Lucan, Ont. was the host of Kraft Hockeyville’s NHL preseason game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators last night.
The puck drops as the action begins at tonight’s @NHL Pre-Season game in Lucan, ON as part of #KraftHockeyville 2018! pic.twitter.com/DIlnfk2Fgu
— Kraft Hockeyville (@hockeyville) September 19, 2018
The small town (of about 4500) just 30 minutes North of London, had a hockey filled weekend hosting a visit with the Stanley Cup and last night’s scrimmage.
Stanley Cup in Marquette today for the Kraft Hockeyville celebration. pic.twitter.com/i0seE6EVy3
— tomkippen (@tomkippen) October 2, 2016
The Lucan Community Memorial Center (home of the Lucan Irish) was the venue for what was a dream for every hockey driven small town Canada-wide.
Just 5 minutes and 12 seconds in, John Tavares (Former London Knight) makes his return to the region with his first goal in a Leafs jersey to tie the game at 1-1.
Takes John Tavares just over five minutes to score his first preseason goal with the Leafs… pic.twitter.com/CqTXKVfuig
— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) September 18, 2018
Another former London Knight in Nazem Kadri (London, Ont.) says:
“Believe it or not, I went to a tournament there when I was just a young kid of 10 or 11…”
Kraft Hockeyville is giving $250, 000 to go towards renovations in the Lucan Memorial Centre.
Cathy Burghardt-Jesson, the mayor of Lucan Ontario, says the money was spent on upgrading the dasher boards, glass, speaker system along with brand new scoreboards.
Lucan won Kraft Hockeyville’s social media challenge back in March and the town has been ecstatic since.
“I don’t think it ever really died down. It was prett crazy in March when we were announced winner, it’s only just kept going and going and going”
~Cathy Burghardt-Jesson
The culture of small Canadian towns often revolves around hockey…
A message from the Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Lucan, Ont. #leafs #sens #tmltalk #KraftHockeyville pic.twitter.com/Qb4xzxn1D1
— Mike Zeisberger (@Zeisberger) September 18, 2018
“Its all about hockey. We live and breath hockey. We all know someone who knows someone that plays hockey”, Cathy adds “Even if you don’t know somebody you’d always come out and cheer for the Irish”
It is this culture that breeds players like Mitch Marner, Nazem Kadri and John Tavares. The Three members of the Leafs Roster who used to play London’s OHL team.
Needless to say, Lucan Ontario has put itself rightfully on the map and its arena under huge renovations.
