Hockey Canada has announced the management group that will lead the Hockey Canada Officiating Program through the 2026-27 season.

Dan Coles (Sherwood Park, AB), Matthew Fergenbaum (Thornhill, ON), Fraser Lawrence (Edmonton, AB), Vanessa Stratton (Windsor, ON) and Sean Tobin (Goulds, NL) will work alongside officiating manager Dan Hanoomansingh (Vancouver, BC) and officiating coordinator Megan Howes (Burnaby, BC) to oversee the program.

At the conclusion of the 2023-24 season, Hockey Canada referee-in-chief Todd Robinson (Sackville, NS) announced his retirement, having served in the role since 2017. Through consultations with its 13 Members, Hockey Canada determined a new structure was required to lead the Officiating Program. The creation of a management group, staffed by individuals with focused mandates in their area of expertise, was identified as a key step forward for the program.

“Hockey Canada is grateful to Todd Robinson for his years of dedicated service to our officials,” said Hanoomansingh. “As Todd prepared to step down, it was clear that the size and diversity of the Officiating Program required multiple experts in positions of leadership. Our Members were supportive of this new direction and we are looking forward to seeing the program develop under the leadership of our new management group.”

Dan Coles will serve in the position of Officiating Education Lead and take responsibility for the development of the officiating curriculum and assisting in the development and delivery of training for officiating instructors. Coles began officiating with the St. Albert MHA at the age of 13 and has served in a variety of leadership roles across the officiating program, including as an assigner, clinic instructor and referee-in-chief. He holds a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education, with a specialization in educational technology. Away from the rink, Coles has worked as a teacher and principal, primarily in physical education and mathematics, and currently works with the Alberta Teachers’ Association, focusing on labour relations and supporting teachers.

Matthew Fergenbaum takes on the role of Para Officiating Lead, supporting the Members with recruitment and development of officials for para hockey, as well as identifying and training officials for competitions sanctioned by World Para Ice Hockey (WPIH). Fergenbaum brings over two decades of on-ice officiating experience, including two Paralympic Winter Games and eight world championships. In the past year, he has become integral to the development of WPIH’s officiating staff, leading their officiating camp in South Korea, and will continue his work in parallel to this role with Hockey Canada.

Fraser Lawrence will take the role of OPOE Men’s Head Coach, leading the development of high-performance officials in the men’s hockey stream of the Officiating Program of Excellence. Lawrence recently finished a glittering on-ice career, officiating league championships in the Western Hockey League and American Hockey League, as well as the Canada Winter Games, two IIHF World Junior Championships and the 2022 IIHF World Championship. While pursuing success in business as a senior sales executive, Lawrence has continued his involvement in the Alberta Junior Hockey League and Western Hockey League, as well as participating in Hockey Canada’s 2024 Men’s Elite Development Camp and the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Lawrence will bring his focus to mentoring the next generation of Hockey Canada officials and elevating the standard across the program.

Vanessa Stratton takes on the role of OPOE Women’s Head Coach, leading the development of high-performance officials in the women’s hockey stream of the Officiating Program of Excellence. Stratton currently splits her time between roles with BC Hockey, Hockey Canada and the IIHF, where she has coached officials at the last two editions of the IIHF Women’s World Championship, as well as being part of the core coaching group for the Road to Milano Olympic preparation program. In 2023, she was also nominated to join the IIHF Officiating Committee, where she contributes to the global growth and advancement of officiating. Off the ice, Stratton works full-time at Western University and will be starting her PhD in the fall 2025 at the University of Windsor, focusing her research on the officiating ecosystem.

Sean Tobin will serve in the position of Officiating Coaching Lead and take responsibility for the development of officiating coaches and leaders at the grassroots level across the country. Tobin most recently served as a senior instructor with several Members and is the former assistant referee-in-chief of Hockey Eastern Ontario (HEO). Tobin developed the YouTube series Rule of the Week, promoting better understanding of the Hockey Canada Playing Rules, and was responsible for introducing the Green Armband Initiative to HEO. Alongside his hockey work, Tobin is a registered mental health clinician with extensive leadership experience in the public sector. His professional background has helped him foster practical training, mentorship and a thoughtful approach to officiating education and coaching across Canadian hockey.

