NHL pre-season game coming to northern Ont. this fall

Sudbury to host NHL preseason game With the arena in Elliot Lake still under repair, the Kraft Hockeyville preseason game will be held in Greater Sudbury this fall.

CTVNewsNorthernOntario.ca has confirmed the Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins will play an NHL pre-season game in the region on Sept. 29.

The match comes as part of Elliot Lake's Kraft Hockeyville victory in the spring, a Canada-wide competition for $250,000 in arena improvements and an opportunity to host a pre-season pro game.

Hockeyville 2024 WInner Elliot Lake, Ont. has won the designation of Kraft Hockeyville 2024. (Supplied/National Hockey League)

"The specific location of the game is still pending and Kraft Heinz, the NHL and the NHLPA are working closely with Elliot Lake’s local organizing committee throughout the process," said officials with the Kraft Hockeyville program in an email to CTV News on Friday.

While the location has not yet been confirmed, alternate arenas are being considered.

"In the event Elliot Lake is unable to host the preseason game, the NHL identified Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie as potential hosts," Sacha Novack, a spokesperson for the City of Greater Sudbury told CTV News in an email.

"In early April, NHL officials visited the Sudbury Community Arena as part of their planning process."

CTV News reached out to the City of Elliot Lake for comment and is awaiting a reply.

Elliot Lake is facing a $4.3 million price tag to fix its wooden Centennial Arena that closed in September 2023 due to concerns over the building's structural integrity.

Last week, the city – which is located between Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie – announced it reached its original fundraising goal of $500,000 in donations.

With files from CTVNorthernOntario.ca journalists Dan Bertrand and Ian Campbell