Sudbury to host NHL preseason game in September

With the arena in Elliot Lake still under repair, the Kraft Hockeyville preseason game will be held in Greater Sudbury this fall.

“We’re pleased to announce that the City of Elliot Lake will host our NHL preseason game between the Ottawa Senators and the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Sudbury Community Arena on Sept. 29,” Elliot Lake said on its Facebook page Wednesday.

“More information regarding the game and ticketing will be announced at a later date.”

Elliot Lake won the right to host the game in March, beating out other communities to both hold the game and receive $250,000 to help repair the community’s Centennial Arena.

The community also won $10,000 in youth hockey equipment from the National Hockey League Players’ Association.

However, Centennial has been closed since 2023 because of safety concerns, including a persistently leaky roof and worries about the building’s structural integrity.

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In May, city officials released a report that said the price to repair the wooden structure was at least $4.3 million.

With that process still underway, Sudbury will host the Sept. 29 Hockeyville contest on Elliot Lake’s behalf.