Rankin Inlet braces for big hockey week as Terence Tootoo Memorial returns
Potential three-peat in the ‘B’ division and a wide open ‘A’ division in this year’s tournament, co-chair says
Team Tootoo pauses for a group photo in Rankin Inlet’s arena after taking home the 2023 ‘A’ division championship in the Terence Tootoo Memorial. This year the division is wide open, tournament co-chair Troy Aksalnik said. In the ‘B’ division, seven other teams will be trying to prevent Team Todd from winning three times in a row. (Photo courtesy of Pujjuut Kusugak)
A potential three-peat in the ‘B’ division and a tight competition in the ‘A’ division highlight this year’s Terence Tootoo Memorial hockey tournament in Rankin Inlet.
“The fans are always excited,” said Troy Aksalnik, who co-chairs the tournament of the largest hockey tournament in the Kivalliq region.
“Rankin’s a big hockey town.”
Twelve teams are set to play — four in the ‘A’ division and eight in the ‘B’ division.
Games start Wednesday at 7 p.m. and run through Sunday.
The tournament was renamed in 2017 after Terence Tootoo, a young Rankin Inlet hockey player who died by suicide in 2002. His younger brother, Jordin Tootoo, was the first Inuk to play in the National Hockey League. Jordin Tootoo is also a regular fixture at the tournament, playing for Team Tootoo in the ‘A’ division.
Having Jordin Tootoo playing in Rankin Inlet is exciting for the kids, according to Aksalnik.
“They never got to watch him in the [NHL] but they get to watch him live here in our own rink,” he said.
Last year, Team Tootoo won the ‘A’ division. But this year, the team will be quite a bit different. It will be a younger team, with several Nunavut players from the Norman Northstars under-18 AAA team in Manitoba on the roster.
The Karetakers, a team that has played in Arviat’s Jon Lindell Memorial Tournament, is joining this year’s ‘A’ division. Team Naujaat and Team Rankin Inlet are the other teams in the ‘A’ division.
“Some teams have players on their rosters that we’ve never seen,” Akalsnik said.
“It [will be] interesting. It’s anybody’s game on Sunday.”
Aksalnik said there are good teams in the ‘B’ division as as well.
“Team Todd is going for a three-peat and I think a lot of people want to take that [away] from him,” Aksalnik said with a laugh.
Outside of Team Todd, the Arviat Kings, Rankin Wolverines, Whale Cove, Team Putulik, Coral Harbour, Igloolik and Eskimo Point will be competing in the ‘B’ division.
In terms of challenges for organizing such a big tournament, Aksalnik said scheduling is the biggest issue.
Some teams are available to play on Wednesday, while one team will not be able to fly in until Friday.
Nonetheless, Aksalnik is hoping for packed arenas.
“It’s about having fun, getting together and seeing old friends,” he said.
The round-robin stage of the tournament runs Wednesday through Saturday. The ‘B’ championship game will be at 6 p.m. on Sunday, March 24, and the ‘A’ championship game is scheduled for the same day at 8 p.m.
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