The Centennial Cup, awarded every year to the top junior A hockey team in Canada, has never come to Northern Ontario, but the Greater Sudbury Cubs are looking to change that.
On April 25, the local Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League squad claimed victory in the NOJHL, taking home the Copeland Cup – McNamara Trophy in the process.
On Tuesday, the team departs the Nickel City for Oakville, where the 10-day Centennial Cup tournament will be played, and they’re inviting Sudbury to turn out and cheer them on.
For 51 years, the Centennial Cup tournament has determined Canada’s top Junior A team every year. What was once a five-team round robin followed by playoffs, was changed for the 2022 Centennial Cup tournament to include the winners of the nine member leagues of the Canadian Junior Hockey League.
Those member leagues are the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL), Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL), Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL), Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL), Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL), Quebec Junior Hockey League (LHJQ), Maritime Junior A Hockey League (MHL) and, of course, Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL)/ The host city, which is pre-determined by the CJHL, also gets a berth.
This year, the Oakville Blades play host at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex.
Before hitting the road on Tuesday afternoon, the Cubs are hosting a fan event at their home arena, the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex.
The team bus will pull out of the parking lot at 3:30 p.m. on May 7 and the team is inviting fans to be there to cheer them on.
“The Cubs organization would like to invite everyone to gather around the team bus and wish the Cubs players encouragement as they exit the Countryside arena parking lot for Hwy 69,” the team said in a news release.
“No team has ever won the Centennial Cup from northern Ontario and the Greater Sudbury Cubs are looking forward to competing on the national stage” to represent the Nickel City and the North.
Those who can attend are encouraged to bring posters, banners or noisemakers to show the the Cubs some Nickel City spirit as they hit the road.
