff writer Jon Lane is in Elliot Lake to provide all the sights, sounds, highlights and news.

Sunday

'It means the world to them'

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan last week said he had a responsibility to the NHL and Hockeyville to bring his best roster to Sudbury. Walking off the bus, the red carpet and practicing before these fans provided an affirmation to what he called the value and meaning of Pittsburgh and Ottawa visiting a small community.

"It means the world to them, and you can see it in their faces and their body language," Sullivan said Sunday. "That inspires our group. It brings us all back to when we were that age. These are the very people that support us, that support our game, that love our game. It's a great experience. I think our players really enjoyed it."

The fans, including hundreds of screaming, excited kids, enjoyed seeing Sidney Crosby in person. Hockey Hall of Famer Bryan Trottier said Friday that Crosby "bleeds Canada," and praised him for deftly handling being the face of the NHL for nearly 20 years.

Bryan Rust has played with Crosby since 2014-15 and won the Stanley Cup with him in 2016 and 2017. He's seen the demands on Crosby's attention, which the Pittsburgh captain has met by knowing how much his time means to those who only have seen him on television.

"He's so deserving of the recognition that he gets," Rust said. "Some days he may not be feeling it, and that kind of happens to everybody. But he goes out there with a smile on his face. He makes sure it's a memorable moment every time he goes out and meets people."

Senators coach Travis Green grew up in Castlegar, British Columbia, unable to experience NHL hockey in person; the nearest NHL city for him was Calgary, more than 380 miles away.

This is his first Hockeyville. He loves the concept.

"It's been a great experience," Green said. "Not only do they get to see players, but also an arena gets an upgrade. It's just a great thing the NHL does.

"The first time I got to see NHL hockey was the [game] I played in, so for a young kid to be able to experience something that he watches and dreams about, and actually see players firsthand and in person, it's pretty special and something I know as a player."

Green also is here to win a hockey game, one that the Senators and Penguins each will be playing using lineups close to what you'd see opening night of the regular season.

"The players know that this is not just an everyday exhibition game," he said. "It will be a little more businesslike. I'm looking forward to seeing how they respond tonight against a team that's going to have a lot of their [NHL] players in as well."

Sullivan also wants to win. His next challenge will be figuring out lineups for games on three consecutive days, starting Sunday, then at the Detroit Red Wings on Monday and back in Pittsburgh against Detroit on Tuesday thanks to the postponement of the game Saturday.

"We keep score for reason; it matters," Sullivan said. "Our intentions have to be in the right place."

Here's 87

There was a capacity crowd lining the red carpet by the time the Penguins got off their bus, with hundreds of kids chanting "Crosby! Crosby! Crosby!" for the Penguins captain. I've neither seen nor felt this much bedlam and joy for one player at Hockeyville than what Sidney Crosby received when he arrived at Sudbury Community Arena.

Crosby found his way to Jim and Erin Dunnett, their daughter Charlie, and son Crosby. Erin grew up in Elliot Lake and today owns a cottage where the family stays during pleasant weather. Erin experienced what was a never-ending string of bad news before the community won Kraft Hockeyville. But now the good news hasn't stopped.

Charlie had brokered a deal with her parents for an allowance. The offer was $10; she wanted $8.70 and got it. A short time later, Sidney Crosby put his signature on her sign. However Charlie missed it in all the excitement, and when Crosby walked away she looked unhappy.

Then Jim pointed out the signature. That smile on Charlie's face is going to resonate for a long time.

Kim Ralph and her family were the first to arrive, at 6 a.m. ET, their son Tyler offering to trade candy bars for Crosby's autograph. The Ralphs live in Sudbury, so the home-field advantage allowed them to get their best spot.

Kim shared a narrative common throughout Hockeyville: Elliot Lake needed this and so did Sudbury, even though the latter is geographically one of the largest municipalities in Ontario.

