Karetakers, North Baffin Eskimos, take top spots at Terence Tootoo hockey tournament
Teams from across Nunavut descended upon Rankin Inlet March 20 for 5 days of games
Members of the North Baffin Eskimos celebrate winning the ‘B’ division title in the Terence Tootoo Memorial Hockey Tournament on March 24. (Photo courtesy of Putulik Photography Sports)
The Karetakers and North Baffin Eskimos were the champs of this year’s Terence Tootoo Memorial Hockey Tournament in Rankin Inlet.
The ‘B’ division averted a three-peat when North Baffin toppled Team Todd from its win streak during the finals on March 24. Last year’s ‘A’ division champions, Team Tootoo, came back with a new roster this year, making the division “anybody’s game,” said Troy Aksalnik, co-chair for the tournament, last week.
“It was a lot of fun,” said Leonard Okkumaluk, North Baffin’s captain, of the tournament.
Okkumaluk’s team had players from communities spanning Igloolik, Sanirajak, Arctic Bay, Pond Inlet and Iqaluit.
He said the win “means a lot,” adding the players had a lot of support from their communities.
“A lot of congratulations and a lot of people who watched the game,” Okkumaluk said.
Rankin Inlet hosts teams from across Nunavut every spring for the annual tournament in memory of Terence Tootoo, a young Rankin Inlet hockey player who died by suicide in 2002.
His brother, Jordin Tootoo, went on to become the first Inuk to play in the National Hockey League. Jordin Tootoo, now retired from the NHL, participated in this year’s tournament.
The event came back last year from a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
There were four teams in the ‘A’ division and eight teams in the ‘B’ division.
The Arviat Kings, Rankin Wolverines, Whale Cove, Team Putulik, Coral Harbour, Igloolik, Team Todd and North Baffin Eskimos made up ‘B’ division, while ‘A’ division was made up of Team Tootoo, the Karetakers, Team Naujaat and Team Rankin Inlet.
Go North Baffin Go!!!!!
Where’s that guy that helps cancel everything thats named Eskimos? Must be busy fighting Eskimo fishing tents to change their name, hopefully.