![['Della Sweet weaves her way through the crowd after accepting the Kraft Hockeyville Cup on behalf of the O’Leary Hockeyville Committee and all of its supporters.']](https://saltwire.imgix.net/PI-AXX-XXXX2017-Hockeyville-Winner-4.jpg?cs=srgb&fit=crop&h=568&w=847&dpr=1&auto=compress%2Cenhance%2Cformat)
And although he’s disappointed the game, part of O’Leary’s Kraft Hockeyville prize, is being moved to Summerside, he points out that doesn’t take away from O’Leary’s win.
“They’re a great bunch of workers,” he said of the committee that spearheaded O’Leary’s successful campaign to win the Kraft Hockeyville 2017 title.
Kraft Hockeyville announced Monday that the pre-season game would be played in Summerside but with the O’Leary as the event’s host and the O’Leary Hockeyville committee managing practice and game tickets.
The $100,000 prize for arena upgrades will be awarded to the O’Leary Community Sports Centre.
Committee spokeswoman, Della Sweet said that while her committee was hoping the game could be played in O’Leary, they see the decision as a “win-win.”
“Now that it’s going to the Credit Union Place, the ticket numbers – that’s the good part – lots more people are going to be able to attend the practices, pots more people at the game. That’s pretty exciting in itself.”
The September 25 televised game will be between the Ottawa Senators and New Jersey Devils.
The decision on the location of the game, the prize sponsors explained in a news release is made by all Kraft Hockeyville partners “who work together to ensure each year’s game is held in a facility able to meet the standards required in the competition’s official rules.”
O’Leary mayor Eric Gavin thinks that translates into better angles at the CUP for all the cameras needed for televising the game. He suggested it will be Summerside, not O’Leary that will benefit from all the additional traffic the first-ever Kraft Hockeyville grand prize to be delivered to P.E.I. will generate.
But Leeanne Hutchinson, owner of Vinny’s Restaurant in O’Leary, says the prize is not all about the money. She’s satisfied the game in Summerside will allow more people to attend. She’s pleased the local Hockeyville committee will have control of ticket distribution, believing that means local residents will get first crack at the tickets.
Sweet said her committee especially wants to make sure young people have a chance to see the game.
“We all have that same feeling: This is about kids; this is about celebrating hockey with the kids, and the win, with the kids.”
Although tickets will be free of charge, the committee has to come up with an approved ticket distribution strategy by mid-July.
Sweet added that the decision on game location gets the committee moving again. Besides the ticket strategy, they are getting busy working on plans for a Hockeyville celebration party to be held in and around O’Leary.
“Now we’re celebrating hockey; we’re celebrating the win. So now it’s to come up with events that people can come and attend,” she said. She’s confident many of those activities will involve the O’Leary Community Sports Centre and indicated proceeds from merchandise sales will be added to the $100,000 prize the sports centre is receiving for renovations.
