All eyes on Greater Victoria as region celebrates four days of hockey Jan. 17-20
November 16, 2023 (Victoria, BC) – A ceremonial puck drop at the November 17 Victoria Royals game will mark the start of the official countdown to Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada in Victoria’s Inner Harbour January 17-20, 2024.
Hosted by Ron MacLean and featuring Sportsnet’s all-star roster of NHL® hosts, analysts and reporters, Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada will bring a line-up of hockey icons and family-friendly events to Ship Point in January.
Scotiabank Hockey Day festivities will begin on Wednesday, January 17 and will feature community hockey events for all ages in Greater Victoria leading up to the main event on Saturday, January 20, Canada’s biggest single-day hockey celebration featuring all seven Canadian NHL teams in action.
“I’m excited to show the country how Victoria celebrates hockey,” said John Wilson, chair of Victoria Hockey Legacy Society, a committee of local community leaders working to bring Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada to Vancouver Island for the first time. “We really love to welcome people to our community, and we want to help show that hockey is a sport for everyone.”
Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada events will include:
- The temporary installation of the “Hockey for All Community Rink” at Ship Point, a state-of-the-art artificial ice rink built by CAN-ICE, a company co-owned by former NHL® player Danny Gare, who will also take part in the festivities
- Appearances by hockey legends Cassie Campbell-Pascal, Wendel Clark, Lanny McDonald and Darcy Tucker
- Multiple events featuring the Stanley Cup, including a visit to Songhees Nation.
A new program for this year’s event includes “BC Hockey Try It Clinics” which will take place on Saturday, January 20. These free ball hockey sessions are open to anyone interested in learning the game in a fun and welcoming environment.
“The countdown to Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada in Victoria is officially underway and we couldn’t be more excited,” said Joel Darling, Executive Producer of NHL Special Events at Sportsnet. “We look forward to shining a national spotlight on this vibrant community, and helping to share its rich hockey stories with the rest of Canada across all Sportsnet platforms.”
“We cannot wait to see Victoria’s Inner Harbour transform as Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada arrives in the Greater Victoria area in just a few short months,” said Sophia Pugh, District Vice President at Scotiabank. “Scotiabank is proud to be bringing this momentous celebration of sport and culture to Victoria. This event is all about bringing together community, introducing more people to the game and making hockey more accessible and inclusive for all.”
The philanthropic beneficiary of Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada 2024 will be the Courtnall Society for Mental Health, which promotes understanding of mental health through awareness and education. Local NHL alumni Russ and Geoff Courtnall, as well as their brother Bruce, will take part in the festivities and promote the importance of mental health.
The Victoria Hockey Legacy Society has partnered with Sportsnet, Scotiabank, Province of British Columbia, City of Victoria and Destination Greater Victoria to produce the event, which is also made possible by lead local sponsors Roundhouse at Bayview, Helen Edwards, Author and the Fairmont Empress, along with a myriad of other businesses and organizations. For a full list of local sponsors, visit victoriahockeyday.ca.
The ceremonial puck drops at 7:05 p.m. November 17 when the WHL Royals take on the Lethbridge Hurricanes at Save-on-Foods-Memorial Centre. Commemorative Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada merchandise will be available at the Royals gift shop. Representatives from Scotiabank, Destination Greater Victoria, City of Victoria and Victoria Hockey Legacy Society will be at centre ice for the exciting moment.
For more information, go to victoriahockeyday.ca. Stay up to date on the latest news by subscribing to the Victoria Hockey Legacy Society newsletter.
2024 Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada public event schedule:
Wednesday, Jan. 17 Ship Point
Come participate or view the action
- 2-4pm Shoot at Targets in the FanZone- open to the public
- 3-6:30pm Hockey Clinics- Hockey for All Community Rink
- 4-9pm Victoria Police NHL Street Hockey and Greater Victoria Minor Ball Hockey Association in the FanZone (register to play)
Thursday, Jan. 18 Ship Point
Come participate or view the action
- 11am-4pm Shoot at Targets in the Fan Zone — open to the public
- 1-6pm Hockey for All Community Rink clinics
- 4-9pm Victoria Police NHL Street Hockey and Greater Victoria Minor Ball Hockey Association in the FanZone (register to play)
- SHDIC Gala – 5:30pm – Click here for ticket information
Friday, Jan. 19 Ship Point
Come participate or view the action
- 11am-4pm Shoot at Targets in the Fan Zone- open to the public
- 1-6pm Hockey for All Community Rink clinics
- 4-9pm Victoria Police NHL Street Hockey and Greater Victoria Minor Ball Hockey Association in the FanZone (register to play)
- 7:30pm SHDIC Alumni and Celebrity Classic Game
Saturday, January 20 Ship Point SHDIC Festival
Victoria Celebrates Hockey all day Saturday in the inner harbour, with fun all ages activities, hockey clinics, food trucks, music, the Stanley Cup, autographs, site activations and more. Wear your favourite jersey and enjoy watching the games and live broadcast.
- 10:30am Pancake Breakfast by Military Family Resource Centre FanZone
- 9:30am Stanley Cup Arrival (on display 10am-4pm)
- 10am LIVE on air with Ron MacLean
- 11am-5pm Hockey for All Community Rink clinics
- 11am-6pm BC Hockey, Try it Hockeyball Clinic on the Pier
- 9am-6pm Victoria Police NHL Street Hockey and Greater Victoria Minor Ball Hockey Association clinics in Fan Zone (register to play)
During the course of the week, a number of other events are planned, including:
- Legends of Broadcasters
- SHDIC Celebrity Golf Classic
- Opening Face Off
- Songhees Wellness Centre Visit
- 32 Thoughts Podcast Live taping
- School Visits.
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About Scotiabank
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FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT
WHL Victoria Royals
Joel Rinne, Joel.Rinne@victoriaroyals.com
Victoria Hockey Legacy Society
John Wilson, john.wilson@gowilsonsgroup.com, 250-882-4062
Sportsnet
Jason Jackson, jason.jackson1@rci.rogers.com, 416-602-4033
Scotiabank
Kelty Reid, kelty.reid@scotiabank.com, 437-882-9438