The Hockey Canada Officiating Program is for anyone who is interested in officiating, from the grassroots to the international game. The 13 Members provide a path for anyone to participate in officiating, develop a love for the game and achieve their goals. For more information about the Hockey Canada Officiating Program, visit HockeyCanada.ca/Officials.

The Hockey Canada Foundation (HCF) is proud to support Creating Coaches — a groundbreaking program helping to shape the next generation of women leaders in hockey. Now in its fourth year, the initiative provides mentorship, training and hands-on coaching experience to U SPORTS student-athletes as they begin their journey behind the bench.

With targeted grant funding from the HCF, a total of 16 student-athletes received on-going support during the 2024–25 season while serving as assistant coaches with U13, U15 or U18 girls’ teams. As active players themselves, these young women gain vital experience, receive professional development opportunities and contribute meaningfully to the sport’s growth at the grassroots level.

The impact is already being felt. In March 2025, Creating Coaches alumna Alex Boulanger helped guide Bishop’s University to its first-ever U SPORTS national championship, while Emma Cheeseman was behind the bench for Waterloo University in its run to the championship game.

Current coaches in the program are also making waves — Izzy Lajoie (University of Alberta) was on the coaching staff with the 2025 Esso Cup champions, the Edmonton Jr. Oilers!

Another win off the ice, Charlotte Melindy (Queen’s University) was the 2025 recipient of the OUA Champion of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Award while also mentoring a U18 AA girls’ team in Kingston, Ontario.

With the continued support of the HCF, the program will expand to accept 11 new student-athletes for the 2025-26 season, totaling 20 Creating Coaches for the program’s fifth year. The highest enrollment number to date for the program!

By investing in programs like Creating Coaches, the HCF is helping close the gender gap in coaching and ensuring more women are empowered to lead — both on and off the ice.

In rinks across the country – and even beyond our borders – the hockey community continues to show what makes this sport so special: a deep, shared belief that every child deserves the chance to play.

This spring, that spirit came to life through two unforgettable Assist Fund events hosted by the Hockey Canada Foundation (HCF). Thanks to the commitment of the board of directors of the HCF and Canadian Hockey Foundation US (CHFUS), along with the generosity of partners, over $200,000 was raised to help more kids lace up their skates and find their place in the game.

In Tampa Bay, the first-ever U.S.-based fundraiser – led by CHFUS vice-chair Steve Griggs – brought together hockey legends, NHL leadership and passionate supporters. Just days later, the tradition continued in Montreal, where long-time HCF director Barry F. Lorenzetti hosted a powerful evening at the Bell Centre, uniting donors, alumni and Team Canada greats in support of a shared mission.

These nights weren’t just about raising funds – they were about rallying the hockey community around a simple but powerful goal: to ensure financial barriers are never the reason a child is left off the ice. From coast to coast to coast and across generations, this is what hockey looks like at its best – united, generous and full of heart.

Together, we’re breaking down barriers and keeping the game we love open to all.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced an expanded partnership with SportsPay that will see the organization become the Exclusive Payment Partner for all transactions involving the Hockey Canada Registry (HCR), which is recognized as the premier system for hockey registration and management in Canada.

Most recently Hockey Canada’s Preferred Payment Partner, SportsPay facilitates seamless and secure online transactions and provides a smooth payment experience for its users while using the HCR.

“The Hockey Canada Registry processes hundreds of thousands of registrations for participants across the country each season, and the expansion of our partnership with SportsPay will ensure that the user experience for our participants and associations continues to be world-class,” said Jesse Albers, vice-president of operations for Hockey Canada. “We appreciate SportsPay’s longstanding commitment to supporting amateur hockey in Canada and look forward to working together for many years to come.”

