The Lloydminster U13 Blazers have won the Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup.

The Blazers were unveiled as champions for the 2021-22 season during Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday night. They will receive $100,000 to be donated to a charity of their choice—Inclusion Lloydminster—among other prizes.

This is the first time an all-girls team has won the Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup and it is the first time a team from Alberta has won the grand prize.

After learning a team parent’s wheelchair could not access the timekeeping box at their arena in Lloydminster, the Blazers set out to learn more about accessibility at their local rinks. The U13 team also hosted a ‘Try Para Hockey’ event to bring athletes of all abilities together on the ice.

In addition, the Blazers are advocating for a new rink that is barrier-free and accessible for para hockey.

Lloydminster was one of 12 regional finalists for this year’s Chevrolet Good Geed Cup. The other 11 regional champions will receive $2,000 to their charity of their choice.

At the Blazers’ celebration event, Ross Ulmer from Lloydminster dealership Ulmer Chevrolet surprised the team by matching the $100,000 grand prize with a donation to support Inclusion Canada, Inclusion Lloydminster’s national chapter.

This was the sixth season Chevrolet and Hockey Canada came together to award the Good Deeds Cup, which searches for the U11, U13 or U15 team that makes the biggest impact in its community. This year the theme was ‘Shift Change,’ with teams encouraged to choose Good Deeds that would make hockey more inclusive than ever.

For more information, visit ChevroletGoodDeedsCup.ca.

The goaltenders representing Canada at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship will also be representing their counterparts from Canada’s National Women’s Team with new masks commissioned as part of the Janes ALL IN program.

What do all six goaltenders think of the helmets and what it means to be part of Team Canada?

How do you feel being featured on a mask at World Juniors?

Kristen Campbell (KC): The Canadian hockey tradition growing up is watching the World Juniors and the country really rallies around it, so it’s an honour to be recognized and a part of this year’s World Juniors.

Emerance Maschmeyer (EM): Last year there were six trailblazers of women’s hockey that were honoured on the masks, so to be in this year’s edition, it’s pretty incredible to even be put in the category that they are in.

What does it mean to wear a mask featuring the women’s goalies?

Sebastian Cossa (SC): Hockey is for everybody, male or female it doesn’t matter who, so respecting and appreciating the women’s game is important.

Brett Brochu (BB): Credit is due to women’s hockey; they deserve a lot more attention from fans and professional leagues.

Dylan Garand (DG): It’s great hockey that the women play and they’re just as talented as we are, so it’s cool to be able to share this experience with them and have them be a part of it.

What message do you hope young players take from the masks?

Ann-Renée Desbiens (AD): We’re trying to raise awareness of women’s hockey and most Canadians during the holidays are going to be watching World Juniors, so it’s a good discussion starter … it brings a lot of exposure to women’s hockey and it’s nice to have the support of the men’s side.

EM: The visibility of the men’s game is a lot more than the women’s game, so having that platform and having us on their masks for all those young girls who are watching the World Juniors [is important]. Maybe some young girls don’t even know it’s possible to play at the level we’re playing at.

KC: [Whether] we all started playing boys’ hockey or girls’ hockey, it doesn’t matter, and we got to where we are. I think it just shows that you can pave your own road and end up reaching your goals in the end.

What is your favourite part of the mask?

DG: Designing a mask is a unique and personal thing, but I’m not very good at it myself … so to have a mask designed by Emerance is pretty cool. There are some personal things of hers on there that are creative, like the outdoor rink, I like that a lot.

SB: I think the maple syrup is a good touch with being Canadian and especially since Ann-Renée is from Quebec. And then with [the highlighted word] ‘Family’, family to me is everything.

BB: They did a really good job on the mask and the designs are really cool. I love the picture of Kristen. It would definitely be pretty special to have a helmet with you on it.

CALGARY, Alta. – Building off an IIHF World Junior Championship partnership that started in 2018-19, Hockey Canada welcomes Lordco Auto Parts Ltd. as its newest national marketing partner.

