TORONTO, ON — Today, Kraft Heinz, in partnership with the National Hockey League (NHL®) and the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) announced their official NHL Pre-Season matchup celebrating Kraft Hockeyville 2025 winning community Saint-Boniface, Québec. The Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens will face off on Monday, September 21, 2026, at Colisée Vidéotron in Trois-Rivières, QC. Game broadcast timing is currently being finalized and will be announced at a later date, along with other important community event details.
“In Quebec, hockey is part of everyday life—from local arenas to the pride fans have in their favourite team,” said Simon Laroche, President of Kraft Heinz Canada. “For more than 100 years, Kraft Heinz products have been made by Canadians, for Canadians, which creates a deep connection with communities across the country. Kraft Hockeyville brings this commitment to life by supporting arenas that foster local pride and a sense of belonging. This pre-season game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Ottawa Senators for the community of Saint-Boniface provides a wonderful opportunity to celebrate hockey culture in Quebec as we mark the program’s 20th anniversary.”
While the Kraft Hockeyville game will be played in a nearby facility due to logistical requirements, Saint-Boniface’s local arena Aréna de Saint-Boniface will be the beneficiary of the grand prize arena upgrade. In addition to their NHL® Pre-Season game for winning Kraft Hockeyville 2025, Saint-Boniface received $250,000 for upgrades to its local arena, Aréna de Saint-Boniface, and $10,000 worth of youth hockey equipment from NHLPA Goals & Dreams.
Since its inception, Aréna de Saint-Boniface has represented what’s possible when a community rallies around a common goal. Located in the heart of the town, it serves as a gathering place where people bond over their shared passion for sports, music, celebration and, of course, Le Boum – Saint-Boniface’s hometown hockey team. Built by a group of dedicated volunteers in 1999, their arena now needs tender care, and costly renovations are putting its future at risk. Winning Kraft Hockeyville 2025 provides the support needed to upgrade its infrastructure, ensuring the community has a happy home for the next wave of hockey players.
This year, Kraft Hockeyville is proud to celebrate its milestone 20th anniversary, featuring an expanded contest format that recognizes a Provincial and Territorial Winner from each of Canada’s 13 provinces and territories for the first time. This ensures regional representation and that even more communities from across Canada can benefit from repaired and restored local rinks. Of the 13 Provincial and Territorial Winners, the top two communities will advance to compete for the grand prize of $250,000 and an opportunity to host an NHL Pre-Season game. Canadians can nominate their local rinks now until March 1, 2026, by answering three questions at **KraftHockeyville.ca**.
“It is always a privilege for our entire organization to be part of the great celebration of hockey that is Kraft Hockeyville. Having proudly participated in the very first Kraft Hockeyville 20 years ago in 2006, we are especially honoured to return for this edition. This year promises to be even more meaningful, as we have the opportunity to play in our home province and connect with the passionate hockey fans of Saint-Boniface and La Mauricie. With deep ties to the region, our team is truly looking forward to engaging with the community and celebrating hockey together,” said France Margaret Bélanger, President, Sports and Entertainment of Groupe CH.
“The Senators are always committed to grassroots initiatives, both in the Ottawa-Gatineau region and elsewhere in the country, and we are proud to once again participate in Kraft Hockeyville. Over the years, we have witnessed that hockey is part of the fabric of the communities that we visit. We look forward to the opportunity to bring Ottawa Senators hockey to these areas as a celebration of our sport and the Canadian communities that continue to grow the game,” said Steve Staios, President of Hockey Operations and General Manager of the Ottawa Senators.
The Senators-Canadiens matchup marks Kraft Hockeyville’s return to Quebec for first time since Roberval was the winner in 2008. This will mark Ottawa’s tenth time participating in a Kraft Hockeyville game (2006, 2010, 2011, 2017, 2018, two games in 2022, 2023, 2024) and this will mark Montreal’s sixth time participating in a Kraft Hockeyville game (2006, 2008, 2019, two games in 2022). This will also mark the fourth time Ottawa and Montreal have played against each other in a Kraft Hockeyville game (2006 and twice in 2022). The matchup is almost exactly 20 years to date of the first Kraft Hockeyville game which took place on September 25, 2006, in Salmon River, NS and featured the Montreal Canadiens vs. Ottawa Senators.
Over the past two decades, Kraft Hockeyville has proven that hockey is more than a game–it’s the heart of Canadian communities, where local arenas serve as vital gathering places. Since 2006, the program has awarded $5.4 million to support 105 communities. For complete program details, please visit KraftHockeyville.ca.
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