Hotel Dieu hockey tourney features NHL alumni
The fourth annual Rankin Celebrity Ice Cup hockey tournament in support of Hotel Dieu Shaver Foundation gets underway today at Niagara Falls’ Gale Centre.
The Ice Cup is a two- day hockey tournament experience in which 16 amateur teams across Niagara compete to raise funds to draft an NHL alumni.
The draft night took place at White Oaks Resort & Spa in Niagara- on- the- Lake Thursday evening. Today’s tournament runs 8 a. m. to 4: 30 p. m., with an all- star game scheduled for 3: 30 p. m.
Celebrity players
Wendel Clark, Denis Savard, Rick Vaive, Darcy Tucker, Shayne Corson, Nik Antropov, Mike Krushelnyski, Al Iafrate, Kraig Nienhuis, Wayne Primeau, Matthew Barnaby, Dave McLIwain, Gary Leeman, Todd Warriner, Darryl Shannon, Craig Muni
The goal is to raise $ 200,000. Mary Jane Johnson, director of communications for Hotel Dieu Shaver Health and Rehabilitation Centre, said each team is asked to raise a minimum of $ 8,500 to participate in the tournament.
The top fundraiser got the first pick from a list of 16 NHL alumni, including Denis Savard, Wendel Clark and Rick Vaive during Thursday night’s draft and will play on their team today.
“That is all 16 NHL alumni players, and then the top fundraisers from each team gets to play against them in that all- star game, kind of like a reward for raising the most money on each team.”
Johnson said money raised from the event will help pay for new hospital equipment, such as beds and vital- sign monitors, as well as room renovations at Hotel Dieu Shaver.
She said many Niagara businesses enjoy playing against their colleagues, which is why so many return year after year.
“We do have a few new teams, but they keep coming back because it’s just a one- of- a- kind event in Niagara,” she said.
“You kind of get the full draft experience of sitting and having drinks and dinner with the NHL alumni. The NHL alumni tell their experiences when they’re in the dressing room about sort of their heyday, what happened and then they get tips during the day on their hockey game.”
For more information, visit celebritycup. ca.