As a national marketing partner with a three-year agreement through to 2024, Lordco becomes the presenting sponsor of this year’s Road to the World Juniors pre-tournament schedule and owns the rights to the Future Stars digital program presented during the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship.

“Hockey Canada is proud to welcome Lordco Auto Parts to our corporate partner family and as presenting sponsor of the Road to the World Juniors,” said Dana Gladstone, vice-president of partnership strategy and licensing with Hockey Canada. “Since its initial commitment to the World Juniors in 2018-19, Lordco has continued to increase its involvement and support of Hockey Canada. This partnership reaffirms that commitment that also extends to Hockey Alberta. We are excited to welcome Lordco to Canada’s largest team as it continues to support premier international events and national championships every year.”

Hockey Canada first established a partnership with Lordco in 2018 when it was announced as presenting sponsor of the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship and the pre-tournament schedule as part of the Lordco Road to the World Juniors. That support continued two years later when it again was a sponsor of the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship in Edmonton.

“As a Canadian-owned and operated company, Lordco Auto Parts is proud to partner with Hockey Canada,” said Sarah Durant, vice-president of marketing. “We are beyond thrilled to have the opportunity to support our country’s most talented players as they compete on the international stage at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship. Lordco has also supported minor hockey in British Columbia for many years and most recently forged a partnership with Hockey Alberta to do the same. By sharing our company’s core values of loyalty, family and community beyond our core business, we can positively impact the future of young Canadians.”

The auto parts retailer and distributor will also own the rights to all Hockey Canada national events and will enter into a unique partnership with Hockey Alberta as part of its relationship with Hockey Canada.

“In 2021, Hockey Alberta was thrilled to join forces with Lordco Auto Parts and Hockey Canada during the IIHF World Junior Championship for the inaugural Futures Stars program,” said Mike Klass, director of business operations with Hockey Alberta. “We are excited to again join forces with them both for the 2022 World Juniors and expanding our relationship as Lordco brings its reputation of quality and customer service in the auto parts industry to Alberta.”

About Lordco Parts Ltd.

Lordco Auto Parts is Canada’s largest privately held automotive parts distributor and Western Canada’s largest distributor and retailer of aftermarket parts and accessories. With over 85 retail locations, two machine shops, seven distribution centres and more than 2,200 employees, Lordco Auto Parts delivers an exceptional customer experience. Visit Lordco.com to learn about the products available and services offered at Lordco Auto Parts locations throughout British Columbia and Alberta.

About Hockey Canada

Hockey Canada is the governing body for hockey in Canada and a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), with a membership through its 13 member associations of over 750,000 players, coaches and officials. Hockey Canada is a not-for-profit organization that creates leading-edge hockey development programs for its members to deliver in communities across Canada; provides consistent rules and regulations and various other membership services from coast to coast to coast; manages numerous regional, national and international hockey championships and events; and leads the operation of all teams that represent Canada in international competition. Hockey Canada’s mission is to lead, develop and promote positive hockey experiences. For more information on Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and by using #OurGameIsBack.

Designs from across Canada were submitted for the Janes Design-a-Mask contest in advance of the 2020 IIHF Women’s World Championship. After two COVID-19-related delays, Paige, Madison and Lauryn will finally get to see their helmets donned by Team Canada goaltenders.

Let’s meet the designers behind the masks and get to know a little more about them.

Paige is 15 years old from Miramichi, N.B., and plays defence for the Miramichi Panthers.

Madison is 15 years old from Churchill Falls, N.L., and is a goaltender with the Churchill Falls Thunderbirds.

Lauryn is 14 years old from St. John’s, N.L,, and is an avid Team Canada fan and artist.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR MASK?

Paige: I knew I wanted to do a retro look, so I looked up some old hockey mask designs, and I got some inspiration from those. It's black with red stripes, and it's very retro. I saw [the Team Canada] jerseys; they did have black on them, and I thought it would be cool to try something different, so I focused on black.

Madison: I wanted to put some things on it that represented Canada. So, I have the snowflakes on it, because Canada is known for winter. And I have the moose. That represents Canada, but also there's a lot of moose where I'm from, so I wanted to put something that represents where I'm from as well.