A leading payment provider for amateur sports organizations in Canada, SportsPay was also a proud supporter of the Beyond the Boards Summit in November 2024, which examined outcomes of unhealthy hockey culture.

To learn more about Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

Despite growing up around the game, Nazia Khan never considered coaching a minor hockey team. Even when her own children started playing and her daughter’s coach suggested it, Khan still thought it was out of the question. Coaching was only for hockey dads, right?

“Even if I was [already] a hockey mom, I don’t look like the typical hockey mom,” laughs Khan, while adjusting her hijab.

Born in Toronto to a French-Canadian mother and South Asian father, Khan started playing hockey around age 12 with the Mississauga Girls Hockey League (MGHL). She never faced any discrimination because of her background while playing, but while reflecting on her own hockey journey, she realized she never had any women as coaches. That made Khan reconsider her position; maybe coaching could (and should) be for hockey moms, too.

“As soon as I started [coaching], I adored it,” Khan says. “I was connecting with the girls and they were so excited to have a female coach.

“I feel like it was impactful for the girls, but it was also impactful for me.”

Yasmeen Rizkana, Khan’s eldest daughter, agreed that the first year her mother coached was very meaningful. But it was also one of her more challenging seasons.

“She was going extra hard on me [as her daughter] and I think that helped me get a lot better that year,” Rizkana says with a smile. “But to this date, she’s one of the best goalie coaches I’ve ever had.”

After a few years of taking on goalie and assistant coach positions, Khan was thrust into a head coaching role when her youngest daughter’s coach left the team because of work. At that point Khan knew she should continue her own coaching education.

Since this was during the COVID-19 pandemic, Khan was able to explore her options online and came across We Are Coaches.

“I saw there was no cost and it was women only, so I thought why not give it a try … and I loved it,” Khan recalls. “I had felt inadequate going the first time because I felt I didn’t know anything but then I heard [from other women that] ‘I had to step up even though I never played hockey and didn’t even know how to skate.’

“And just hearing that there’s a collective of female coaches who want to get better and want to learn, that’s just so huge.”

The We Are Coaches program was created to support and sustain the number of girls and women in hockey, specifically by increasing the number of trained women coaches in the game. Funded by the Hockey Canada Foundation, it is free of charge for participants. Most importantly, it is run by women.

Khan enjoyed her first experience with We Are Coaches so much, she sought out in-person clinics when the IIHF Women’s World Championship came to Brampton in 2023. And now, as an executive member of the MGHL, Khan is working with Hockey Canada to bring the program to Mississauga to encourage more trained women coaches in the game, especially as her own daughters continue to grow in it.

“I’ve talked to some of the coaches that we have, and they all think it will be so good,” Khan says. “I would take these twice…I’m so excited to see what it looks like when we put it together.”

Rizkana also hopes she can be a force for change, encouraging more people with non-traditional hockey backgrounds into the game. Her father is originally from Egypt and didn’t know much about the game until Rizkana and her siblings started playing. But he still supported her through a chance to represent Egypt at the Dreams Nations Cup in New Jersey last year.

“That experience helped me realize [my teammates and I were] breaking down barriers,” Rizkana says. “It wasn’t just about the cool experience and what we accomplished for ourselves, it was about being role models for future generations and encouraging more young girls to start playing hockey.”

The international play also motivated Rizkana to continue pushing for her own hockey goals, which include post-secondary and professional aspirations. But she would also be happy as a builder within the game.

“Even if I can’t make a career out of it, I hope that I can actually make a career for younger girls, if they want it,” Rizkana says.

And with Khan and Rizkana helping to grow the game and build community, there will certainly be plenty of options for other women and girls in the game.

Officials from across the country are ready to take the ice for Canada’s U18 national club championships. Twenty-eight officials – 14 referees and 14 linespersons – have been selected by Hockey Canada for the Esso Cup and TELUS Cup.