Today is a rare day for the entire town to come together and its first and perhaps only chance to see the NHL in person. It was embraced by Kyle Osborne and his family from Chelmsford, Ontario, about 20 minutes away. He told Senators captain Brady Tkachuk his son Kaden is his biggest little fan. That got the captain's attention, and he was more than happy to oblige.

"He idolizes him, mocks him and everything he does, even when he plays mini-sticks with his little brother," Kyle said. "We're having lots of fun. It was great."

Game day

It's daybreak in Sudbury, where fans are outside Sudbury Community Arena for red-carpet arrivals. The Ottawa Senators' first bus arrived at 8 a.m. ET, 30 minutes ahead of schedule. My guess is it was by design. Senators captain Brady Tkachuk was on that bus, and for the second straight year took his time to accommodate every fan with handshakes, autographs and photos.

The Penguins are scheduled to arrive around 9:30 a.m. They got here late Saturday night after mechanical issues with their plane forced the postponement of their game at the Detroit Red Wings.

Doors to the arena open at 9:45, with the Senators on the ice about 10:15 and the Penguins around 11:30 for morning skates. Each team then will hold a question-and-answer session with a player and fans.

Why we're here:

Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Ottawa Senators

Sudbury Community Arena (7 p.m. ET; SN, SN1, NHLN, SN-PIT)

Penguins at Hockeyville: It's their Canada debut after going 1-1-0 at Hockeyville USA. They defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-2 at Cambria County War Memorial Arena in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 29, 2015, and lost 4-1 to the St. Louis Blues at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex celebrating Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania, on Sept. 24, 2017.

Senators at Hockeyville: Back for the third consecutive year and 3-4-0 in Canada. They defeated the Florida Panthers 4-2 at Centre 200 in Sydney, Nova Scotia, on Oct. 1, 2023, when forward Drake Batherson had four points (one goal, three assists) in the same rink where he played for Cape Brenton of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League from 2015-18. Batherson's goal 2:45 into overtime gave Ottawa a 3-2 victory against the Montreal Canadiens at J.K. Irving Centre in Bouctouche, New Brunswick, celebrating 2021 winner Elsipogtog First Nation on Oct. 8. 2022. That game came two days after defeating Montreal 4-3 at Steele Community Centre in Gander, Newfoundland (Twillingate, 2020). The Senators played the inaugural Hockeyville Canada game honoring Salmon River, Nova Scotia, a 7-3 loss to the Canadiens at Colchester Legion Stadium on Sept. 25, 2006.

About Elliot Lake: Established in 1955 and once a major uranium producing area, Elliot Lake is equidistant by two hours between Sault Ste. Marie to the West and Sudbury to the East. The locals call it "Our Jewel in the Wilderness."

Pens-manship: Last season was Sidney Crosby's 18th in the NHL as teammates with Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, breaking a record owned by Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada of the New York Yankees from 1995-2011 as the longest-tenured trio of teammates in the history of North American professional sports.

Quotable: "Playing in Sudbury, it's probably the closest I've ever and will ever play to my hometown, so I'm excited for my family to see me play, especially for my grandmother. She hasn't seen me play live in a while. With all those people who are coming, it should be a fun game for me to play. Anytime you get to play closer to home, it’s special." -- Senators forward and Hearst, Ontario, native Claude Giroux

Morning reading:

Crosby, Malkin, Letang bring Penguins star power to Kraft Hockeyville

Elliot Lake throws 'spectacular' Kraft Hockeyville celebration

Kraft Hockeyville win 'brought a lot of people together' for Elliot Lake

Saturday

Preparations

NHL Events and other departments are working feverishly to get Sudbury Community Arena ready for the Penguins and Senators hours after Sudbury's 3-1 loss to Barrie in their Ontario Hockey League season opener. The ice featured Kraft Hockeyville branding and there was signage throughout much of the arena when I got there around 11:30 a.m. ET.

Greater Sudbury is more than 3,100 square kilometers (1,197 square miles) in area, making it geographically the largest municipality in Ontario and one of the largest in Canada. The city promotes its land area, about five times the size of Toronto, and the nine operating mines, two mills, two smelters and nickel refinery that make it arguably the hard rock mining capital of the world.

