There isn’t a more Canadian scene than a frozen pond filled with hockey players in the middle of winter, and the inaugural Ducky Pond Hockey Classic presented by Canada Life will give hockey players the ultimate outdoor hockey experience. Join us from February 9-12 2023 on the new custom-made lake at Camp Manitou to honour the legacy left by Jets legend Dale Hawerchuk (a.k.a Ducky) while celebrating Canada’s favourite winter pastime in the great outdoors.
The tournament will bring pond hockey players together for four days of competition and fun. Affiliated with the World Pond Hockey Championship, the winners of both the Open and Women’s categories at the Ducky Pond Hockey Classic will win more than just bragging rights, with entries and all-expenses paid trips to the World Championship in Plaster Rock, N.B. the following year on the line.
Complementing the competition will be plenty of fun for all participants and spectators. The whole tournament will have a true festival vibe featuring local DJs providing entertainment on the pond throughout the tournament, food trucks, a beer garden and more. With Jets alumni on site, 50/50, prizing, and giveaways, there really will be something for everyone at the Ducky Pond Hockey Classic.
Most importantly, the Ducky Pond Hockey Classic will carry on Dale’s legacy of giving back to the community through programs he valued. Hawerchuk Strong, an initiative supporting causes close to the heart of Dale and the Hawerchuk family, as well as the True North Youth Foundation and the Winnipeg Jets Alumni & Friends will benefit from the proceeds of the tournament to continue their important work in the community.
A Message from the Hawerchuk Family
As a family, we couldn’t be more excited for the inaugural Ducky Pond Hockey Classic.
We know Dale would be so proud to have his name on an event that will celebrate the game he loved so much. Hockey was a sport Dale dedicated many hours to, and he loved every minute of competition he got to be a part of at all levels. More importantly though, Dale loved hockey for the community that it gave him. Many of his best friendships came from his time playing hockey, and we know Dale would be grinning ear to ear seeing others foster meaningful relationships and building new ones through the sport. For us to see this all happen in a city that welcomed him with open arms from day one is a true testament to why Winnipeg was a place he called home.
Perhaps most important to Dale would be the impacts the tournament will leave far beyond the event. Dale always knew that the real power of hockey didn’t come on the ice, but in how he could make a difference off of it. With the Ducky Classic supporting Hawerchuk Strong, the True North Youth Foundation, and the Winnipeg Jets Alumni & Friends, we know Dale’s legacy of inspiring the next generation and striving to give them amazing opportunities will live on.
We hope you choose to join us in continuing Dale’s mission of creating community around hockey and giving back, and we look forward to seeing you on the ice!
– The Hawerchuk Family