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Replay: A celebration of Minor Hockey: On June 11th, CBC Sports' hosted a live, online forum for fans to connect with NHLers and share their favourite minor hockey memories.
Minor Memories: NHLers look back: On Thursday, May 28, from 1-2 p.m. ET, Our Game connected with the pros, including Chris Gratton, Alyn McCauley and Kelly Hrudey, in a live chat about concussions, paying minor hockey coaches and who had the best 'trash talk' on the ice.
'I felt like I was dreaming,' winner of Stanley Cup tickets says: As winner of CBC's Our Game Star contest, Montreal's Simeon Kirimidtchiev, 14, is off to the Stanley Cup Finals, which he says is a dream come true
Replay: Coaching the coaches: On May 14th, Our Game chatted in a live forum with three-time gold medal winning national junior coach Craig Hartsburg along with the former women's national u-22 coach Lisa Jordan and the head of coaching for Hockey Canada.
Steven Stamkos: 'I was in a Jolly Jumper...': Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos recalls his finest minor hockey memories, including his obessesion with mini sticks.
Goalie gear officially shrinks in September: Hockey Canada's new goalie gear requirements kick in this September, meaning minor hockey players should be down to size and up to speed with what they wear between the pipes.
Vernon wins RBC Cup junior A title over Humboldt: The Vernon Vipers secured their place in Canadian junior A hockey history with a fifth national title Sunday night, winning the Royal Bank Cup in Victoria with a 2-0 victory over the Humboldt Broncos of Saskatchewan.
Broncos, Vipers advance to RBC Cup final: The Vernon Vipers and Humbolt Broncos will battle for this season's Royal Bank Cup champion.
National hockey tournament showcases aboriginal talent: Some of Canada's best junior hockey players are in Winnipeg this week to compete in the national aboriginal hockey championships.
Cleaning up the politics of tryouts: Ontario's Whitchurch-Stouffville Minor Hockey Association has developed a system that includes independent evaluators to ensure tryouts are fair.
Replay: Summer hockey: Do kids really need it?: On Thursday, April 30, Our Game chatted with former Toronto Maple Leaf Bob McGill and other experts in a LIVE discussion about summer hockey.
Is summer hockey worth it?: For many minor hockey players, the sport is year-round, but some hockey experts say it may be best to take a break.
Notre Dame Hounds win national midget hockey championship: Christopher Gibson made 43 saves as the Notre Dame Hounds shut out the Calgary Buffaloes 4-0 to win gold at the Telus Cup in Selkirk, Man. Notre Dame last won gold in 1986, and hadn't appeared in the final since 1987.
Replay: Minor Hockey Talk with Walter Gretzky: On Thursday, April 23, from 1-2 p.m. ET, join Our Game for a LIVE, online forum with Walter Gretzky to discuss minor hockey.
Leafs fan in Canucks town can't let go of true passion: When Our Game Star and Ontario native Craig MacBride blogged about the torment of being a Leafs fan in B.C., he earned the chance to win tickets to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Replay: Talk girls' hockey with Canadian legend Angela James: Four-time world champion Angela James took your questions about the women's game during Our Game's LIVE Minor Hockey Talk forum on Thursday from 1-2 p.m. ET.
Ottawa tourney raises $228,000 for minor hockey, charities: Registration is now open for Ottawa's 10th annual Bell Capital Cup, which raised $228,000 for minor hockey groups and charities in 2009.
Should hitting be allowed when it's boys against girls?: An Our Game reader asks the experts whether a game between a hitting boy's team and a non-hitting women's team should include bodychecking.
'It's what fills my soul': Our Game Star Jeff Churchill, of Vancouver, likes his job but says coaching minor hockey is most rewarding.
Replay 'Minor Hockey Talk': Is hockey too expensive?: Our Game rounded up the hockey experts to fuel a LIVE discussion about the cost of the game on Thursday, April 9 from 1-2 p.m. ET.
Greater Toronto Hockey League scraps one-time gate fee: The Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL) has scrapped its plan to implement a one-time gate fee next season, which would have forced parents to pay up to $520 in extra registration fees before the start of the year.