AJ Bus Lines in Elliot Lake donated transportation to and from Sudbury that left Collins Hall at 6 a.m. on Saturday, with a second bus scheduled for 4:15 p.m. Everyone who submitted a ballot to a public drawing that ended Sept. 16 received two tickets to the game. Any remaining tickets were to be distributed at the discretion of the Local Organizing Committee with a special focus on youth. That made for long lines outside of City Hall on Thursday.

I wrote after the community celebration Friday about the Penguins bringing star power led by centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, defenseman Kris Letang and forward Bryan Rust.

The Senators aren't holding back, either. Forwards Brady Tkachuk, Claude Giroux and Drake Batherson, centers Shane Pinto and Tim Stutzle and defensemen Thomas Chabot and Jake Sanderson are making the trip. They're scheduled to get to Sudbury Community Arena for red-carpet arrivals at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday and have a morning skate around 10:15 a.m. Knowing Tkachuk, the operative words are "around 10:15 a.m." Ottawa's skate at Kraft Hockeyville 2022 in Sydney, Nova Scotia, last year was delayed because the captain made sure every single person behind the guardrails got his handshake, picture and autograph.

Batherson has twice been the hero at Hockeyville, scoring 2:45 into overtime for a 3-2 victory against the Montreal Canadiens at J.K. Irving Centre in Bouctouche, New Brunswick, on Oct. 8, 2022, celebrating 2021 winner Elsipogtog First Nation. In Sydney, he had four points (one goal, three assists) to help Ottawa defeat the Florida Panthers 4-2 on Oct. 1 2023, at Centre 200, where he played for Cape Brenton of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League from 2015-18.

Giroux will host family members making the six-hour, 350-mile drive from his native Hearst, and my colleague Mike Zeisberger spoke to him for a story running Sunday on NHL.com. There was hope as far back as two weeks before Hockeyville that Crosby would make the trip and a lot more buzz was created during the celebration when word spread that the Penguins captain will be on the ground in Sudbury.

"We're counting on him to put on a show," former Elliot Lake Vikings player and coach Gord Ouimet said before the trip. "I'm a Sidney Crosby fan."

Friday

Penguins to play Crosby, Malkin, Letang

Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang will lead an NHL-heavy lineup for the Pittsburgh Penguins against the Ottawa Senators at Kraft Hockeyville.

It was supposed to be the second half of a back to back for Pittsburgh, but Saturday night's game in Detroit was cancelled due to travel issues.

Crosby and Malkin, the top two centers, and Letang, listed on the top defense pair, have yet to play in the preseason. Defenseman Erik Karlsson, still day to day with an upper-body injury, will not play in Sunday's game.

"It's always fun to experience those games,” Letang said. “Obviously, it's huge for those towns. I think, overall, it's a cool experience. Kind of remember your childhood, playing in those small rinks."

On Wednesday, coach Mike Sullivan said the Penguins have a responsibility to give the fans a chance to watch NHL talent.

“I think it's a great opportunity for our League to go to some communities that don't maybe necessarily get a chance to see NHL-caliber players up close,” Sullivan said. “So when we're going to have this opportunity and this privilege to go to Sudbury to participate in an [preseason] game against Ottawa, I think it's great for that community.

“I think it's terrific for our players. I look at it as a responsibility that we all have to try to grow the game and try to connect with the people that love our game and support our game.”

Rutger McGroarty, a forward prospect acquired in a trade from the Winnipeg Jets on Aug. 22, will play each game of the back-to-back set. -- Wes Crosby, independent correspondent

Surprise and delight

Elijah Hennessey is 6 years old and goes to Toronto once a month to get treated for situs inversus totalis, a rare genetic condition where all the abdominal and thorax contents can be flipped to the opposite side; the ailment affects singers Donny Osmond and Enrique Iglesias and actress Catherine O'Hara.