Lauryn: From coast to coast, it represents locations all across Canada. I tried to include Canada’s primary colours, red and white, along with the Canadian flag and the Hockey Canada logo.

DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF AN ARTIST?

Paige: Yes. I love drawing. It's one of my favorite hobbies, so this was a great contest for me. My two favourite things, drawing and hockey. It was jackpot for me. I paint, I sculpt. Whatever I could get my hands on, I do it.

Madison: Maybe a little bit. I'm not too good at art, though it is pretty fun. I like it.

Lauryn: Yes! Whether it’s drawing, painting or dancing, I love being creative in everything I do.

DID YOU TAKE ANY SNACK BREAKS WHILE DESIGNING YOUR MASK?

Paige: Yes. Whenever I got frustrated or just needed to get away from trying, I'd go and make myself a nice little snack of Janes chicken fingers.

Madison: I took a couple of breaks for some Janes popcorn chicken.

Lauryn: Absolutely! Nothing better than Janes pub-style chicken burgers.

HOW DID YOU REACT TO YOUR DESIGN BEING SELECTED?

Paige: It was crazy. I didn't think I was going to win. I just thought I'd give it a try, see how it goes. I still can't believe that I actually won the contest.

Madison: It was really cool. I did not think I was going to win at all. It’s like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I did not think I was going to get picked.

Lauryn: I was so excited! I couldn’t wait to meet the goalies and see my mask in action at the women’s world championship.

Getting new gear is always an exciting endeavour, but there is something special about a new goalie mask. The three goaltenders who will be between the pipes for Canada’s National Women’s Team at the 2021 IIHF Women’s World Championship – Ann-Renée Desbiens, Emerance Maschmeyer and Kristen Campbell – are living that excitement, with new looks courtesy of the Janes Design-a-Mask contest.

We caught up with the three netminders to get their reactions to the new masks and how proud they are of the winning designers.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MASKS?

Emerance Maschmeyer (EM): The masks are very Canadian. The mask with the brick wall, that kind of brings me back to my first-ever painted mask. I had a brick wall on my mask. I think almost every goalie has had that at some point.

Ann-Renée Desbiens (AD): My favorite part about the design is how much Canada pops out. I think that the kids did a great job at really putting Canada front and centre. And I think that's really what a mask should be, representing the team, the country and all that.

Kristen Campbell (KC) – Honestly, just how proud I am to be Canadian. I would say there are a lot of important Canadian things that stick out on those masks. And I just feel like it's really symbolic of Canada.

THE MASKS WERE DESIGNED BY TWO TEENAGERS, ARE YOU IMPRESSED BY THEIR SKILLS?

AD: It's very impressive, because I don't think people realize how complicated designing a helmet can be; there are so many options nowadays and you can go crazy and do so many things. So, the fact that those teenagers that probably didn't design that many masks before were able to put something that represent the essence of Canada and hockey and just the country overall is pretty impressive.

EM: My sister is an artist and I know how hard artists work. Either you have it or you don't. And these two teenagers definitely have it. It's really awesome.

KC: It's hard for me to design masks myself. I always have the picture in my head of how I think I want it to look. And then I always have to get someone to draw it for me because I can't draw at all. So, it's really impressive to see that this is what they've designed themselves.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE DESIGN ELEMENT FROM ANY OF THE MASKS?

KC: I have to go with the designs of the maple leaves, how they have a lot of little leaves there in a row, and how the logos really blend into that whole design.

AD: My favorite element is the moose. I think being from a small town, living in the mountains, we get to see them quite often. It reminds me of home.

EM: The [black and red] mask just has a fierce look to it. It's a super dark mask, but I think that it has an intimidating look, which is really cool.

CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada, in partnership with BFL CANADA, has announced the winners of the BFL Female Coach of the Year awards for the 2020-21 season, concluding today with the national award winners. Introduced as an international marketing partner in October 2019, BFL CANADA’s commitment is to focus on growth and development opportunities for women in the game, on the ice and behind the bench.