Should I pay less because my son is a bench warmer?: Our Game's experts field a question about whether registration fees should reflect ice time.
Hockey Canada chairman Morris, 74, passes away: Hockey Canada board chairman Dr. Allan Morris has passed away, the governing body said on Tuesday.
More balanced ice time goal of Hockey Calgary boundary changes: Hockey Calgary is proposing to change boundaries in the city, which could see hundreds of minor hockey players switch teams, and balance out precious ice time for practices.
'Hockey brings this country closer together more than anything else': Wes Stankoven of Kamloops, B.C., is this week's Our Game star for his contribution to the Community, making him eligible to win tickets to the Stanley Cup Final.
'Minor Hockey Talk' Replay: Are tryouts fair?: Our Game held a live forum Thursday from 1-2 p.m. ET to talk tryouts, and you had your say.
Hockey seasons saved in towns that lost arenas: Having lost their home arenas, minor hockey associations in Orillia, Ont., and Grimshaw, Alta., saved their seasons thanks to community groups and neighbouring associations that sacrificed ice time.
Provincial tournaments: 'It takes a whole army to pull this off': The preparations for many of the year-end minor hockey tourneys happening across the country started before the puck dropped on the season in September.
'All helmets do a poor job of preventing concussions': doctor: The Equipment guy consults a concussion expert with a reader's question about a helmet's ability to prevent concussions.
'The only thing I haven't really done is drive the Zamboni': This week's Our Game Star, Justin Disher, 32, announces local games, manages two teams, helps with coaching and blogs about local teams on his hockey website.
Overtime, shootout or elimination? What's the standard?: A coach asks Our Game's experts what the standard is when it comes to settling tie games during tournaments.
'Minor Hockey Talk': bodychecking debate: The discussion got pretty heated during Our Game's live discussion about bodychecking in minor hockey. Does it have a place in the game, and if so, when should it be introduced?
Minor hockey tourney in Chatham, Ont., another victim of recession: The annual house league Easter tournament in Chatham, Ont., was cancelled last week due to lack of entries, and officials in the city's local minor hockey association say the main culprit is the recession.
'Concussions' new enemy' approved for use in Canada: A reader asks Our Game's equipment guy whether those Cascade helmets Mark Messier's been marketing really work, and if they can be worn in Canada.
Toronto Marlboros win OHL Cup: blog recap: Our Game senior writer Kristina Rutherford brought you the OHL Cup finals live from the Hershey Centre in Mississauga, Ont.
The pressure to make it: Our Game discussion recap: Our Game experts fielded questions on Thursday in an interactive blog from the OHL Cup
Hockey mom captures kids in action: This week's Our Game Star is Gayl Hawkins, a hockey mom who's been writing blogs and posting pictures of her son's Scarborough atom AA team and their quest to reach the championships.
OHL Cup action: 'The pressure is that we are supposed to win': The Ontario Hockey League Showcase Cup got under way Wednesday at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga, where the top 18 minor midget teams from Ontario and two teams from the United States will play over the next five days for the OHL Cup.
Sledge hockey mom says it's a family affair: Suzanne Vienneau of Edmonton, who posted pictures of her sons' sledge hockey team and wrote blogs about their season, is this week's Our Game Star and could win tickets to the Stanley Cup Final.
Bodychecking a leading cause of injury in youth hockey: study: Bodychecking in youth hockey leagues is associated with an increased risk of injury to players, says a new study led by York University.
'My son is one of 3 goalies on the team: what can we do?': A hockey dad asks Our Game's experts how to handle a situation where his son is one of three goalies on a house league team. He says he's 'written off' the season.
'The coach cut my son because he doesn't like me': Our Game experts tackle a hockey dad's question about how to approach a coach who dislikes him and didn't take his son on the team as a result.
Terrace, B.C., is Kraft Hockeyville: The community of Terrace, B.C., was announced Saturday as the winner of this year's Kraft Hockeyville contest after drawing the most votes in online, text and telephone balloting.
