47th Annual Little NHL tournament kicks off with inspirational opening ceremony

By Sam Laskaris

MISSISSAUGA – Following an inspirational opening ceremony, it’s time to hit the ice for this year’s Little Native Hockey League tournament.

The opening ceremonies for the 47th annual tournament, best known as the Little NHL, were staged on Sunday afternoon at Mississauga’s Hershey Centre.

Games for the event, which will feature a record 209 youth Indigenous clubs from across Ontario, began on Monday morning and will continue until Thursday.

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne was among those in attendance at Sunday’s opening ceremonies.

“This arena is full of dreams and this tournament is full of dreams,” Wynne told the estimated crowd of 2,000 people. “My responsibility as Premier of Ontario is to support all the dreams of this tournament.”

Jonathan Cheechoo, a member of the Moose Cree First Nation, is proof that dreams can indeed come true for Indigenous hockey players.

Growing up in his small remote northern Ontario community, Cheechoo aspired to play in the National Hockey League (NHL). He fulfilled his dream and after 17 seasons of pro hockey he officially announced his retirement from the sport this past week.

Cheechoo is the honorary chair for this year’s Little NHL. Though the event is staged in Mississauga, his Moose Cree First Nation is serving as the tournament host for the second consecutive year.

“A lot of hard work goes into the making of an event like this,” Cheechoo said. “It really is a family event. And I’m glad to see so many families here.”

Other former Indigenous NHLers who attended the opening ceremony include Fred Sasakamoose, Reggie Leach and Stan Jonathan.

Sasakamoose, the first Canadian Indigenous player in the NHL, gave the opening prayer. Later he participated in a ceremonial puck drop with numerous dignitaries and tournament officials, including Wynne and Jonathan.

Little NHL president Debbie Debassige was beaming as the opening ceremony was winding down.

“The excitement in this building is just ecstatic,” she said. “The energy these kids are showing is just amazing.”

Besides the participating players, Debassige also praised those who continue to make the annual tournament possible.

“Without the support and leadership of all the Chiefs and their councils we wouldn’t have any of this,” she said.

This year’s record number of competing clubs breaks the previous high of 204 squads that took part in last year’s event, also in Mississauga.

A bit of news also emerged from the opening ceremony as Debassige announced the First Nations that would be hosting the tournament in 2019 and 2020.

The Aamjiwnaang First Nation from southwestern Ontario has been awarded hosting rights for next year’s tournament. And Nipissing First Nation in northern Ontario will host the tourney the following year.

Both of those events will also be in Mississauga.

It was already known that the Little NHL executive itself would be hosting the 50th annual tournament, scheduled for 2021. And yes, that will also be in Mississauga.

Debassige praised the work the hosts from Moose Factory have done the past two years.

“It was a pleasure to work with Moose Cree First Nation,” she said. “We’re looking forward to having a great tournament.”

Debassige also announced that Stan Kapashesit, the chair of the tournament committee from the Moose Cree First Nation, will be joining the Little NHL executive committee for the next three years.

Others featured during the opening ceremony included Moose Factory’s High Ridge Singers who performed the opening drum and Birch Island’s Lisa Cywink, who sang the national anthem. Six Nation’s Logan Staats, who recently won The Launch, a Canadian-based TV singing show, attended and performed four songs for the audience.