Madahbee takes over acting president role for Little NHL tournament
By Sam Laskaris
AUNDECK OMNI KANING FIRST NATION – Patrick Madahbee has certainly had his share of roles with the largest Indigenous youth hockey tournament in Ontario over the years.
Madahbee, a member of Aundeck Omni Kaning First Nation, had previously served as president of the Little Native Hockey League tournament, which is frequently more simply called the Little NHL.
Over the years, his responsibilities have included serving as a member of the tournament’s executive, past president, and during the last several years, being a political advisor for the event.
Madahbee even worked as a referee for the Little NHL during its inaugural year in 1971 because he was three months too old to play in the tournament himself.
Madahbee, however, will have a new title for this year; he’s been named the event’s acting president.
Madahbee was appointed to the position earlier this month following a Little NHL executive meeting in the host community of Nipissing First Nation on Jan. 14.
He takes over from Marian Jacko, a member of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory, who had served as the Little NHL president since December of 2018.
Jacko was required to step down from her position since she was named to Hockey Canada’s Board of Directors in December. In order to serve with the national organization, she had to take a leave of absence from her Little NHL duties.
Madahbee said he is simply stepping up for a year, while Jacko serves on the Hockey Canada board.
“I’m just filling in her role,” he said. “I have hard shoes to follow.”
Jacko was one of nine new directors that were chosen to serve one-year terms with Hockey Canada.
While taking on the tournament’s acting president role, Madahbee will continue to be a political advisor for the event.
“We do get support from the Chiefs of Ontario,” he said. “A lot of it is just keeping the Chiefs appraised of what is going on with the Little NHL.”
Madahbee is no stranger to politics himself. He was the chief of Aundeck Omni Kaning for 17 years and he also worked as a councillor for his First Nation. He also served four terms as Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief. He announced in 2018 that he would not seek re-election for another term; however, he currently holds the role of the Anishinabek Nation Commissioner on Governance since 2020.
As for the Little NHL, this year’s tournament is scheduled for Mar. 12-16. Though Nipissing First Nation in Northern Ontario will host the tourney, it will be staged in Mississauga as the Southern Ontario city has sufficient rinks and hotels to accommodate all of the participating players as well as their family member and supporters.
This will mark the first Little NHL that has been held since 2019. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic had forced the cancellation of the tournament in each of the past three years.