Should my goalie get two minutes for being thirsty?: Our Game experts field minor hockey questions, including what to do if your child is spending a lot of time on the bench during the playoffs.
Hockey Calgary gets tough on arena abuse: Hockey Calgary has had enough. An unusual increase in off-ice problems has sparked the minor hockey organization to implement a zero tolerance policy toward troublesome coaches and spectators.
'My life revolves around hockey': Our Game star: Peewee player Dustin Shilton of Courtenay, B.C., is this week's Our Game star and has a chance to win tickets to the Stanley Cup Final.
Live Blog: Answers to your questions on minor hockey: Our Game's minor hockey experts fielded live questions from minor hockey fans across the country Thursday afternoon during Minor Hockey Talk.
'Coaches that routinely sit players should be ashamed': readers react: A response to a hockey mom's question about how she should handle her son's lack of ice-time during the playoffs has sparked a fiery debate, and Our Game expert Cal Botterill has responded.
Hockeyville extends online voting: The online voting period for CBC Sports' Hockeyville 2009, a competition to crown Canada's most spirited hockey community, has been extended by 1½ hours.
Sideline support can boost athletic performance: British study: A British study, released on Tuesday, reveals the benefits of social support to an athlete's performance in high-pressure situations.
Rink-maker 'The Iceman' is Our Game's Star: Toronto's Wayne Wasyluk, who earned the nickname 'The Iceman' for tending to his neighbourhood's two outdoor rinks, is this week's Our Game Star.
GTHL instituting flat rate for gate fees next year: Parents won't have to fork over $5 a game to watch their kids play in the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL) next year. Instead, they're going to have to pay a flat rate up front.
Historic Niagara Falls arena hosts its final OHL game: The Niagara IceDogs skated to a 5-3 victory over Ottawa on Sunday in the final Ontario Hockey League game to be played at the Niagara Falls Memorial Arena.
'Does my son need a mouth guard to play hockey?': Many Our Game members are peppering us with hockey questions - and we have answers and advice for you. This is Our Game's 'Ask the Experts,' so fire away with your minor hockey questions.
Quebec study investigates parent behaviour in sporting arenas: The Quebec government is looking at the behaviour of parents in hockey arenas in an effort to reduce violence in the stands.
Fight leads to suspensions for two N.L. hockey teams: The group that regulates hockey in Newfoundland and Labrador has suspended two minor hockey teams for a post-game fight last weekend that sent a teen to hospital in St. John's for surgery.
Fighting should be axed from hockey: symposium: Fighting should be banned from hockey at all levels, from the littlest leagues across the country to the NHL, parents, coaches and officials said during the Violence in Hockey Symposium on Tuesday in London, Ont.
Devoted volunteer earns Our Game's Star of the Week: Our Game's Star of the Week is B.C.'s Jayson Moonie, a devoted hockey fan who's spent his life volunteering at the arena but has never played the game.
Minor Hockey team appeals disqualification decision: A minor hockey team has been tossed out of the running for the provincial championships, after Hockey Nova Scotia disqualified the team for having an ineligible player on the ice.
Thetford Mines to compete for Hockeyville title: Thetford Mines, Que., was unveiled Saturday night as a finalist of CBC Sports' Hockeyville 2009, completing the list of five communities competing for the crown as Canada's most spirited hockey community.
Clark, Napier give fans in Campbellton a thrill: The smiles on the faces of Dominic Gallant and Keegan Dube said it all when they came off the ice after a practice with Wendel Clark and Mark Napier as part of the Hockey Day in Canada celebrations.
Getting up close to their idols: In places like Campbellton New Brunswick Ron MacLean and Don Cherry can't walk around without people asking for an autograph
Edmonton politician to propose National Hockey Day: Linda Duncan, who won the riding of Edmonton-Strathcona for the NDP last October, will table a private member's bill to have the third Friday in February declared National Hockey Day.
A coat and tie for Don: Each of the 200-plus students at the school for grades seven, eight and nine were asked to design a tie for the fashion-conscious Cherry and again their imaginations went on a fashion version of a power-play.
