Top 10 moments in Hockeyville history

The 20th anniversary of Kraft Hockeyville will be in the fall of 2027. On Saturday, the NHL announced the 13 Canada Provincial and Territorial Winners in contention to win the grand prize of $250,000 toward upgrading their arena and a preseason game celebrating the milestone event.

Thousands living in small towns across Canada, many who have never seen the NHL or the Stanley Cup in person, have been gifted with Hockeyville, a life-changing experience that resonates to this day. To mark the upcoming anniversary, NHL.com is counting down the top 10 events in Hockeyville history. Today, No. 10 and 9. 

10. Only the beginning

The first Hockeyville saw the Monteral Canadiens defeat the Ottawa Senators 7-3 at Colchester Legion Stadium in Truro, Nova Scotia, on Sept. 25, 2006. Salmon River and Deuvilles Rink defeated finalists Smithers, British Columbia; Falher and Airdrie, Alberta; and Barry's Bay, Ontario, for $50,000 in upgrades and $10,000 in hockey equipment. The rink was built in 1958 and owned and operated by Webster John "Web" Deuville, who remained a fixture long after turning over full-time operations to his son, Ellery, in 1998 and was often seen watching games from his apartment window overlooking the ice.

"I remember those words, 'And the winner of Kraft Hockeyville Salmon River Nova Scotia,'" Ellery said in a video produced by Hockeyville.  "I'll never forget that. The whole thing was just a trip that any community has won it knows. It's a special, special, feeling that'll never leave."

Web dropped the puck for the ceremonial face-off in the neighboring town of Truro. He died at the age of 96 on Aug. 22, 2014.

"When my mom passed away, we did not think he would last," said Web's daughter, Donna. "And then Hockeyville came along and that just gave him that little boost. I'm so happy that he got to see Hockeyville because he's the one that is Hockeyville.

"When Hockeyville came along, I realized just how unique this place is."

9. 'Arena of Dreams'

The winning bid for Hockeyville 2012 in Stirling-Rawdon, Ontario, was organized by chairperson Cindy Brandt for their "little village with a big heart," in memory of Barry Wilson, manager of Stirling Arena for 25 years and a 40-year volunteer with the Stirling District Minor Hockey Association.

Wilson died of a stroke at the age of 61 on May 14, 2011. The Barry Wilson Memorial Fund created by family and friends was launched Jan. 6, 2021, to assist with paying registration costs to help families experience the sport of hockey or figure skating.

"We spoke about Barry and how he had plans," Brandt said. "We needed the girls to have a place to play hockey. They needed the same facility as the boys. We wouldn't have had this energy without Barry."

Though a lockout canceled the game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Toronto Maple Leafs, other festivities continued as planned including an NHL alumni charity game featuring Stirling native Rob Ray, a retired Sabres and Senators forward. Eight players honored a commitment to visit the community and skate with kids of various ages: Brad Richardson, Derek Smith, Jamal Mayers, Kurtis Foster, James Reimer, Nick Foligno, Josh Bailey and Belleville, Ontario, native Matt Cooke. They signed paraphernalia and posed for photos, including a group shot outside Stirling Arena with the town's minor hockey players.

"It brings back a lot of memories," Foligno, then with the Blue Jackets, told the NHL Players' Association website. "This is where we started. We all feel a connection to these kind of rinks because this is where we started to play hockey and the people who are involved got us to where we are today, so it's great to come back and give back."

Following an NHL Officials Clinic, the Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets played a makeup game at Yardmen Arena in Belleville on Sept. 14, 2013, each team bringing marquee players, including Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Mike Green and Evander Kane. A crowd of nearly 300 lined up outside to cheer players when they got off the respective team buses. Ovechkin, Backstrom, Green, Kane and Zach Bogosian were among those who took extra time to interact after the morning skate.

Capitals forward Brooks Laich took it all in, though he missed the game because of a left hip flexor injury.

"I know how they're feeling, I know how important it is," Laich told The Canadian Press. "I think sometimes as players, too, we forget really how important the NHL is to people and how delicate it is to be in the NHL. It's just a really, really cool experience."

Green's shootout goal gave Washington a 4-3 win before more than 3,000 fans.

"It was a lot of fun," Green said. "We didn't know what to expect and the city welcomed us with open arms. We had a lot of fun today. Yeah, it was exciting."

Coming March 21: Moments No. 7 and 8

Photo caption: Linesperson Steve Barton instructs local minor league officials at an NHL Officials Clinic during Kraft Hockeyville in Stirling-Rawdon, Ontario, on Sept. 13, 2013.