Sabres, Maple Leafs, Panthers, Senators to play at Kraft Hockeyville

TORONTO, ON - Today, Kraft Heinz, in partnership with the National Hockey League (NHL®) and the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) announced their official 2023 NHL preseason matchups celebrating Kraft Hockeyville 2022 and 2023 winning communities. The Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs will face off on Wednesday, September 27, 2023 at Joe Thornton Community Centre in St. Thomas, Ontario, and the Florida Panthers and Ottawa Senators will face off on Sunday, October 1, 2023 at Centre 200 in Sydney, Nova Scotia.

"Over the past 17 years, Kraft Hockeyville continues to make an impact by uniting communities through the love of the game and helping to make the sport more accessible and inclusive for all," said Adam Butler, President, Kraft Heinz Canada. "Our partnership with the NHL and NHLPA makes it possible to celebrate these deserving communities by bringing preseason games to sport fans and to further ignite the passion of local fans and players. We look forward to seeing that excitement again this fall in Sydney and West Lorne."

In addition to their NHL® preseason game, each community received $250,000 in arena upgrades. The NHLPA Goals & Dreams fund also donated $10,000 worth of youth hockey equipment to the winners. While both Kraft Hockeyville games will be played in nearby facilities due to logistical requirements, the Canada Games Complex in Sydney, Nova Scotia and the West Lorne Arena in West Lorne, Ontario will be the beneficiaries of the grand prize arena upgrades.

Kraft Hockeyville 2022 and 2023 Winning Communities

Sydney, Nova Scotia (Kraft Hockeyville 2022):
Cape Breton is a small island with a huge passion for hockey. Locals describe the island the way they describe their love for community hockey: fierce, resolute and resilient. The Canada Games Complex in Sydney was built 35 years ago to host the 1987 Canada Winter Games but has since had to close its doors to hockey. Since then, the demand for rink access on the island has outweighed the supply, making it difficult to accommodate the sharp increase in participation in girls' hockey the community has seen over the last number of years. Winning Kraft Hockeyville will help the community purchase the new compressor it needs to reopen its arena's doors and empower the girls on the island itching for ice time.

West Lorne, Ontario (Kraft Hockeyville 2023):
West Lorne Arena has been a hub for the communities of West Lorne, Rodney, and Dutton since it was rebuilt after a fire in 1968. Since then, the arena has been full every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with families either on the ice or supporting behind the scenes. That includes current NHL® player Bo Horvat who grew up at the arena. His family still supports first year minor hockey registrants through the "Gooday Lets Play" program. As the number of minor hockey registrants grows to record levels, the community is running out of space. Winning Kraft Hockeyville will help with a range of upgrades including a new front entrance with more accessible larger doors, new dressing rooms to accommodate more players and an expanded warm room for families and fans.

"Our organization is thrilled to visit Nova Scotia this fall to bring an exciting preseason matchup to the passionate fans in the Sydney community," said Florida Panthers General Manager Bill Zito. "The Kraft Hockeyville program does a great deal of good for the growth of our game across North America and we are honored and excited to participate and get the chance to spend some time with the avid hockey fans at Centre 200."

"We are thrilled to participate in the Kraft Hockeyville preseason game as part of West Lorne, Ontario winning Kraft Hockeyville 2023," said Buffalo Sabres General Manager Kevyn Adams. "This is a fantastic opportunity for our organization to compete in a unique environment that is dedicated to strengthening communities and fostering inclusivity in our sport through the community's passion for hockey. It is an embodiment of our organizational dedication to the future of the sport and the fans who care deeply about the game."

"Hockey fans on the east coast love the game and their hospitality is second to none," said Ottawa Senators General Manager Pierre Dorion. "The Senators have been lucky enough to take part in Hockeyville before and I can't say enough about how important the opportunity of showcasing the NHL and leaving a lasting legacy piece in the community is for us. Our players are excited to have the chance to engage with the fans in Sydney when we take on the Panthers."

"Kraft Hockeyville provides us an exciting opportunity to bring the Maple Leafs closer to fans in smaller communities, who might not otherwise have the chance to see the team up close," said Toronto Maple Leafs General Manager Brad Treliving. "We're very much looking forward to participating in Kraft Hockeyville to give back to so many fans who have helped make this game what it is today."

The details of these games, including broadcast timing, are currently being finalized and will be announced at a later date, along with other important community event details.

For complete program details, please visit krafthockeyville.ca.