2023 Canadian National Blind Hockey Tournament

 

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT:

The 2023 Canadian National Blind Hockey Tournament will be the BIGGEST event in the history of the Para sport of Blind Hockey with over 200 players and coaches participating from 11 Canadian provinces and five different countries including the USA, Finland, England, and Scotland!

(TORONTO. March 24, 2023) Canadian Blind Hockey is thrilled to announce that the world’s original Blind Hockey Tournament is back and bigger than ever with a record over 200 participants competing in six different divisions including: Children, Youth, Low Vision & Development, Open, Women’s, and Canada vs USA.!

The 2023 Canadian National Blind Hockey Tournament takes place at the Mattamy Athletic Centre – the former Maple Leaf Gardens – in Toronto, ON from March 24 – 26, and is presented by AMI and brought to you by CNIB Foundation. All games are free and open to the public to attend and will be streamed live on the Canadian Blind Hockey YouTube Channel.

Opening ceremonies take place at 11:00 am on Friday, March 24, in front of an expected packed house as more than 1000 students from across the city are planning to come cheer on Team Canada as they look to defend their title against Team USA in the fourth installment of the International Blind Ice Hockey Series. The powerhouse Team Canada is undefeated against their American rivals having won the series in 2018, 2019, and 2022. Team Canada, and especially the seven local players and coaches, will be highly motivated as this will be the first-time that the best-on-best competition takes place in Toronto. View the roster here.

Immediately following Canada vs USA is the Women’s Blind Hockey Showcase Game that features 25 players from Canada, the USA, and Finland competing in only the second-ever all Women’s game. Blind Hockey has always been a co-ed sport, however the vast majority of participants have been men. Thanks in part to Canadian Blind Hockey’s new Girls & Women’s program stream more than 17 percent of participants across all divisions are female as the organization continues to work to grow that side of the game.

“The National Tournament has always been the catalyst for growing the sport,” said Canadian Blind Hockey Executive Director Matt Morrow. “When we founded this event in 2013 there were 45 players competing in one division.  We had only one American, only two women, and no children or youth.  So it’s truly incredible that at our ninth annual National Blind Hockey Tournament we now have six different divisions providing opportunities for everyone to participate and compete at all levels.”

The Para sport of Blind Hockey is played by athletes who are blind or partially sighted who have approximately 10% vision or less.  The sport uses an adapted puck that makes noise and is larger than a traditional puck.

Teams Named in Honour of NHL Original Six & Youth Partners

For the 2023 Canadian National Blind Hockey Tournament the adult teams are named in honour of the NHL’s “Original Six.” The teams in the Open Division will be named the Bruins, Hawks, Rangers and Wings; the teams in the Low Vision & Development Division will be the Leafs and the Habs.  These names are fitting for a tournament taking place at the historic former Maple Leaf Gardens which hosted the Original Six era. The teams in the Children and Youth Division will be named the Otter’s in honour of our partnership with the W Ross MacDonald School for the Blind in Brantford, and the 67’s in honour of our partnership with the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s.

 

2023 CANADIAN NATIONAL BLIND HOCKEY TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
FRIDAY MARCH 24
9:30 am – 11:00 am YOUTH: OTTERS (Black) vs 67’S (Yellow)
11:00 am – 1:30 pm CANADA vs USA
1:30 pm – 2:30 pm WOMEN’S BLIND HOCKEY SHOWCASE GAME
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm CHILDREN: OTTERS (Black) vs 67’S (Yellow)
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm LOW VISION & DEVELOPMENT: LEAFS (Black) vs HABS (Yellow)
5:00 pm – 6:30 pm OPEN: BRUINS (Black) vs HAWKS (Yellow)
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm OPEN: RANGERS (Yellow) vs WINGS (Red)
SATURDAY MARCH 25
8:00 am – 9:00 am CHILDREN: OTTERS (Black) vs 67’S (Yellow)
9:00 am – 10:30 am OPEN: BRUINS (Black) vs RANGERS (Yellow)
10:30 am – 12:00 pm OPEN: HAWKS (Yellow) vs WINGS (Red)
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm LOW VISION & DEVELOPMENT: LEAFS (Black) vs HABS (Yellow)
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm YOUTH: OTTERS (Black) vs 67’S (Yellow)
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Canada vs USA
5:00 pm – 6:30 pm OPEN: BRUINS (Black) vs WINGS (Yellow)
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm OPEN: HAWKS (Yellow) vs RANGERS (Black)
8:00 pm – 9:00 pm WOMEN’S BLIND HOCKEY SKILLS DEVELOPMENT SESSION
SUNDAY MARCH 26
8:00 am – 9:00 am CHILDREN: OTTERS (Black) vs 67’S (Yellow)
9:00 am – 11:00 am Canada vs USA
11:00 am – 12:00 pm YOUTH: OTTERS (Black) vs 67’S (Yellow)
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm LOW VISION & DEVELOPMENT: LEAFS (Black) vs HABS (Yellow)
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm OPEN DIVISION: BRONZE MEDAL GAME
2:30 pm – 4:00 pm OPEN DIVISION: GOLD MEDAL GAME

 

LOCATION:
Mattamy Athletic Centre. 50 Carlton St. Toronto Ont.
March 24 – 26, 2023. Toronto, ON.

For more information, please contact:

Mel Carrey
Manager of Marketing & Communications
Canadian Blind Hockey
melcarrey@blindicehockey.com
(416) 526-8114

Matt Morrow
Executive Director
Canadian Blind Hockey
mattmorrow@blindicehockey.com
(604) 812-6786
Tournament schedule as listed on the webpage.