Through the program, one high-performance coach and one community coach from each province and the northern territories have been recognized, with a national winner in each category.

BFL FEMALE COACH OF THE YEAR – NATIONAL HIGH-PERFORMANCE WINNER

Noémie Tanguay (Quebec)

An assistant coach with the Titans du Cégep Limoilou since 2014, Tanguay has helped her team win four provincial championships in five appearances. She began coaching shortly after her playing career with the Titans, and enjoys developing as a coach and building relationships with athletes. Tanguay also served as an assistant coach with the Hawks de L’Est for three seasons (2015-17), and serves on the board of directors of the Fonds dédié au développement du hockey féminin dans la Capitale-Nationale, an organization to promote the sport and support girls and women staying involved in hockey. She also volunteers at various tournaments and camps in Quebec City, and has a bachelor’s degree in sports intervention from Laval University.

BFL FEMALE COACH OF THE YEAR – NATIONAL COMMUNITY WINNER

Janelle Forcand (Manitoba)

A dedicated coach on the ice, Forcand is an advocate for women in coaching who uses her influence to give opportunities to other women entering the coaching world. She began her coaching career as an assistant with the Winnipeg East Saints U15 AA team in 2013, and her passion led her to the Winnipeg Jets Hockey Academy in 2016. At the academy, Forcand has served as an assistant coach for both boys’ and girls’ teams, including U15 AA, U13 AA and U11 A3. For the past three seasons, she has served as the head coach of the Winnipeg Jets Hockey Academy U11 Female A3 team. In addition to coaching, Forcand is also the female hockey coordinator for the academy, and has been a board member with the St. James Assiniboia Minor Hockey Association since 2019.

The selection committee included Olympic gold medallists Cassie Campbell-Pascall, Gina Kingsbury, director of women’s national teams with Hockey Canada, and Caroline Ouellette. They were joined by Steve Lacoste, vice-president of sports and leisure with BFL CANADA, and Teal Gove, manager of hockey development with Hockey Canada.

A complete list of winners for each category by province and territory can be found at HockeyCanada.ca/BFLCoach.

For more information on Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow along via social media on Facebook and Twitter.

EDMONTON, Alta. – SkipTheDishes, Canada's largest and most popular food delivery network, is excited to announce a multi-year partnership with Hockey Canada, the national governing body for grassroots hockey in the country and the home of Team Canada.

The partnership comes just ahead of the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship, where the best under-20 hockey players from Canada and around the world will compete from Dec. 25-Jan. 5 in Edmonton. Skip will also serve as the Official Food Delivery App of the 2021 World Juniors, providing Team Canada athletes, coaches and support staff with Skip Credits to support some of Edmonton’s best local restaurants as they vie for the gold medal while competing in the bubble.

“We are thrilled to welcome SkipTheDishes as the Official Food Delivery App of Hockey Canada and the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship,” says Scott Smith, president and chief operating officer of Hockey Canada. “Skip’s technology and cross-country delivery network make it the perfect partner for fans, helping them support local restaurants while cheering on Team Canada safely at home this year.”

Many Canadians look forward to the World Juniors as a part of their holiday season traditions, and the partnership will help deliver the game-day experience fans crave directly to their homes.

“As a proud Canadian brand, we’re excited to grow Skip’s support of hockey nation-wide through this partnership with Hockey Canada,” says Kevin Edwards, CEO of SkipTheDishes. “I couldn’t be more excited to kick off this partnership with the World Juniors in Edmonton. I personally look forward to the tournament every year, and we can’t wait to cheer on Team Canada with fans across the country.”

About SkipTheDishes

SkipTheDishes is part of JustEatTakeaway.com, a leading global online food delivery marketplace. SkipTheDishes connects millions of customers with over 29, 000 restaurant partners in Canada.

CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada has introduced Swiss Chalet as a new International Marketing Partner, a four-year agreement that will make it the official restaurant partner of Hockey Canada. The announcement comes ahead of the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship, which begins Dec. 25 in Edmonton, Alta.