2025 Esso Cup officials

The officials for the 2025 Esso Cup in Lloydminster, Alberta, were drawn from the Women’s Officiating Program of Excellence. Officials attended development camps and received ongoing mentorship in their Member programs, and were evaluated by national officiating coaches prior to the final selection.

“The Esso Cup is a great opportunity for these officials to finish the season with a national championship,” says Dan Hanoomansingh, manager of officiating with Hockey Canada. “These officials have challenged themselves throughout the season and faced stiff competition to be selected for this prestigious event.”

Referees

• Lindsey Ducharme (Hockey Alberta)
• Emily Hill (Hockey Alberta)
• Jenna Leighton (Hockey Nova Scotia)
• Daphnée Lemay (Hockey Quebec)
• Tori Pirruccio (Ontario Women’s Hockey Association)
• Jillian Purcell (Hockey New Brunswick)
• Kaitlyn Sauser (Hockey Saskatchewan)

Linespersons

• Megan French (Hockey Alberta)
• Carley Jewell (Ontario Women’s Hockey Association)
• Josée Martin (Hockey New Brunswick)
• Taylor Pearson (Hockey Saskatchewan)
• Leah Rideout (Hockey Nova Scotia)
• Shadei Saadé (Hockey Quebec)
• Coby Sullivan (Ontario Women’s Hockey Association)

The officiating coaches for the Esso Cup are Ashley Desjardins (Winnipeg, MB) and Theresa Llorente (Toronto, ON).

2025 TELUS Cup officials

The officials chosen for the 2025 TELUS Cup in Chilliwack, B.C., are part of BC Hockey’s High Performance Officiating Program. They have undergone a lengthy identification and evaluation process by BC Hockey throughout the season, with several of these officials attending Hockey Canada Officiating Program of Excellence camps.

“The TELUS Cup is a once-in-a-career opportunity for the officials of the host Member program,” says Hanoomansingh. “These officials have worked hard and competed all year from U18 AAA to Major Junior, and earned their selection to the national championship.”

Referees

• Jakob Brandstrom
• Jagjit Cheema
• Caden Fanshaw
• Trey Hucalak
• Bryce Manders
• Malcolm Simpson
• Kai Walsh

Linespersons

• Jeff Dayton
• Ryder Fabian
• Nick Gillam
• Aidan Hitchmough
• Isaac La Roy
• Nishan Mahal
• Jack McNabb

The officiating coaches for the TELUS Cup are Ron Dietterle (Aldergrove, BC) and Josh Smith (Blackfalds, AB).

Twenty-six officials – 13 referees and 13 linespersons – have been selected by Hockey Canada to work the men’s and women’s U SPORTS national championships.

The tournaments will run concurrently from March 20-23, with the men’s University Cup taking place in Ottawa, Ontario, and the Women’s Hockey Championship on the ice in Elmira, Ontario.

“Hockey Canada would like to congratulate all the officials on their selection to the USPORTS championships,” said Dan Hanoomansingh, manager of officiating with Hockey Canada. “Our university championships provide top-tier competition in a challenging, single-elimination tournament. These officials are at the top of the game and continued to hone their craft throughout the season to be ready for this event.”

The on-ice officials for the U SPORTS national championships will be outfitted by FORCE Sports.

