CALGARY, AB/BURNABY, BC – The Millwoods Peewee Bruins of Edmonton are headed to Ottawa to hang out with Canada’s National Junior Team.

Hockey Canada and Best Buy Canada today announced that the Millwoods Bruins are the winners of the inaugural Best Buy Hockey Skills Challenge. The Bruins – including 17 players, four officials and four chaperones – will be flown to Ottawa on December 14. While in Ottawa, the team will take part in a Hockey Canada Skills Challenge presented by Best Buy Canada with members of Canada’s National Junior Team. The Bruins will also have their picture taken with the National Junior Team and get the opportunity for autographs.

The Bruins were chosen, at random, from more than 350 entries nationwide.

“Congratulations to the Millwood Bruins,” said Scott Smith, Hockey Canada’s COO. “The upcoming days will be exciting for the Bruins players, as they will have a chance to improve their hockey skills and meet some of Canada’s top junior players. Hockey Canada is thrilled with its partnership with Best Buy to put on this contest.”

“Best Buy is pleased to support Hockey Canada and the Skills Challenge,” said Loveena Chera, director of marketing, Best Buy Canada. “Enabling youth to be their best is one of our missions and we wish the Millwoods Peewee Bruins continued success moving forward.”

The Bruins will receive flights to Ottawa, one-night stay at a local hotel, $1,000 in food vouchers, along with transportation to and from the hotel.

The Hockey Canada Skills Challenge was created as part of the National Skills Standards and Testing Program for minor hockey-aged players in Canada in an effort to celebrate skill acquisition in young players. This program is based on the philosophy that skill development should be both fun and challenging, while accessible to all players in Canada’s minor hockey system.

The skills challenge is a series of four individual tests taken from the National Skills Standards and Testing Program, skills designed to measure a player’s skill level in an exciting and easy way. The testing measures are weave-agility skating, shooting accuracy, transition-agility skating and forward speed skating.

The contest was open to male and female teams at the Atom, Peewee, Bantam and Midget levels. Teams had to complete the skills challenge twice between September 12 and November 14.

Hockey Canada is grateful for Best Buy’s support and the incentives it has introduced for participation in the National Skills Standards and Testing Program. Seasonal rewards will also be provided to the most improved male and female players and goalies in the Novice, Atom, Peewee, Bantam and Midget age levels, as well as the most improved team in each division. There will also be rewards for the top minor hockey association in each branch and a reward to the branch with the most players tested.