TORONTO, ON --(Marketwired - December 08, 2015) - The Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL) today announced the details of the 7 th annual Scotiabank GTHL Top Prospects Game .
The top 42 Minor Midget AAA players in the GTHL will showcase their skills on Tuesday, December 15, at 7:30 p.m., at Scotiabank Pond in Downsview Park. Tickets are on sale now. Rogers TV cable 10/63 in Toronto will air the game on Sunday, December 20, at 8:00 p.m.
Four celebrity coaches will be behind the benches at this year's event, including two-time Stanley Cup champion Adam Graves , who returns for his fourth GTHL Top Prospects Game, and NHL alumnus Shayne Corson , who makes his debut at the event. Brothers, NHL alumni and Toronto, Ontario natives Wayne and Keith Primeau will serve as assistant coaches for Graves and Corson, respectively.
Advance tickets will be sold online at www.gthlcanada.com or at the GTHL office, located inside Scotiabank Pond at 57 Carl Hall Road in Toronto. The GTHL office is open Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to noon.
Tickets are $8 in advance or $10 at the gate. Advance ticket purchase is recommended to avoid line-ups at the arena. No passes will be accepted .
"We are looking forward to this year's event," said GTHL President Don West . "We are honoured to have Adam, Shayne, and the Primeau brothers helping us as celebrity coaches and we anticipate an exciting game as we have seen for the past six seasons. This event is always a great opportunity for young players to display their talent against other top players in their age group. They will also have the opportunity to learn from former NHLers who have been in their position. Scotiabank's support of this event, the GTHL, and community hockey across Canada makes a significant difference in growing our game for the future."
"Hockey matters to Scotiabank because it matters to Canadians. Each year, Scotiabank proudly supports more than 5,000 kids' community hockey teams across Canada," said John Doig , Scotiabank's Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. "We are pleased to support the Scotiabank GTHL Top Prospects Game here in Toronto where we can all see the next generation of hockey stars face off in what is sure to be an exciting game."
About the Celebrity Coaches:
Adam Graves played minor hockey with the Toronto Young Nationals and North York Civics in the former MTHL. Graves was selected 22 nd overall in the 1986 NHL Draft and played 17 NHL seasons with four teams, winning the Stanley Cup with the Edmonton Oilers in 1990 and the New York Rangers in 1994. He also won the King Clancy Memorial Trophy (1993-94) and the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (2000-01). Graves now works in Hockey and Business Operations with the Rangers.
Shayne Corson was selected 8 th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 1984 NHL Draft and played a total of 1,296 regular-season and playoff games over 19 seasons in the League. The three-time NHL All-Star (1990, 1994 and 1998) compiled 273 goals, 693 points and 2,357 penalty minutes in 1,156 regular-season games with the Canadiens, Edmonton Oilers, St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs and Dallas Stars. Corson helped the Maple Leafs reach the Eastern Conference Final in 2002 -- the last year the club advanced that far in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Keith Primeau was selected third overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1990 NHL Draft after collecting 127 points in 65 games (57-70-127) for the Ontario Hockey League's Niagara Falls Thunder in 1989-90. He played 909 regular-season games in the NHL for the Red Wings, Hartford Whalers, Carolina Hurricanes and Philadelphia Flyers, compiling 619 points (266-353-619) and 1,541 penalty minutes. He also tallied 57 points in 128 playoff games (18-39-57), reaching the Stanley Cup Final with Detroit in 1995. At 2:35 a.m. ET on May 5, 2000, Primeau ended the longest game in modern NHL history -- and third-longest all-time -- with his goal at 92:01 of overtime in a 2-1 Flyers victory over the Penguins.
Wayne Primeau was selected 17 th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1994 NHL Draft and played in 774 regular-season NHL games from 1995-2010, including 59 contests with the Toronto Maple Leafs in his final season. On May 3, 1995, Primeau (18 years, 333 days) became the fifth Sabres player in franchise history to score a goal before his 19 th birthday, accomplishing the feat in his NHL debut. He appeared in 90 career playoff games and helped the Sabres reach the Stanley Cup Final in 1999, their first appearance in 24 years.
About the GTHL:
Founded in 1911, the GTHL is a non-profit organization and is the largest amateur minor hockey league in the world. The GTHL registers more than 40,000 annual participants in Toronto, North York, Scarborough, Vaughan and Markham ranging from age four to 20. The GTHL celebrated its 100 th season in 2011-12. For more information, please visit www.GTHLCanada.com
About Scotiabank:
Scotiabank is the Official Bank of the NHL ® , NHL Alumni™, CWHL, Vancouver Canucks ® , Winnipeg Jets ® , Toronto Maple Leafs ® , Ottawa Senators ® , Edmonton Oilers ® and the Calgary Flames ® whose home arena is the Scotiabank Saddledome. The Bank also has a partnership with the Montreal Canadiens ® . Scotiabank's Community Hockey Sponsorship Program supports over 5,000 minor hockey teams in communities across Canada. To find out more about Scotiabank's hockey programs, please visit www.scotiabank.com/the5thseason .
Contacts: Scott Oakman GTHL Executive Director 416.636.6845 x224 soakman@gthlcanada.com Kristin McCleister Scotiabank Public, Corporate and Government Affairs 416.866.0646 kristin.mccleister@scotiabank.com
