Toonik Tyme hockey tournament renamed to honour Brian Twerdin
Prominent businessman and volunteer died in December; ceremonial puck drop featured family members
Family members of Brian Twerdin drop the puck for a ceremonial faceoff at the Toonik Tyme tournament that has been renamed in his honour. They are, from left, Iola Sheutiapik, Elisapee Sheutiapik, Mike Twerdin and Jimmy Twerdin. A memorial for Twerdin is set for April 16. (Photo by David Lochead)
Iqaluit’s annual Toonik Tyme hockey tournament has been renamed the Brian Twerdin Toonik Tyme Memorial to honour the local business owner who died at the end of 2022.
“He loves these things,” Twerdin’s common-law partner, Elisapee Sheutiapik, said of the community gathering.
“This is what he lived for.”
A ceremonial puck drop was held at centre ice in the first game of the tournament on April 13. The faceoff included Sheutiapik and Twerdin’s brother, Mike, who dropped the puck. Sheutiapik’s son Iola and Twerdin’s son Jimmy took the faceoff.
Brian Twerdin was a prominent member of Iqaluit’s community for more than 40 years. He helped grow the hockey community, volunteered his time at food banks and was manager of the Grind and Brew restaurant.
Brian Twerdin, at the Grind and Brew in 2014. Outside of being manager at the shop, Twerdin was known for his involvement in the Iqaluit community. (Photo by David Murphy)
Sheutiapik owned the Grind and Brew, but she said everyone thought Twerdin was the owner because of how prominent he was at the shop. He loved interacting with customers, talking about what was happening in the community and chatting about sports.
“He just breathed it,” Sheutiapik said.
Twerdin was someone who always rooted for or helped the underdog, according to Sheutiapik.
She said she noticed that impact recently when someone volunteered to help at the Grind and Brew when Sheutiapik opened the shop on a Saturday. The volunteer told Sheutiapik he was helping because when he needed a job, Twerdin gave him an opportunity.
Recently, Sheutiapik said, a food bank organizer told her that back in the day there were times when there would not have been food in the food bank if it was not for Twerdin.
His impact was also noticed in 2012, when he jumped into icy water to save a woman from drowning. For that act, he received a certificate from the city.
Back at the puck drop for the first game, Sheutiapik commemorated Twerdin’s love for the Boston Bruins by wearing a shirt beneath her Iqaluit jersey that had one of Twerdin’s favourite sayings: “My two favourite teams are the Bruins and whoever beats the Canadiens.”
Elisapee Sheutiapik wears a shirt to the ceremonial puck drop with Brian Twerdin’s favourite saying printed on it. (Photo by David Lochead)
The Brian Twerdin Toonik Tyme Memorial tournament will continue at the Arctic Winter Games arena, with seven teams competing throughout the weekend.
The bronze medal game will be at 4 p.m. Sunday, with the gold medal game following at 6 p.m.
Outside of the hockey tournament, a memorial service for Twerdin will be held at the Aqsarniit hotel at 1 p.m. on Sunday. A silent auction and buffet dinner will follow at the same location at 6 p.m.
So glad to hear the Tuniit Tourney has been renamed, now let’s do the same for the entire festival. It is inappropriate for the conquerors of this land to use the legacy of the people displaced as a caricature for their spring festival.
Good for the hockey tournament! Hockey is good for the community! Thanks Brian and Elisapee, Mike and all.
As for Toonik Tyme, many of us were born here. We grew up with Toonik Tyme, keep it the way it is. Tuniqtai. Yes! Inuit were involved in the set up. We will celebrate Toonik Tyme as it is.
I understand that because you’ve always known it as ‘Tunniit time’ there is a kind of sacredness, immutability and ‘rightness’ about the name. At the same time, the thought of change probably makes you very uncomfortable. That’s normal. But for now, you need to sit in your discomfort.
And to be fair to you, this perspective is not your creation. Still, you need to acknowledge how your privilege has made your casual acceptance of such bigotry possible.
gimme a break. take your offended woke garbage BS outta toonik tyme. drink another bud light
Brian was a terrific member of the community I had the honour to grow up alongside him through most of my younger years and was a friend and a patron of Brian’s. He and Elisapie built a great coffee shop The Grind and Brew and built it to be more than just a coffee shop but the iconic Iqaluit type Tim Hortons where everyone would go to on a daily basis but even more it was a meeting place for us long timers and we would all go there on our work time coffee breaks, lunch breaks and after work hours for the comradely that us locals had with Brian and Elisapie as well as her sisters , and all that frequented the shop. It was the information and tourism booth it was where sports especially hockey was discussed teased about as we all had different teams that we cheered for and supported. There were many laughs especially when I think back of those that I knew while growing up there like Bill Mackenzie, Brian Renny and Bob Hanson , John St James, Joe Hess, Brian and Mike Twerdin, Mel Fowler , myself and Brian Hellwig , Andrew Cox, Pitseolak Alaina, Levi Tikivik, Andy Rheume and Joe Pee, Moe Lewis, Andre Savard, Paul & Louis Barrieau , Mark Holland, Keith Baines, John Thomas, Paul and Barbara Sevigny and many others would all get together and discuss local politics and community events there and it was where you would find out all that was on the go in town. As time went on all our kids would slowly become part of the same ritual with their younger opinions. Brian and his brother Mike were always an integral part of the local hockey association and community volunteer organizations and always did their part as a local business to donate and be involved in some shape or form to ensure that local community events and activities succeeded and were successful annually as all small community businesses strive to achieve and keep going as a tradition as that is what being a northerner is all about as I learned growing up in Frobisher bay. Growing older alongside the Inuit and all that their culture stands for which is helping and being there for one another.
It is with a heavy heart to be hearing about all those that we grew up with and spent many hours of our days among each other slowly thinning and makes us appreciate even more the way that people such as Brian and many others that have passed that were big influences within the community are being acknowledged, appreciated and remembered through these types of events and memorials such as this onefor Brian and helps keeps their legacy alive and all that they thrived lived and persevered throughout their life . I can honestly say as I’ve grown older you take the time occasionally to look back on the days that we really pay no mind to until we lose another friend and member of the community. It is those thoughts and memories that make me and many others I’m sure, appreciate and be grateful to have had the honour to have known and enjoyed all those years with people with the true northern style loving hearts as Brian gave to all. Brian will be truly missed but the memories that many will carry with them for their lifetime will always bring a smile to our faces when we reminisce of those past days of our youth and our northern lifestyles. RIP Brian ! You will always be remembered fondly.
So glad to see this. Brian was a great friend and help to me when I was there. We had just reconnected on Facebook and was hoping, someday, to see him again. Still hard to believe he has gone. He is always missed. ❤️
RIP LEGEND, Thanks for all the great pies and memories.
And to all that, I would have no problem hearing that the AWG Arena was renamed the Brian Twerdin Memorial Arena.
His contribution to hockey and the community in its entirety deserves that as a minimum.
I am so shocked to hear of Brian’s passing. I am keeping all of you in my thoughts and prayers.
I am very happy that they changed the name, to honor a very special member of the community.