Tourney record just out of reach

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Organizers are raving about how events transpired as the Little NHL Tournament made its return to Sudbury.

This year's event, held March 12 to 16, marked the 35th year the youth tournament (NHL stands for Native Hockey League) has been staged.

Though Sudbury frequently plays host to the event, it has moved around to other northern Ontario towns in recent years. This marked the first time since 2003 that it was staged in the Nickel City.

A total of 120 clubs from across Ontario had registered for the tournament, but, for various reasons, there were three squads that were last-minute withdrawals.

"We would have had (the tournament record) if all 120 teams had come," said Franklin Paibomsai, the chief of the Whitefish River First Nation, who served as an executive member of the tournament committee.

Paibomsai recalled there was a tournament high of either 117 or 118 participating squads a few years ago.

That's a far cry from the just 17 teams that competed at the inaugural Little NHL Tournament back in 1971.

At this year's event, clubs were divided into eight different divisions. A total of 248 matches were held at seven different Sudbury area rinks.

All of the A-championship finals were at the Sudbury Arena, home of the Ontario Hockey League's Sudbury Wolves.

"That gave the kids, especially the younger ones, something to shoot for," Paibomsai said.

The event is classified as a house league level tournament. But some teams do have rep players ? all the way up to the highest calibre AAA level ? on their rosters.

"It's nice to have a healthy competition," Paibomsai said. "But that competition should build your character."

A highlight for Paibomsai was when he heard about a seven-year-old player who was named as the most valuable player of the game in a championship match.

But that player then went into the opposing (and losing) team's dressing room following the game and presented the MVP award to that club's goalie.

"That's what it's all about," Paibomsai said. "What we need is about 500 more of that boy. That kid really embodies the spirit of the tournament."

Clubs representing Wikwemikong ended up as the A champions in three divisions. Wikwemikong clubs won the junior girls, tyke and atom groupings.

Other A champs were Garden River (novice); Six Nations (pee wee); Chimnissing (bantam) and Curve Lake (midget).

Also, a squad dubbed A.O.K. captured the senior girls' A division.

In order to enable as many participants as possible to take home either a trophy, plaque or medal, organizers had as many as eight championship games in some divisions.

"There was so many amazing games that we had," Paibomsai said. "I saw some amazing hockey. And we had just a wonderful time."

The executive of the Little NHL Tournament played host to this year's event.

The 2007 tournament will also be in Sudbury. The Ojibway Cultural Foundation will play host to the event.