Story Summary
Kraft Hockeyville has returned to Quebec as Saint-Boniface hosts a National Hockey League pre-season game between the Ottawa Senators and the Montreal Canadiens at Colisee Videotron in Trois-Rivieres. Arena de Saint-Boniface received $250,000 in upgrades as part of a wider $7.2 million renovation budget supported by the Hockeyville prize and local effort. The event will feature pre-game festivities and player appearances, and marks Hockeyville’s first return to the province since a 3-2 Canadiens win over the Buffalo Sabres in Roberval on Sept. 23, 2008. Local organiser Jean-Sebastien Descoteaux said the community is eager for fans to meet their idols and watch the game, while volunteers disassembled and moved the arena from Radisson before rebuilding it following its $1 purchase.
Key Facts
- Kraft Hockeyville has chosen Saint-Boniface, Quebec, as this year’s host community.
- A pre-season game will be played between the Ottawa Senators and the Montreal Canadiens at Colisée Vidéotron in Trois-Rivières, Quebec.
- The game is scheduled for Monday at 7 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on TVAS, SN1 and NHLN.
- Arena de Saint-Boniface received $250,000 in upgrades from the Hockeyville grand prize.
- The $250,000 prize helped grow a renovation budget to $7.2 million for Arena de Saint-Boniface.
- Volunteers purchased the arena for $1, disassembled it in Radisson, Quebec, and shipped it 14 hours south to rebuild it in Saint-Boniface.
- Hockeyville returns to Quebec for the first time since a 3-2 Canadiens win against the Buffalo Sabres in Roberval on Sept. 23, 2008.
- Jean-Sebastien Descoteaux, who handles communications for the Saint-Boniface local organising committee, said the community was looking forward to fans meeting their idols and watching the game.
- Saint-Boniface is described in its municipal history as originally erected July 1, 1855, under the name Canton de Shawenegan and later named Saint-Boniface.
- Saint-Boniface is nearly equidistant between Montreal and Quebec City and about 20 minutes from Trois-Rivières and Colisée Vidéotron.
- Amanda McKay, chair of the Elliot Lake Local Organizing Committee, is reported to be in Trois-Rivières on Monday for the ceremonial handoff of the Hockeyville trophy.
IHM Discussion
Hockeyville’s return to Quebec with Saint-Boniface at the centre of the festivities is as much about community infrastructure as it is about an NHL exhibition. The Arena de Saint-Boniface project began from a strikingly grassroots origin – a $1 purchase and a volunteer-led transplant of an arena structure from Radisson – and the $250,000 grand prize has been applied to upgrades within a $7.2 million renovation programme. The prize provides a significant contribution to a wider local project, while the volunteer history gives Saint-Boniface’s celebration its particular character.
For fans, the practical payoff is immediate. A pre-season meeting between the Senators and Canadiens at Colisee Videotron gives local supporters a chance to see two NHL clubs nearby. The event also includes a community celebration, red carpet, player appearances and other festivities that turn an exhibition game into a civic showpiece.
The 2008 Hockeyville game – a 3-2 Canadiens victory against Buffalo in Roberval – places the Saint-Boniface event in the programme’s Quebec history. Amanda McKay’s planned attendance for the ceremonial trophy handoff also links the new host community with Elliot Lake, the previous winner.
Why It Matters
Beyond a single pre-season matchup, Hockeyville events channel media attention, funding and volunteer energy into local arenas that might otherwise struggle to finance major renovations. The $250,000 prize in Saint-Boniface is explicitly cited as part of a larger $7.2 million budget that will renew community ice infrastructure. For young players, families and local businesses, the arrival of NHL clubs and the related fan programming can strengthen participation, boost local spending and raise the profile of grassroots hockey. For the league, these games keep the NHL connected to smaller communities and reinforce hockey’s cultural spread across the province and country.
Mini Q&A
What is happening in Saint-Boniface for Hockeyville?
Saint-Boniface is hosting a Kraft Hockeyville celebration that includes a pre-season game between the Ottawa Senators and the Montreal Canadiens, plus pre-game festivities and player appearances.
Where will the pre-season game be played and when is it scheduled?
The game will be played at Colisée Vidéotron in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, on Monday at 7 p.m. ET, with broadcasts on TVAS, SN1 and NHLN.
How much funding did Arena de Saint-Boniface receive from Hockeyville?
Arena de Saint-Boniface received $250,000 in upgrades from the Hockeyville grand prize.
What larger renovation programme does the Hockeyville prize support?
The $250,000 prize helped grow a renovation budget to $7.2 million for the Arena de Saint-Boniface.
When was the last time Hockeyville was held in Quebec?
Hockeyville last visited Quebec when the Canadiens beat the Buffalo Sabres 3-2 in Roberval on Sept. 23, 2008.
Coach Mark Comment
The lasting value is not the pre-season result but the attention directed towards a community rink. A major hockey event can give local volunteers and young players a memorable focal point, while the arena upgrades provide the tangible legacy of the celebration.
What Comes Next
Amanda McKay of the Elliot Lake local organising committee is expected in Trois-Rivieres on Monday for the ceremonial handoff of the Hockeyville trophy. The Senators – Canadiens pre-season game and associated Hockeyville festivities are also scheduled for Monday at Colisee Videotron.
IHM Final View
Saint-Boniface’s Hockeyville celebration is a reminder that NHL reach extends beyond arenas in major cities. The headline attraction is the Senators – Canadiens pre-season game, but the deeper story is civic: volunteer labour, a modest prize and a concentrated investment have combined to deliver a renovated facility and a community festival that will outlast a single evening of hockey.