Team Tootoo takes A-division title in memorial hockey tournament

Updated on Thursday, March 27, 2025 at 9 a.m. ET.

This year’s Terence Tootoo Memorial hockey tournament was “99 per cent” successful.

That’s according to event co-chair Troy Aksalnik, in a phone interview Wednesday with Nunatsiaq News.

The remaining one per cent involved a heated exchange of words that erupted as Team North and Team Tootoo players shook hands following the A division championship final, which Team Tootoo won 6-4.

Referees ordered two Team North players off the ice following the post-game incident.

The tournament, held annually in Rankin Inlet, is named after Terence Tootoo, a Rankin Inlet hockey player who died by suicide in 2002. He was the older brother of Jordin Tootoo, the first Inuk to play in the National Hockey League.

This year’s games ran from March 12 to 16.

“There were remarks made that were completely inappropriate,” said Jordin Tootoo, addressing the packed arena before honouring players from both teams after the championship game. Video of the game is available on YouTube.

“We take this very seriously. We have to be united — watch out for each other. That’s what community does. That’s what my brother, Terence, would want — not all the B.S. behind the scenes.”

Meanwhile, Rankin Inlet won the B division championship game 5-1 against last year’s winning team, the North Baffin Eskimos, earlier in the evening on March 16.

Thirteen teams from around Nunavut competed in 28 games during this year’s tournament.

“There will be changes made in coming weeks,” Aksalnik said, to avoid a repeat of the incident that marred the final moments of this year’s tournament.

The event ended on a positive note, with Tootoo thanking Aksalnik and all the volunteers, players and fans who otherwise made the event a success.

“I think we can all agree we had a great weekend,” said Tootoo.

Correction: This article has been updated from its originally published version to correctly report the year of Terence Tootoo’s death as 2002.