Local groups will benefit when Leafs and Sens battle it out in Saskatoon

The Canadian Red Cross and Saskatoon Minor Hockey Association will be cashing in on an NHL pre-season game in Saskatoon.

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators play Oct. 4 at SaskTel Centre at 7:30 p.m.

The “Imagine No Bullying” program will get to raise awareness, sell programs with the Saskatchewan Roughriders at a tailgate fan fest before the game and sell the rink board advertising.

“We want to show the kids what a healthy relationship looks like so they surround themselves with good people in their life,” said Scott McHenry, Canadian Red Cross respect education consultant.

The organization wants to reach every student by 2019.

Twelve Peewee AA hockey teams will also get to share the same ice as the NHL players for an early bird tournament from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2. The tournament will feature teams around Saskatchewan.
 
“Not many kids get to play on the same ice as NHL stars or the Saskatoon Blades,” said Kelly Boes, the Saskatoon minor hockey association executive director.

Tickets for the Leafs and Senators are already 65 per cent sold.

They plan to release 50 or 60 lower bowl tickets Thursday and have already sold 10,000 tickets.

“We keep coming back every year because the fans treat us so well,” said John Graham, with On Ice Management, the group who organizes the event.
 
Saskatoon has hosted a pre-season game every year since 2009.