Elijah has had four-open heart surgeries, and this year returned to Esten Park Public School for second grade after three years in and out of a hospital and the Ronald McDonald House in Toronto. He was in the gym when the Stanley Cup was presented to his classmates but too overwhelmed to enjoy it.

That changed when the Cup made a surprise visit to Elijah and his family. His father, Thomas Hennessey, said even through the treatments, Elijah lives life like a 6-year-old. He plays baseball, his favorite game is Minecraft and told Andrew Ference about his affinity for spicy food and candy. There's also his collection of beads, a new one added after every text, poke, scan or surgery. He's another symbol of rebirth in Elliot Lake, a brave kid who was fighting for his life Feb. 9.

"He's just everything to us," said his grandmother, Darla Hennessey, a retired recreation and culture manager after 25 years of service. "This community did a fundraiser for him ... and they raised over $30,000 in eight hours for him, so the community has sort of adopted him."

A charity hockey game for Elijah and his family is scheduled for Nov. 15 at Centennial Arena, where ice is projected to be installed early next week. The Elliot Lake Vikings will have to play the Soo Eagles in Massey, Ontario, on Oct. 4, but are nearly on track to host the Kirkland Lake Gold Miners on Oct. 13.

"Once the ice is in, we're ready to go and we're just hoping to fill the barn in true fashion," Darla said. "This place, we have got the most amazing fans, just the most amazing loud cowbells.

"One thing that this community is well known for: You knock us down and we'll get right back up again."

They got back up because of pillars like Dean Bowles, a Vikings forward from 1986-91 and longtime youth coach who helped the Hockeyville rally by creating videos from his basement, where he built a replica of Centennial Arena's locker room. He was also surprised when he wife, Brenda, told him to wait for the NHL to meet him where he works at Milltown Motors.

It was a cover story.

"I had no clue that this was happening," Bowles said. "Small town, small house. I thought for sure, I never thought they could, I don't know. I never knew, nothing. Just totally shocked. I just saw all the cars. I didn't know what was going on and then I came down and saw my family at the bottom of the stairs. That was shocking, and then coming around the corner to see everyone here was 10 times more shocking."

Surprises have been bountiful with unseasonably warm weather, and Cup visits to the Elliot Lake Fire Station, residents of Huron Lodge Retirement Home and members of the Stone Ridge Golf Course.

"This has been an interesting thing from the beginning," said Stone Ridge superintendent Mark Kay. "Elliot Lake's such a unique town. It's amazing how many people have lived here or spent time here and trying to get back here in some way. The town has [gone] through some more negative things than positive things in the last few years, so it was nice to finally get something positive."

Celebration Day

The Stanley Cup is expected to make a grand entrance to the Kraft Hockeyville Community Celebration at Collins Hall to cap a two-day tour. Day One ended with admiration of why Elliot Lake is a jewel in the wilderness and glowing optimism over what's next.

A charity barbeque, live bands, entertainment, face painting, ball hockey, and a dance-off between mascots Iceburgh (Penguins) and Spartacat (Senators) are free and open to the public with proceeds from the BBQ and Hockeyville merchandise sales going to the Centennial Arena fund.

Bryan Trottier and Andrew Ference are here to represent Penguins alumni. Ference is the NHL director of youth strategy who played 907 games as a defenseman for Pittsburgh, the Calgary Flames, Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers, and won the Cup with the Bruins in 2011. Trottier is a Hockey Hall of Fame forward and part of the New York Islanders championship dynasty from 1980-83. It might be easy for some to forget he also played with Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr, Paul Coffey and the Penguins' back-to-back Cup winners in 1991 and '92. Another of Trottier's former Penguins teammates, Kevin Stevens, was elected to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2024.

Today is the self-imposed deadline for the Jamie and Jo-Ann Armstrong Centennial Arena Fundraising Challenge to achieve its goal of $1 million. It started with a $300,000 donation from former Elliot Lake resident Jamie Armstrong, the founder of supply chain management company Blue Yonder Group, Inc. in Scottsdale, Arizona, and his wife, Jo-Ann. The challenge is at $ 927,787 including the $250,000 Hockeyville grand prize.

