SUPERIOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR HOCKEY LEAGUE
SIJHL MEDIA UPDATE
Release Date: Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Dryden GM Ice Dogs (SIJHL) named host for 2018 Dudley-Hewitt Cup
DRYDEN, Ont. – The Superior International Junior Hockey League, in partnership with the Canadian Junior Hockey League, announced Wednesday that the Dryden GM Ice Dogs and the City of Dryden, Ont., will serve as host for the 2018 Dudley-Hewitt Cup Central Canada Jr. A Championship, which is tentatively scheduled for May 1-5, 2018.
The announcement was made Wednesday evening prior to the GM Ice Dogs home game vs. the English River Miners at Memorial Arena.
This four-team, five-day event will feature the champions of the SIJHL, Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League and the Ontario Junior Hockey League as well as the host GM Ice Dogs, who will all compete for the right to represent the Central Region at the 2018 RBC Cup Canadian Jr. A Championship.
Should Dryden prevail as SIJHL Bill Salonen Cup champions in 2018, then the league’s finalist will also advance to the DHC.
An original member of the league, the Ice Dogs have competed in four Dudley-Hewitt Cups previously, twice as SIJHL champions and two other occasions as a league finalist. 2018 will be their initial DHC appearance as host.
The SIJHL is thrilled to have our charter member team, the Dryden GM Ice Dogs, host this tremendous week of Junior “A” hockey,” said SIJHL commissioner Bryan Graham.
“Our league will be celebrating our 17th season in 2017-18 and the Ice Dogs organization has been there since the first puck was dropped back in 2001-02. The league’s board of governors has great confidence this will be a premier event for the City of Dryden, led by team President Mike Sveinson and Tournament Chair Colleen Oliphant.”
For their part, the organization is also looking forward to hosting this prestigious event.
“It’s an honour and a privilege to be named the host city for the 2018 Dudley-Hewitt Cup,” offered GM Ice Dogs team President Mike Sveinson.
It’s not something we will take lightly and the SIJHL and Dryden can look forward to an event that will proudly represent the strength of community that has made the GM Ice Dogs the longest serving franchise in the league,” added Sveinson.
The City of Dryden is also fully on board to help host the DHC.
On behalf of Council and the City of Dryden as a whole, we are thrilled to see the Dudley-Hewitt Cup Central Canada Jr. A Championship coming to Dryden in 2018, stated Mayor Greg Wilson.
“Congratulations to Mike Sveinson and the committee that made this dream a reality; to SIJHL commissioner Bryan Graham and everyone else behind the scenes who brought us to this juncture tonight,” said Mayor Wilson.
“Hockey is a big part of social and sporting life in small town Canada and next year we get to showcase both our hockey talent and community spirit. There is much preparation for 2018 to be done in the meantime, including the facelift of our arena facilities and we look forward to a real team effort between senior levels of government, the City of Dryden, volunteer groups and our citizens to help make this tournament and this city a success,” summarized the mayor.
The 2017 Dudley-Hewitt Cup will be held May 2-6 in Trenton, Ont., and will be hosted by the defending DHC champion Trenton Golden Hawks of the OJHL.
