Future stars get the Hockeyville celebration started

O’LEARY -- O’Leary’s Kraft Hockeyville Winning Weekend celebration got underway Saturday morning with an Initiation Jamboree, 60 first and second-year initiation players divided into six teams.

['Ryan Mann, right, gets his daughter’s jersey signed by a New Jersey Devils player.']

All of the players were outfitted in souvenir Kraft Hockeyville jerseys, all with O’Leary and the number 17 on the back, representative, of course, of O’Leary winning the national competition for 2017.

Skills competitions are being held throughout the afternoon, culminating in a free public skate at 415. A large crowd is expected for that, too.

Mascots made guest appearances during the Kraft Hockeyville Winning Weekend celebrations in O’Leary Saturday. The mural behind them is reminiscent of O’Leary’s bid to become the winner of the inaugural Kraft Hockeyville competition 11 years ago. This time they came out on top from among 3,000 entries, scoring an NHL exhibition game and $100,000 for renovations to the O’Leary Community Sports Centre.

Officials from the NHL and the NHLPA, Kraft and its marketing company, SDI are circulating throughout the arena. Several mascots, including the Kraft Bears are in attendance to greet everyone and to pose for photos.

O’Leary Kraft Hockeyville committee member Bill MacKendrick is assisted at the merchandise table by Hockeyville volunteers Bethany Pridham and Geraldine MacKendrick.

There’s a sales table for Hockeyville merchandise.

A rec hockey tournament is also fit into the Hockeyville celebrations, with games Saturday evening and the tournament then concluding Sunday evening.

There’s a big outdoor festival, featuring live music, inflatables and children’s activities, NHL and Sportsnet personalities, contests on the KD stage and a Taste of the Town tasting tent, all happening on Sunday afternoon.

The presentation of the $100,000 cheque for the O’Leary Community Sports Centre for winning the Kraft Hockeyville national competition will be made during the NHL exhibition game in Summerside on Monday evening. A Hockeyville pep rally will be held in O’Leary Monday at 3 p.m. The Stanley Cup will be in attendance. Following the pep rally there will be a Hockeyville convoy to the game.