Thursday

Right place, right time

Picturesque surroundings and fortuitous timing ended Day One of the Stanley Cup tour. At Spruce Beach was a family from Leeds, England, traveling through Northern Ontario, sunbathing when the Cup was placed on the shore with blue skies, trees, lakes and "The Rock" as the background. Most who visit the beach swim out to The Rock, climb, stand on top of it and then dive off. It's like a rite of passage.

The family asked to have their photo taken, Stanley’s fame well-known abroad. Then at Fire Tower Lookout, the most amazing views in town, a young couple was leaving a gazebo when they saw the trophy. They too got their wish.

The final stop was Centennial Arena, where Ference played ball hockey in the parking lot with kids before their proud parents, local organizers and, of course, Stanley. One preteen snuck up from behind and lifted Ference's stick to force a turnover, a hockey play against a Stanley Cup-winning defenseman caught completely by surprise. Ference smiled, shrugged and rejoined the action, all while construction workers were on the roof of the community's beloved rink, minute by minute getting it closer to restoration.

Improvisational theatre

It's also known as improv: unplanned, unscripted and spontaneity in its purest form. Emcee Simon Gregory had full command of a captivated audience that filled Elliot Lake Secondary School to experience the Stanley Cup tour of Hockeyville '24. Gregory is a drama and fitness teacher. He deftly spoke from the hip, allowing the excitement to take control and using a moment to teach a lesson learned through hockey and Elliot Lake's winning bid: playing as a team and being something bigger than the individual.

There's a lot of community pride here this week. They know Elliot Lake is Kraft Hockeyville; they see the Cup visits to Esten Park Public School and Collins Hall as another sign of rebirth, just like how Centennial Arena will become whole again.

"For the kids to see that, it's inspirational for them and it's great," Esten Park Public School principal Angelo D'Amato said. "Look at how excited the kids are, the dancing and the singing and the smiles on their faces. Can't beat that. That's what it's all about.

"What young man or young boy from my generation, or this generation, doesn't want to see to the Stanley Cup? There's so many heroes on it, and so much time as a family sitting and watching those games and those events."

Andrew Ference, NHL director of social impact, growth and fan development and 2010-11 Stanley Cup champion with the Boston Bruins, made a grand entrance at every stop, allowing kids to touch it and get pictures taken in groups. Kids little, big and grown filtered in and out of school gyms and Collins Hall for their first and maybe only chance to see, be seen with and feel the prize. Even with some semblance of organization, it was chaotic. And why not? It's a lot more fun.

"The chaos is the beautiful part," Ference said. "That's the neat thing about the trophy, too. As I'm looking at it, it's up on the podium with the backdrop and people are getting pictures, but the Cup truly lives when it's being touched and felt and kissed. It's no different here. To be able to walk through the crowd, touch it, feel it, look at the name of your favorite player, put your hands underneath it and feel how heavy it is, that's what the Cup is. That's why it's special."

Welcome to Hockeyville

The rest of the week in Elliot Lake brings clear skies and bright sun with a high of 22 degrees Celsius (71 degrees Fahrenheit) after much of Northern Ontario on Wednesday was saturated with nearly one inch of rain.

The first of a two-day Stanley Cup tour starts at noon ET. About 1,330 students from public and private schools will have enjoyed time with the Cup by the time it leaves Collins Hall around 3:15 p.m. If it's anything like West Elgin Secondary School a year ago), expect pandemonium.

A visit to two popular attractions, Spruce Beach and Fire Tower Lookout, concludes the afternoon. I'm told the latter has stunning views of Manitoulin Island, the largest freshwater island in the world and known in Ojibwe as "Spirit Island."

Wednesday

Arrival

Elliot Lake is north of Lake Huron, equidistant by two hours between Sault Ste. Marie to the West and Sudbury to the East.

