CHICAGO – January 1, 2016 – Today the puck officially drops on Kraft Hockeyville USA 2016 at the 2016 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic featuring the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins broadcast on NBC at 1 p.m. ET. This year's search for America's most passionate hockey community reunites an all-star roster of partners, including the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA), National Hockey League (NHL), NBC Sports Group, and USA Hockey. Through the program, hockey communities across the U.S. can now vie for the coveted title of "Kraft Hockeyville USA 2016" and enter for a chance to win the grand prize of hosting an NHL Pre-Season game televised live on NBCSN and $150,000 in arena upgrades.
"Our first Kraft Hockeyville in the U.S. last year was a tremendous success that truly ignited the passion of hockey communities across the country," said Nina Barton, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Kraft Heinz. "The spirit and tradition in Johnstown – last year's winning community – demonstrated to America what Kraft Hockeyville is really all about. Now, as Kraft Heinz, we're eager to once again celebrate the pride of local hockey communities and help build the sport by providing much needed awareness and financial support for local rinks."