2010 Olympic hockey schedule released: The Canadian women will begin their quest for a third straight Olympic hockey gold on Feb. 13 at the Vancouver Games, with the Canadian men scheduled to play their first game three days later.
AHL team bus crashes, seriously injuring 5: A bus crash involving the AHL's Albany River Rats has left five people, including two Canadians, with serious injuries, Massachusetts State Police said Thursday.
Campbellton counting down to Hockey Day: With Hockey Day in Canada less than a week away, the committees in Campbellton, N.B., that have been working for months to make the event a success are poring through their final checklists, making sure everything is in place.
'I wish more people would give women's hockey a chance': Steph Cook: Steph Cook, 21, is Our Game's Star of the Week for showcasing her passion for women's hockey in the Our Game Community. She'll be featured on Hockey Night In Canada and has earned a chance to win tickets to the Stanley Cup finals.
Regina hockey coach selected as Olympic torch bearer: Volunteer hockey coach Caleb Taylor of Regina has been selected as one of the first Olympic torchbearers for the 2010 Vancouver Games.
400 young officials quit over abuse annually: Hockey NB: Persistent abuse hurled at young hockey referees by coaches and parents is causing almost a third of New Brunswick officials to quit annually.
Midget hockey player charged with assault: A 16-year-old is facing an assault charge after an on-ice incident last month at a midget hockey game in Southampton, Ont.
Sask. hockey team plays clean, and cleans up in league play: A rural Saskatchewan hockey team has finished its season with no trips to the penalty box for fighting, and in first place — a rare combination at that level of play.
Quebec City welcomes world's best peewee players: Starting Wednesday more than 2,000 kids from 16 countries will hit the ice for the 50th edition of the renowned Quebec International Peewee Hockey Tournament, where NHL stars like Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Guy Lafleur scored major attention as youngsters.
Hockey NB probes off-ice scuffle between referee, organizer: Hockey New Brunswick is investigating an off-ice incident in Sussex where a referee is accused of starting a fight with an organizer of a girls' tournament.
Campbellton: The passion lives here: When the hockey world focuses its attention on the Tim Hortons Hockey Day in Canada festivities in the bilingual community of Campbellton on Feb. 21, they will see a place that speaks volumes about why Canadians love the game.
Concussion panel calls for fighting ban in hockey: Fighting should be eliminated from hockey at all levels of the game, according to recommendations released Tuesday from an expert panel dealing with concussions in hockey.
Hockey Day in Canada honours sport's greatest rivalries: CBC's Hockey Day in Canada will honour the rivalries in Canada's great frozen game on Feb. 21. Ron MacLean and former Toronto Maple Leafs captain Wendel Clark will be in the host city of Campbellton, N.B.
Backyard rink maker earns star status: Toronto's Ward Day has been named Our Game's star of the week for sharing pictures of his backyard rink and blogging about how to get the best results.
Our Game's Magic Hockey Helmet player shares story: Miller Donnelly, 11, blogs in Our Game about what inspired his famous YouTube speech to hockey parents, while his dad, Mike, writes 'the inside story' behind his son's Magic Hockey Helmet video.
BC Hockey stands by Vernon ruling: It's been more than a week since BC Hockey suspended the bantam tier-2 team from Vernon, B.C., and while the organization stands by its decision, the parents of team members still don't understand why their kids were punished.
Tragedy hits minor hockey in New Brunswick: Funeral services were held today for a 15-year-old girl who died after her hockey game on Friday at Hartland Community Arena in New Brunswick.
First Our Game star of the week announced: Hazel Wells of Fredericton is Our Game's first star of the week and could win tickets to the Stanley Cup Final.
Our Game stars: Meet the Our Game stars of the week, who were awarded with a feature on Hockey Night in Canada and a chance to win tickets to the Stanley Cup finals for their contributions to Our Game's community.

Minor Memories

Steven Stamkos: 'I was in a Jolly Jumper...': Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos recalls his finest minor hockey memories, including his obessesion with mini sticks.
