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In 2021, the Elsipogtog First Nation was crowned the winner of Kraft Hockeyville,  but because of the pandemic, a pre-season NHL game had to be delayed.

Local Spokesperson Jaime Carpenter says it will be between the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens and will be played at the JK. Irving Arena in Bouctouche on October 8.

“It’s been a long time coming, but it’s finally exciting to see everything come together. We’re very, very busy, as are the rest of the committee,” Carpenter says.

In celebration of the Kraft Hockeyville win, several other events are planned leading up to the pre-season NHL game on Saturday.

That includes an Alumni game featuring former NHL and Team Canada and Team USA players.

Carpenter says it includes four female Olympians, three from Team Canada one from Team USA and then the rest are all alumni from various NHL teams, many of the players on the ice are indigenous.

“I really wanted to make sure we had a few indigenous female hockey players come because we are trying to grow female hockey and I wanted to be able to show that girls who look like us and come from the same background are able to make it to the top level of hockey,” Carpenter adds.

The alumni game is being played on Thursday, October 6th at the Richibucto Arena, because their arena in Elsibogtog First Nation, isn’t ready yet.

As a part of the Kraft Hockeyville win, Elsibogtog First Nation received $250,000 in arena upgrades and $10,000 worth of youth hockey equipment from the NHLPA’s Goals & Dreams fund.

Carpenter isn’t sure when their arena will finally open, because she says they’ve had a setback, but she says it looks completely different than it did before.

The arena was previously damaged in a fire, and renovations included upgrades to the dressing rooms, new siding, an elevator, a new Zamboni, and new benches.