The locals call it "Our Jewel in the Wilderness," also the title of Joseph Brann's book sharing 100 pages of nature, landscapes and landmarks. This view from Miners' Memorial Park on Horne Lake is a jewel and there's hope that autumn foliage is in full bloom while the NHL is in town.

Getting here was an adventure with flights from New York to Toronto to Sudbury before a two-plus hour drive -- half of it in a rainstorm. Once settled I went to Centennial Arena, which remains closed yet under reconstruction thanks to the combined donations from Hockeyville and the Jamie and Jo-Ann Armstrong Centennial Arena Fundraising Challenge, hoping to reach its goal of $1 million.

Elliot Lake City Hall had a buzz and merchandise on display. Collins Hall was getting equipped for the community celebration and special guests former NHL players Bryan Trottier and Andrew Ference and the Stanley Cup. Since 1955, the town has attracted visitors with more than 4,000 lakes and rivers, hiking, camping and fishing, a lifeline to tourism and business after the uranium mines closed in the early 1990s. Many have remained thorough prosperity and the worst of times. Those who've left tend to find their way back.

"One thing about Elliot Lake, a lot of people who have moved away are still attached to the place," said Bryan MacKay, a minor hockey pillar for 50 years. "They come back in the summertime, they come back for Christmas or holidays. It goes to show you that people had a lot of respect and admiration for their home community and their arena."

West Lorne and Sydney, one year later

Elliot Lake is ready for Kraft Hockeyville one year after West Lorne, Ontario, and Sydney, Nova Scotia, each had theirs.

West Lorne was treated to Toronto Maple Leafs defeating the Buffalo Sabres 5-2 at Joe Thornton Community Centre in St. Thomas on Sept. 27, 2023, a night councillor and Hockeyville committee member Bill Denning said the municipalities of West Elgin "got to feel like kings of the castle in the big city."

West Lorne Arena, 53 1/2 kilometers (33.2 miles) from St. Thomas, was renamed the Bo Horvat Community Centre on Aug. 24 in honor of the New York Islanders center and London, Ontario native. Horvat played for the West Lorne Comets in the West Lorne Minor Hockey Association and is a two-time Ontario Hockey League champion with the London Knights.

Since Hockeyville, Denning said there's been an unprecedented spirit of cooperation throughout the community. CTV News in London reported Aug. 27 that final plans for the arena upgrades were being prepared that included locker room renovations and accessibility work.

"The trust, respect and friendship that came out of our Hockeyville journey together has created a bond that has helped us to move our arena renovation project forward," Denning said in an email. "The spirit of the Hockeyville win remains with us and will continue to inspire us to move forward together, united by a single moment in time that has forever changed our little community for the better."

Minutes from downtown West Lorne lives Mike Rivard, Horvat's coach who was surprised with a Stanley Cup visit and the front of his house decorated with balloons colored in Comets black and gold. The NHL and Kraft worked with Ryan Rivard, Mike's son and a retired forward who played professional hockey in the Central Hockey League, ECHL and SPHL.

"I think the event totally reenergized the entire town including my dad," Ryan said via text from his home in Atlanta. "It’s crazy what a year can bring."

Canada Games Complex in Sydney expects to have boards installed this week and is on track for a late December opening. It's scheduled to host what Cape Breton Blizzard Female Hockey Association president Christina Lamey said is the biggest girls' tournament ever held in town with 32 teams from Nova Scotia competing at Cape Breton University on April 5-7. The retrofitted arena will be Canada's first dedicated to girls' and women's hockey, a historic journey from when around 300 players were often relegated to the back of the line for ice time.

The ongoing growth of the girls' game is something Gord Ouimet, an Elliot Lake minor hockey coach for more than 40 years, would love to see in his community. One amenity lacking from Centennial Arena was larger locker rooms.

"This is something that can't be denied," Ouimet said. "I think girls' hockey is growing faster in North America than any other version of it."