Luke Schenn: 'It's got chicken wire instead of glass...': Minor memories: Luke Schenn
Johnny Bower: '...I was shaking in my boots.': Minor Memories: Johnny Bower
Paul Ranger: My minor squirts Speedy Auto Glass team: "Coldest game I ever played was probably new years eve, my backyard, I think I was about 10 or 11 years old, it was like minus 28 or something outside. We played til like 1 in the morning (ha). Oh ya toques, triple socks."
Cassie Campbell: "My favourite gift was my very first set of Cooperalls...": Cassie Campbell's Christmas hockey memories
Jeff Marek: "When I opened it up, my jaw hit the ground...": Jeff Marek's Christmas hockey memories
Jim Hughson: "It was -30 but nobody cared...The games were magic.": Jim Hughson's Christmas hockey memories
Mike Green: 'I couldn't skate backwards or stop': The 22-year-old led all defensemen in the NHL with 18 goals last season for the Washington Capitals. A Calgary native, Green was Washington's first round pick in 2004.
Robyn Regehr: My mom was always yelling at the refs: The 28-year-old scored five goals and added 15 assists for the Calgary Flames last season.
Andrew Ference: 'This team just loved their pranks': The Boston Bruins defenceman notched 15 points last season. Ference, who grew up in Calgary, scored a career-high 31 points with the Flames in 2005-2006.
Jason Blake: 'It'd be minus 10...but you loved it.': Minor memories- Jason Blake
Mark Napier: 'rats bigger than some dogs' in Boston: I started skating when I was three, and then I started playing house league when I was five.
Kevin Weekes: I was the youngest so they put me in net: The Toronto native was the Florida Panthers second round draft pick in 1993. Weekes, who has earned 19 NHL career shutouts between the pipes, now plays for the New Jersey Devils.
Phil Esposito: the guidance counselor I'll never forget: The Hall of Famer is considered one of the best to ever play the game. A native of Sault St. Marie, Ont., Esposito played 18 seasons in the NHL, a career that saw him win two Stanley Cups, five scoring titles and four league-wide most valuable player awards (2 Hart trophies, 2 Lester B. Pearson awards).
Jason Spezza: Vague memories of paperweight hockey: Ever since he caught the attention of the scouts as a young player in Mississauga, Ontario, Jason Spezza has been expected to be a star. He played in the OHL when he was 15 and was drafted by the Senators in 2001. His most successful season was in 2007-2008 when he had 92 points.
Mike Commodore: We lost 13-1 the first time I played goalie: The 28-year-old defenceman with the signature hair and bathrobe hails from Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta. He's been a part of two memorable Stanley Cup runs, coming up one game short with Calgary in 2004, and then winning it all as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006. He signed with Columbus in the 2008 off-season.
Gary Roberts: my dad left me crying on the ice: Gary Roberts tells Our Game about some of his fondest memories growing up playing hockey.
Hayley Wickenheiser: 'we had to wear a toque under our helmets': The Saskatchewan native is the captain of the Canadian National women's hockey team, a two-time Olympic gold medallist, six-time world champion, and the first woman to earn a point in a professional men's hockey league. Wickenheiser, 30, is arguably the best female hockey player in the world.
Fredrik Modin: 'Skating around with furry white skates': The 33-year-old veteran left-winger from Sundsvall, Sweden, won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning back in 2004. Since then he's been a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets, and is one of their assistant captains.
Dany Heatley: 'My father played hockey so I wanted to be like him': The 27-year-old left-winger from Calgary has been one of the Ottawa Senators' biggest threats in the past few seasons. Despite missing 11 games last season due to injury, he still notched 41 goals and 41 assists, for 82 points in the 2007-2008 season.
Michael Peca: 'Dixie arena truly was a barn': The 34-year-old, two-time Selke Trophy winner was born and raised in Toronto, and has captained two NHL teams so far in his career (Buffalo and the New York Islanders). The veteran has also made stops in Vancouver, Edmonton, and Toronto, before signing on with Columbus last season.
Marc Crawford: 'Frank Mahovlich was my idol': Marc Crawford was drafted in 1980 by the Vancouver Canucks where he played 176 games over 6 years. His coaching career has been more successful. His first NHL team was the Quebec Nordiques where he won the Jack Adams award for coach of the year. He moved with the team to Colorado where he won a Stanley Cup in 1996. Since then he's coached the Vancouver Canucks and the Los Angeles Kings.