Men's University Cup (Ottawa, ON)

Maxime Bedard (Hockey Québec) – Linesperson
Adam Burnett (Ontario Hockey Federation) – Linesperson
Taylor Burzminski (Hockey Alberta) – Referee
Dominic Cadieux (Hockey Québec) – Referee
Tanner Doiron (Hockey P.E.I.) – Referee
Maxime Ferland (Hockey Québec) – Linesperson
Mitchell Gibbs (BC Hockey) – Linesperson
Brendan Kane (Ontario Hockey Federation) – Referee
Shawn Oliver (Hockey Eastern Ontario) – Linesperson
Tyson Stewart (Hockey Eastern Ontario) – Referee

Women's Hockey Championship (Elmira, ON)

Grace Barlow (BC Hockey) – Referee
Brandy Beecroft (Ontario Women's Hockey Association) – Referee
Ali Beres (Ontario Women's Hockey Association) – Linesperson
Jessica Chartrand (Hockey Québec) – Linesperson
Alexandra Clarke (Hockey Saskatchewan) – Linesperson
Marie-Éve Couture (Hockey Québec) – Referee
Béatrice Fortin (Hockey Québec) – Referee
Laura Gutauskas (Ontario Women's Hockey Association) – Linesperson
Amy Laroche (BC Hockey) – Linesperson
Elizabeth Mantha (Hockey Québec) – Referee
Amy Martin (Hockey Manitoba) – Referee
Michelle McKenna (Hockey Saskatchewan) – Referee
Shauna Neary (Hockey Manitoba) – Referee
Sophie Thomson (Hockey Nova Scotia) – Linesperson
Justine Todd (Ontario Women's Hockey Association) – Linesperson
Erin Zach (Ontario Women's Hockey Association) – Linesperson

The officiating coaches for the University Cup will be Dan Hanoomansingh (Vancouver, BC) and Kirk Wood (Cambridge, ON). The officiating coaches for the Women’s Hockey Championship will be Gabrielle Ariano-Lortie (Montréal, QC) and Vanessa Stratton (Windsor, ON).

As a player and an official, I haven’t had what you would call a ‘traditional’ path in hockey.

My playing days didn’t begin until I was almost a teenager, and my time wearing the stripes stopped and started before I got onto the journey I find myself on today.

I guess I’ll start there. I work as a linesperson in a number of leagues in and around Quebec. This season, I’ve done games in the American Hockey League (AHL), ECHL, Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) and Ligue de hockey junior AAA du Québec (LHJAAAQ), with U SPORTS and with Hockey Lac St-Louis, my local region.

Oh, and I serve as referee-in-chief of the AHM de Mont-Royal/Outremont, working with young officials.

And did I mention I’m a full-time student, finishing my degree in physical education at McGill University?

It’s a lot, but I love the game.

As I said earlier, I got into the game late. Growing up in Montreal, I watched PK Subban on TV and wanted to be just like him. I knew I wasn’t going to actually make it to the NHL, but I wanted to get on the ice and see where the game would take me. More than anything, I just wanted to have fun.

I was already an active kid. I was always outside, always playing games, but never anything too organized, outside of a couple years of soccer. In school, I lived for sports. I’d make sure I was on every single extracurricular team there was. And I’d be at school all day; from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., I’d be in class. And then from 3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., I’d be playing sports.

Finally, when I was 12, my mom agreed to sign me up for minor hockey.

I’m pretty sure I was late for my first tryouts, so I just ended up on a random team, but I loved it. I never played too competitive, never got to AAA or anything like that, but I was just happy to be playing.

Shortly after I started playing, my dad left. So, it was just the five of us – my mom, myself and my three siblings. Money was tight. But my mom kept me in hockey. She kept all of us in the things we loved. She always put her children first, and made sure we had what we wanted.

If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Heck, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t even know how to skate!

So… Mom, if you’re reading this, thank you. You are the reason I am here today. I love you.

I played minor hockey through to U18, and I thought my playing career was done at that point. Until I got a phone call from the coach at Cégep André-Laurendeau, asking if I wanted to join the college team. I was surprised, because I had never considered collegiate hockey, but I had a buddy on the team who recommended me.

It was already December, and the season was two months old, but I was on the ice the next day and quickly found myself a member of the Boomerang. That was my home for the next two years.

When that chapter was complete, I knew I wanted to stay involved in the game. I wanted to be active, wanted to be on the ice.

My coach told me he knew a guy if I ever wanted to be an official, so I thought… why not?

