Hockeyville Hub: Saint-Boniface

Kraft Hockeyville awards winning communities in Canada a once-in-a-lifetime experience for hockey fans. This year, Saint-Boniface, Quebec, is hosting a preseason game with the Ottawa Senators playing the Montreal Canadiens at Colisee Videotron in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, on Monday (7 p.m. ET; TVAS, SN1, NHLN). Arena de Saint-Boniface received $250,000 in upgrades, and there will be festivities and player appearances prior to the games in Hockeyville's return to the province for the first time since a 3-2 Canadiens win against the Buffalo Sabres in Roberval on Sept. 23, 2008. NHL.com staff writer Jon Lane is in Saint-Boniface to provide all the sights, sounds, highlights and news.

Thursday

Bienvenue a nouveau, Hockeyville

"Imagination is the beginning of creation." -- George Bernard Shaw

Hockeyville is back after a one-year hiatus. The locals of Saint-Boniface considered it a blessing that gave them more time to prepare for what awaits. Their story is that of working-class people who do hard work with pride, their arena purchased for $1, dissembled and shipped 14 hours south from Radisson, Quebec, for a group of volunteers to rebuild.

From imagination grew the spark, then the decision to create, act and later bid to win Hockeyville. The result was a grand prize of $250,000 that helped grow a budget of $7.2 million to renovate Arena de Saint-Boniface.

Everything about Hockeyville -- the community celebration, the red carpet, the preseason game, and a few surprises along the way -- they're here.

"We can't wait to watch their highs when they will meet their idols and they will watch the game there, so it's going to be another great moment," said Jean-Sebastien Descoteaux, a member of the Saint-Boniface local organizing committee in charge of communications.

What I've learned about Saint-Boniface:

-- The official municipal history says it was erected July 1, 1855, under the name Canton de Shawenegan. The parish later took the name Saint-Boniface, after the Germanic apostle and church reformer.

-- It's a prominently French-speaking community promoted by Come Explore Canada Travel and Tourism as a practical village-and-countryside stop where forest history, farming, local sports facilities and Heritage Carcajou Park shape a visit.

-- Nearly equidistant between Montreal and Quebec City, and about 20 minutes to Trois-Rivieres and Colisee Videotron.

-- Two hours and change from Bell Centre, the home of the Canadiens.

Our last visit

Outside Sudbury Community Arena on Sept. 29, 2024, hundreds of kids and their parents chanted Sidney Crosby's name for at least a half-hour before the Pittsburgh Penguins were scheduled to walk the red carpet. Two hours west, we visited Elliot Lake, Ontario, home to nature, landscapes and landmarks that the locals call, "Our Jewel in the Wilderness."

Crosby scored the first of his two goals at 8:55 of the first period in a 5-2 victory against the Senators.

"When he comes to Canada, it's like the Beatles," then-Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said.

The Hockeyville grand prize and other donations raised $952,787 to help Elliot Lake restore Centennial Arena and city councilors on Sept. 23, 2025, voted unanimously to spend another $11.6 million in repairs to what's now Rogers Arena. 

Building architect Chris Perry presented to the Elliot Lake City Council on Sept. 14. A new scoreboard was delivered and installed that day and icemaking continues, which with interior metal siding is expected to be ready Monday. The Elliot Lake Vikings of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League were in their space Sept 4 as part of a soft occupancy and are scheduled to play their home opener against the Espanola Paper Kings on Sept. 25.

Amanda McKay, a chair of the Elliot Lake Local Organizing Committee, will be in Trois-Rivieres on Monday for the ceremonial handoff of the Hockeyville trophy.

"Life is good in Elliot Lake," McKay said in an email. "The excitement, of course, is mounting. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone and being a part of this celebration for Saint-Boniface."

Hockeyville has returned. Allons travailler. (Let's go to work.)