Ryan Kesler: I knocked over a kid twice my height: A two-way centre from Livonia, Michigan, Kesler was the MVP of the 2002 World Under-18 Championship, where he led the Americans to gold. In the 2007-08 season he scored 21 goals and added 16 assists for the Vancouver Canucks.
Shawn Thornton: 'I started at age seven, a little bit later than most kids': The 31-year-old left winger out of Oshawa, Ont., was part of Anaheim's Stanley Cup-winning squad in 2007. He then signed with the Boston Bruins.
Matt Stajan: World Juniors in Halifax: The 24-year-old is playing his fourth year in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs. A native of Mississauga, Ont., Stajan notched a career-high 33 points in the 2007/08 season, with 16 goals and 17 assists.
Jordin Tootoo: I got in a brawl at my first game: The right-winger for the Nashville Predators was born in Churchill, Manitoba and spent most of his childhood in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut. In the 2007-2008 season he had 11 goals and seven assists in 63 games, and scored twice in the playoffs.
Vic Lynn: 'We felt like heroes': Now 83 years old, Vic Lynn is the only player in NHL history to suit up for all six original teams.
Troy Murray: Pom-pom toques under our helmets: Troy Murray spent 15 years in the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets, Ottawa Senators, Pittsburgh Penguins, Colorado Avalanche and the Chicago Blackhawks. He spent most of his years with the Blackhawks, winning a Selke trophy as best defensive forward in the league in 1985-86. Murray is now a colour commentator for Blackhawks games on Newstalk 720 WGN Radio.
Dan Cleary: My skates had no edge: The 29-year-old forward became the first NHLer from Newfoundland and Labrador to inscribe his name on the Stanley Cup when his Detroit Red Wings won the top prize in 2007-2008. To celebrate, Cleary brought the Cup with him to his hometown in Harbour Grace, Newfoundland, on Canada Day.
Katie Weatherston: Mini-sticks in the hallways: The 25-year-old forward won Olympic gold with Team Canada at the 2006 Olympic Games in Turino, Italy. A native of Thunder Bay, Ont., Weatherston won world championship gold with the national team in 2007 and is a four-time 4 Nations Cup gold medallist.
Jim Cuddy: 'It's basically a strip club with a rink attached to it': When you think of Jim Cuddy you usually think of the band Blue Rodeo, but hockey has also been a priority. He's a regular participant in the annual Juno Cup hockey game which occurs every year during the Juno Awards.
Roberto Luongo: 'I was a novice playing forward, and I couldn't skate': The 29-year-old netminder is from Montreal. He was nominated for three major awards in the 2006-07 season, the Hart, Lester B. Pearson, and Vezina trophies. He finished second in voting for all three. In 2007-08 he posted a 2.38 goals-against average in 73 games for the Vancouver Canucks.

Meet the Coaches

'Sometimes I do half French, half English': Coach Jean Pelletier in Dalhousie, N.B., speaks to his players in both French and English, and says not everybody on his team is bilingual, so he often has to elaborate in both languages.
'Sgt. Hockey' coaches more than the game: Lots of players had watched Stan Polsom from afar, shouting from the bench, his loud, hoarse voice echoing across the ice. But most come to realize that playing for Polsom means learning to become not only a better player but also a better person.
Former NHLer finds fit in peewee: Dave Babych spent the better part of two decades with five NHL teams including the Winnipeg Jets and the Vancouver Canucks. Today, the 48-year-old finds himself on the North Shore of British Columbia giving back to the game, which provided him with a memorable 20 years.
Wanted: Female coaches: In her last three years behind the bench with competitive women's hockey teams in Nova Scotia, Alicia MacDonald has come across only one other female head coach. And she's been looking.
Growing the game: When Wade Parker's work is done, 20 years from now, the arenas of Summerland, B.C., will be bursting. Not just with kids -- but with middle-aged Canadians who live for the game.