I did say earlier that my officiating career stopped and started. I actually got my start as an official when I was 16. But at that point, I didn’t want to work the two-man system and do U11 and U13 games. It wasn’t for me.

Fast forward four or five years, and it was a different story. The guy my coach knew was Doug Hayward, who has spent decades involved in officiating in Quebec. He’s has earned provincial and national recognition working with young officials, so when he spoke, I listened.

I decided to give it a real go this time.

It didn’t take long to realize officiating was something I was good at, and something that could be more than – as I considered it – a great way to serve the game and stay physically active. I was working AAA games my first year, and after that first year I got the call to go to the NHL Officiating Exposure Combine. Then I got hired in the QMJHL. Then I got hired in the AHL. Then I got hired in the ECHL. I was like, “Okay, this happening.”

Last season, I started to get more attention nationally and internationally. I attended the provincial Member camp in Quebec, and got an invite to the National High Performance Officiating Camp in Calgary, just about a year ago.

I’ve worked the TELUS Cup, Junior A World Challenge, Centennial Cup and Hlinka Gretzky Cup, working with some of the best officials from across the country. That kind of experience only makes me better on and off the ice.

Hockey Canada helped me get my B license with the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), and that led to my first-ever international assignment – the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship, Division 2A in Dumfries, Scotland.

That was a crazy experience. I spent the first three days just watching, because my luggage didn’t show up. I flew Montreal-Paris-Amsterdam-Edinburgh, and my connection in Paris was only 45 minutes. It’s a huge airport, so I had a feeling my luggage wasn’t making it.

But it was a really nice event. When you work IIHF events, you get to meet new people and you create friendships. We were 11 officials over there, and there are three or four that I still talk to on a regular basis. I’m excited to do more events like that in the future.

The question I get a lot is: How? How do I juggle officiating and school, along with everyday life?

I’d say it’s easier now than it was a few years ago. When I started officiating, I didn’t really know what was going on, so I’d bring my laptop to the rink. I’d show up half an hour early just to finish my work. And then when I got back home after hockey, I’d hop back on the computer and finish my assignments.

I just always have my computer when I travel. If I take a plane, which I do usually once a month, I’ll show up an hour earlier and just do some work to make sure it’s done.

Most of my teachers are understanding. There has definitely been some hockey that I have had to miss out on because I had to be in class, but for most of the part there has been a good balance.

Sleep has taken a bit of a hit, because I’ll either stay up really late or get up really early to finish some work because I know I’m travelling four or five hours for a game. The last thing I want to do when I get home at two in the morning is homework. So, I’ll sleep four or five hours, wake up early, finish my work and then submit it. I’ve made it work, and I’m almost done!

As exciting as being on the ice in some of the best leagues in the world is, there’s something special about working with the young officials with the AHM de Mont-Royal/Outremont.

There are two things I tell young officials:

Number one, you have to make sure you’re having fun. If you’re not having fun, this is not for you, and I won’t take it personally if you don’t want to officiate anymore.

Number two, everybody is human. It’s normal to make mistakes. I’m officiating at the professional level, but that doesn’t mean I don’t make a mistake. But you need to acknowledge your mistakes and learn from your mistakes to get better.

When I go to rinks to supervise, the officials get so stressed whenever they see me walk in the building. So, the first thing I do is tell them, “Let’s relax here. I’m not here to judge you. I’m here to help you.”

Before I wrap up, I just wanted to reiterate that I’m extremely lucky to be in the position I’m in, and I don’t take it for granted. It’s hard to believe I’ve only been an official for four years.

But it’s all about the love of the game, as I’ve mentioned a couple times.

The official may be the “law and order” on the ice, but I really do go out there with a smile on my face and try to make friends. I don’t want to make enemies. Whenever I have an opportunity to shoot a joke, I’ll take it. I’ll see a player, I’ll make a joke and we’ll build off of that.

