Kraft Hockeyville Unveils 13 Provincial & Territorial Winners in 20th Anniversary Year

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mar 14, 2026--

In a defining moment for community hockey in Canada, Kraft Heinz, in partnership with the National Hockey League (NHL®) and the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA), today announced the very first 13 Provincial & Territorial Winners of Kraft Hockeyville 2026—a historic milestone that extends the program’s impact from coast to coast to coast.

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Marking the program’s landmark 20 th year, this new phase expands the contest format to ensure representation from every region in Canada, nearly tripling the total prize pool and allowing more communities than ever before to receive meaningful support for their local rinks. This expansion underscores Kraft Heinz’s continued commitment to strengthening community hockey and celebrating the rinks where friendships are forged, rivalries spark and communities come alive.

Of the 13 Provincial & Territorial Winners, 11 communities will each receive $50,000 for arena upgrades. The top two finalists will advance for the chance to compete for the grand prize, with one community crowned the winner of Kraft Hockeyville 2026.

“Reading through this year’s submissions, I can immediately feel how deeply these rinks matter to their communities. They are places where Canadians show up for one another, and memories are made every day,” said Simon Laroche, President, Kraft Heinz Canada. “For more than 100 years, Canadians have welcomed our brands into their kitchens, and Kraft Hockeyville is how we show up beyond the table—investing in rinks that are the heartbeat of their communities. In this landmark 20th year, it’s a privilege to celebrate these 13 distinct communities whose passion and pride truly bring the spirit of Kraft Hockeyville to life.”

NHLPA Goals & Dreams and the NHL/NHLPA Industry Growth Fund will also support the Provincial & Territorial Winners with a donation of $130,000 ($10,000 for each of the Provincial & Territorial Winners) in brand-new hockey equipment to help more Canadian kids play the game they love.

The winners were revealed live on Hockey Night in Canada and represent the communities that demonstrated exceptional community pride and support for their local arenas. Submissions were evaluated on community spirit, the rink’s importance locally and how funding would make a difference, alongside rally points earned through community participation. The top-scoring rink in each province and territory across these parameters earned the title of Provincial or Territorial Winner.

What’s Next

The next phase of Kraft Hockeyville 2026 begins on March 21, 2026, when the Top 2 Finalists will be announced. Canadians will then have the final say in deciding the 2026 winner through public voting at KraftHockeyville.ca from April 3-4.

The Kraft Hockeyville 2026 champion will be revealed live on Hockey Night in Canada on April 4, 2026. As part of the Top 2 prize structure:

Canadians can visit KraftHockeyville.ca and follow @krafthockeyville on Instagram to learn more and follow along as the competition continues to celebrate the heart and hometown pride that define Kraft Hockeyville.

About Kraft Heinz Canada

Kraft Heinz Canada's heritage can be traced back over a century to when James Lewis Kraft of Stevensville, Ontario began selling cheese from a horse-drawn wagon in 1903. Heinz Canada was established in 1909 in Leamington, Ontario where its first products were pickles sourced from local growers. Following the 2015 merger between Kraft Foods Group and H.J. Heinz Company, Kraft Heinz Canada became a subsidiary of the newly formed Kraft Heinz Company (NASDAQ: KHC). Now the country's second largest food and beverage company, iconic Kraft Heinz Canada products like Kraft Peanut Butter, Heinz Ketchup, KD, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Renées Dressing, Jell-O, Classico, Kool-Aid and Maxwell House are found in over 97 per cent of Canadian households.

Kraft Heinz Canada is driving transformation inspired by Kraft Heinz's global purpose, Let's Make Life Delicious, by creating memorable community moments through local initiatives and the impactful program we're celebrating here, Kraft Hockeyville, while also supporting food banks across Canada through Kraft Heinz Groceries for Good program. Learn more about our journey by visiting kraftheinz.com or following us on LinkedIn.

NHL and the NHL Shield are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League. © 2026 NHL. All Rights Reserved.

NHLPA and the NHLPA logo are registered trademarks of the National Hockey League Players’ Association. © NHLPA. All Rights Reserved.

2026 Provincial & Territorial Winners

NÜRBURG, Germany (AP) — Four-time Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen's chances of victory in his 24-hour racing debut at the famed Nürburgring track have been ended by an apparent mechanical issue with his car.

Verstappen had been leading Sunday morning by over half a minute, sharing a Mercedes AMG GT3 car with experienced sportscar racers Lucas Auer, Jules Gounon and Dani Juncadella.

Juncadella had just taken over from Verstappen when he had to slow down with an issue affecting the rear-right of the car and lost the lead before pulling into the pit lane. The car had not returned from the garage after an hour.

Coming a week before F1 returns at the Canadian Grand Prix, the Nürburgring race was a “bucket list” project for Verstappen. He's a keen racing fan and has questioned his future in F1 this year because he's unhappy with the 2026 cars' reliance on electrical power.

Verstappen made an immediate impact in his first stint Saturday evening with a fast, aggressive style typical of his driving in F1, going from 10th to the lead with a series of overtakes. At one point, he lost grip over a bump and ran wide onto the grass, narrowly missing the barrier and he was later in a close battle for the lead overnight.

Verstappen was familiar with the Nürburgring after taking part in a series of shorter races in recent months to add to his years of virtual experience from realistic online simulator races.

It was still a challenge unlike anything in F1.

With 161 cars spread out along a 15.8-mile circuit, Verstappen had to weave past much slower cars and deal with constantly changing weather conditions on a hilly track where it can be raining hard at one point and dry at another.

It was also his first real test of night-time endurance racing without the huge floodlights that F1 uses to light up the track.

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

Max Verstappen stands in his pit before the start of a pit stop and observes the work during the Nurburgring 24-hour auto race in Nurburg, Germany, Sunday, May 17, 2026. (Thomas Frey/dpa via AP)

The pit crew works on Max Verstappen's Mercedes AMG GT3 car during the Nurburgring 24-hour auto race in Nurburg, Germany, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (Thomas Frey/dpa via AP)

Daniel Juncadella, right, helps his teammate Max Verstappen to get into the car during a pit stop the Nurburgring 24-hour auto race in Nurburg, Germany, Sunday, May 17, 2026. (Thomas Frey/dpa via AP)

Max Verstappen, driving the Red Bull Mercedes AMG GT3, flashes his his headlights as he demands a clear path from a slower vehicle during the Nurburgring 24-hour auto race in Nurburg, Germany, Saturday May 16, 2026. (Thomas Frey/dpa via AP)

The pit crew works on the leading Max Verstappen's Mercedes AMG GT3 car, right, as it completes a pit stop at the same time as the second-placed Mercedes-AMG Team RAVENOL with Germany's Maro Engel, Germany's Luca Stolz, Germany's Fabian Schiller and Germany's Maxime Martin, during the Nurburgring 24-hour auto race in Nurburg, Germany, Sunday, May 17, 2026. (Thomas Frey/dpa via AP)