Swiss Chalet is proud to join Hockey Canada in its belief in the importance of community investment and engagement, while developing our nation’s next generation of leaders. The two proudly-Canadian organizations will work together to create opportunities to celebrate teamwork and the physical and mental well-being of participants and their families. Swiss Chalet will also become the presenting sponsor of the Countdown to Puck Drop program for all international competitions, and will create a minor hockey award program focused on fostering teamwork for all local hockey associations.

“As Canada’s iconic family restaurant, we are committed to serving the needs of all forms of family, including friends and teammates who feel like family,” said Ally Tosello, senior director of marketing at Swiss Chalet. “We are proud to create comfortable environments where Canadians can be themselves, relax and spend time with those they love - at our home or theirs. Through our partnership with Hockey Canada, we will continue to promote the importance of community, inclusivity and generosity that Swiss Chalet stands for.” 

As the official restaurant partner of Hockey Canada, Swiss Chalet will invest in programs from the grassroots to international competitions, including the IIHF Women’s World Championship and IIHF World Junior Championship. Whether Canadians are driving to a local game or watching an international event at home, Swiss Chalet will be there. 

"We are delighted to have Swiss Chalet join the Hockey Canada family as an International Marketing Partner,” said Dana Gladstone, vice-president of partnership strategy and licensing with Hockey Canada. “Both organizations believe in the power of hockey to bring families and communities together and support the common values of teamwork, inclusivity and the growth of the game.”

To kick off the partnership, Swiss Chalet will be sponsoring the Countdown to Puck Drop at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship, which begins 60 minutes before the start of each Team Canada game and is the perfect time to order Swiss Chalet.

About Swiss Chalet

Swiss Chalet was founded in 1954 with more than 200 locations across Canada under the operation of RECIPE Unlimited Corporation, Canada’s oldest and largest full-service restaurant company. As a Canadian brand, Swiss Chalet prides itself in bringing Canadian families together for mealtime by serving real, delicious and wholesome comfort food. The brand is known for its iconic Swiss-inspired rotisserie chicken served with Signature Chalet Dipping Sauce. For more information, visit SwissChalet.com. 

CALGARY, Alta. – Hockey Canada has unveiled a new, limited edition Team Canada Nike heritage jersey for the 2020-21 season, set to be worn by Canada’s national teams at upcoming world championships.

The heritage jersey features a classic red base colour with a white maple leaf crest and white maple leaf accents on the sleeves, as well as a single white stripe. It will make its debut on the ice at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship in Edmonton, and is scheduled to be worn by Canada’s National Women’s Team, Canada’s National Men’s Team and Canada’s National Para Hockey Team.

“This jersey is an updated look from classic Team Canada jerseys that have been worn during some of Canada’s most memorable moments, and represents the pride Canadians have in our heritage and the game of hockey,” said Tom Renney, chief executive officer of Hockey Canada. “Our partners at Nike have created a new design that fits in with the long line of historic Team Canada jerseys, and we know our players and fans alike will embrace the heritage jersey as part of Canada’s largest team.”

The jersey also prominently features Hockey Canada shoulder patches, as well as white maple leaves with CANADA inscribed along the inside bottom hem of the jersey. A gold maple leaf can be found inside the collar to signify Canada’s place in hockey history and achievements on the international stage.

“It’s always an honour for our players and staff to wear the Maple Leaf, but it’s even more special when you have the opportunity to wear a jersey that represents Canadian heritage,” said Scott Salmond, senior vice-president of national teams for Hockey Canada. “We know our athletes will be excited to wear the heritage jersey, and we look forward to seeing fans across the country cheering us on in their new Team Canada jerseys.”

Before Team Canada takes to the ice in the new heritage jersey, fans can purchase their own customized jersey by visiting shop.hockeycanada.ca. The heritage jersey is also available for purchase starting today at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT at participating retail locations, including Sport Chek, Pro Hockey Life, Sports Experts, Hockey Experts and National Sports.

For more information on Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook and Twitter.