The next time we’re on the ice together, I’m happy to see them and hopefully they’re happy to see me too.

Just like I tell my officials … if you’re not having fun, this probably isn’t for you!

OTTAWA, Ontario – With the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship beginning today, Hockey Canada is proud to recognize and thank the corporate partners who are supporting the tournament in Ottawa.

“The 2025 World Juniors would not be possible without the tremendous support we’ve received from our partners across the National Capital Region and beyond,” said Dean McIntosh, senior vice-president of revenue, fan experience and community impact. “From the moment Ottawa was awarded the tournament, we have worked with the host organizing committee to engage organizations that are excited to contribute to the legacy of this year’s event, which has led to one of the largest group of partners in World Juniors history.”

The successful bid to host the World Juniors was a partnership between the Ottawa Senators, Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG), Ottawa Tourism, Hockey Eastern Ontario (HEO), the City of Ottawa and the Province of Ontario.

Hockey Canada has 11 of its corporate partners activating at this year’s tournament, including Esso, TELUS, Tim Hortons, Bauer, BFL CANADA, PepsiCo, OK Tire, Timber Mart, AMJ Campbell and SportsPay.

TSN/RDS, the official broadcasters of the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, will broadcast all 29 tournament games.

In addition, 10 event partners are supporting the delivery of one of international hockey’s most prestigious tournaments: Access Storage, BUMP, Bumper to Bumper, Canadian Blood Services, FLO, LP Building Solutions, Myers Automotive Group, Niagara College, Supplement King and Walker Real Estate Group with RE/MAX.

The 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship begins today, with extremely limited ticket inventory for select games available at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets.

To learn more about Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

CALGARY, Alberta –Hockey Canada has announced a multi-year partnership extension with one of its long-standing premier partners, Imperial Oil’s Esso brand.

The extension will see Esso continue to work with Hockey Canada on initiatives that promote and strengthen inclusion in hockey, as well as enhancing programming opportunities for grassroots participants across Canada, including with women and girls.

“Hockey Canada has made it clear to Canadians that we are committed to building a healthier hockey that is rooted in safety, excellence and sport for all, and today’s announcement is extremely important to help us work towards that in partnership with Esso,” said Katherine Henderson, president and chief executive officer of Hockey Canada. “We are grateful to have its unwavering support and cannot wait to work together to connect more Canadians, and especially women and girls, with our national winter sport for years to come.”

“Imperial and the Esso brand have proudly supported hockey in Canada for more than 80 years, recognizing its vital role in connecting people and communities,” said Sherri Evers, senior vice-president with Imperial Oil. “Supporting the next generation of players and fans helps ensure the spirit of hockey in Canada continues to thrive. We look forward to our continued partnership with Hockey Canada that allows us to support achievement at all levels of hockey – from grassroots to the world stage.”

Imperial Oil and the Esso brand have been synonymous with hockey in Canada for nearly 90 years and a premier partner of Hockey Canada since 1981.

As part of the extension, the Esso brand will continue to have an extensive presence in creating unforgettable experiences for women’s and girls’ hockey across the country as the title sponsor of the Esso Cup, Canada’s Women’s U18 National Club Championship, and Esso Fun Days, which is an introductory program that introduced over 1,500 girls and women to hockey last season.

“For many Canadians hockey isn’t just a game, it’s what brings us together in our communities, and when Team Canada hits the ice it’s what unites us a nation” said Cheryl Seaward, director of partnerships at Imperial Oil. “As a long-standing premier partner of Hockey Canada, Imperial is proud to extend its partnership, fuelling the next generation of athletes from pond to podium while supporting the expansion and growth of the women’s game.”

The 2025 Esso Cup is scheduled for April 20-26 in Lloydminster, Alberta.

Along with Esso, Hockey Canada’s premier partners include TELUS, Tim Hortons and TSN/RDS.

To learn more about Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca , or follow along through social media on Facebook , X and Instagram .