It’s been a holiday tradition in Calgary for 40 years now: the annual Mac’s Midget Hockey Tournament is set to begin on Boxing Day and the tournament committee unveiled this year’s teams Wednesday in Calgary.
On the boys’ side, there will be 25 teams from as far away as Belarus and Hungary.
Six of the teams are from the Calgary area. The Calgary Royals, Flames, North Stars and Buffaloes will be back in the event, as they have been for decades. But there will be two brand-new local teams: the Airdrie CFR Bisons and the Okotoks Bow Mark Oilers.
Oilers’ forward Nathan Bailer is excited to play in the tournament for the first time.
“Being the first is definitely special,” he said. “We have something to prove, especially being a new team in the tournament. The Okotoks Oilers haven’t been in it before, so we want to come in here and prove ourselves.”
Returning players like Calgary Royals’ forward Andres Bridgewater remembers the thrill of playing in last year’s tournament.
“The energy from the fans and people watching is unlike anything you get during the regular season, so it does bring another level of intensity to the games.”
The Okotoks-based Rocky Mountain Raiders won last year’s female tournament in overtime.
Laura Jardin says it was the pinnacle of her hockey career so far.
“When we scored that final goal, your heart just explodes,” Jardin said. “It’s almost like being in the NHL, having different people from different places coming to watch you. It’s good to know that hockey has expanded to a wide variety of people.”
The Calgary Fire join the Raiders as the two local teams in the eight-team female tournament.
Brooke Dennett has advice for her Calgary Fire teammates.
“You’re going to be nervous for the first few shifts, but I think definitely hold onto the experience, because it’s over in the blink of an eye.”
Over 1,500 volunteers will help make the week-long event run at arenas across Calgary.
Tournament chairman Mike O’Neil says this event represents all Calgary and area midget hockey players.
“This is a community-based tournament and every community in the city of Calgary…and now we go to Okotoks and Airdrie is represented right from the grass roots. So whether you’re a girl or a boy in Calgary, growing up playing hockey, if you you play midget at the higher level, this is going to be your tournament.”
The action starts Boxing Day with the girls’ and boys’ championship games going New Year’s Day at the Saddledome.