The Panthers and Senators will face off in Sydney, Nova Scotia on Oct. 1
The Florida Panthers will be part of the 2023 Kraft Hockeyville preseason games.
On Wednesday the league announced the two locations and four teams participating in this season’s matchups.
The Panthers will face the Ottawa Senators on Oct. 1 at Centre 200 in Sydney, Nova Scotia and the Buffalo Sabres will meet the Toronto Maple Leafs in St. Thomas, Ontatio at the Joe Thornton Community Centre.
Further details for the games will be released at a later time.
“Our organization is thrilled to visit Nova Scotia this fall to bring an exciting preseason matchup to the passionate fans in the Sydney community,” Florida Panthers General Manager Bill Zito said in a release. “The Kraft Hockeyville program does a great deal of good for the growth of our game across North America and we are honored and excited to participate and get the chance to spend some time with the avid hockey fans at Centre 200.”
Along with hosting an NHL preseason game, the winning communities each receive a prize of $250,000 in arena upgrades and the NHLPA Goals & Dreams fund also donates $10,000 worth of youth hockey equipment to the winning town.
Per the NHL: “While both Kraft Hockeyville games will be played in nearby facilities due to logistical requirements, the Canada Games Complex in Sydney, Nova Scotia and the West Lorne Arena in West Lorne, Ontario will be the beneficiaries of the grand prize arena upgrades.”
More on Sydney, Nova Scotia, the 2022 Kraft Hockeyville winning community:
Cape Breton is a small island with a huge passion for hockey. Locals describe the island the way they describe their love for community hockey: fierce, resolute and resilient. The Canada Games Complex in Sydney was built 35 years ago to host the 1987 Canada Winter Games but has since had to close its doors to hockey. Since then, the demand for rink access on the island has outweighed the supply, making it difficult to accommodate the sharp increase in participation in girls’ hockey the community has seen over the last number of years. Winning Kraft Hockeyville will help the community purchase the new compressor it needs to reopen its arena’s doors and empower the girls on the island itching for ice time.