Good evening, everyone.
Thanks so much to all of you for being here. Personally, I flew here from Saskatoon for winter pond hockey and somehow landed in a hot holiday — much cheaper than going to Mexico! I’d like you all to take a moment and look around at the people here tonight.
This is the Kimmett Cup.
Not just a rink. Not just a schedule. Not just a scoreboard. It’s a room full of people who chose to show up. Again, and again, and again. Seventeen years in a row. Now, in hockey, seventeen years is a dynasty. In real life, it’s something even rarer: commitment. Because consistency doesn’t come from tradition alone. It comes from people making the same quiet decision, year after year: “I’m…still…in.” And at the heart of that decision, is one word:
CONNECTION.
At its core, the Kimmett Cup is built on meaningful connections and shared memories. Memories of Lindsay – #25 – of the life she shared, the spirit she carried, and the legacy she continues to leave behind.
And tonight, I want to say this plainly: Lindsay’s legacy isn’t just about hockey. It’s about how she lived. About generosity that didn’t need an audience. About resilience that didn’t ask for applause. About creating space for other people to feel seen, included, safe – like they belonged. That’s what #25 still means. It’s a number… that became a message. And over these seventeen years, that message has done something beautiful: it’s multiplied.
We’ve watched a new generation of givers grow up around it – people who keep coming back because they believe this is bigger than one game, one night, one person. It’s meaningful, but it’s also deeply human. There’s a reason this night hits the way it does.
But, connection also has a cost. When you’re truly connected… loss doesn’t bounce off you. It leaves its mark. And over seventeen years, we’ve experienced real loss in our Kimmett Cup family. We’ve lost champions, Wish Kids, and participants. People whose stories ended far too soon.
Tonight, we remember:
Dr. Greg.
Tim.
Matthew and David.
Sarah.
Diamond.
Tristan.
And most recently, the two Owens – best friends – whom we honor today.
Each name is a life that mattered. Each name is a presence that shaped us. Each name is a connection that didn’t end… it changed.
And if you’ve ever lost someone you’ve loved, you already know the truth: Grief is just love…with nowhere to go. So, we give it somewhere to go. That’s why we introduced the O Trophy this weekend. The “O” is a circle, a symbol of life and connection. No beginning. No end. Just a continuous loop of support. It’s a reminder that when someone is no longer physically with us, their impact doesn’t disappear. It travels – through the people they touched, the community they helped build, the generosity they sparked in others. The “O” represents Owen. But it also represents Lindsay, and everyone who crossed our path and left this community better than they found it.
A circle is a promise: that what they gave… doesn’t stop with them. It continues WITH US. So tonight, in recognition of Lindsay, and in honor of those we carry with us, we give a little more. We give for them. We give for each other. And if we’re being honest, we give for ourselves. Because we don’t just need causes. We need each other. We need connection. And the reason this event still exists, seventeen years later, is clear: Connection is not just meaningful. It is ESSENTIAL.
So thank you. All of you. I don’t think any of us had “too hot in February for pond hockey” on our Kimmett Cup bingo cards. So thank you for your patience, flexibility, and good humour as the weather — and the tournament updates — kept us on our toes.
Next year, we’ll make sure to have Kimmett Cup sunscreen and bathing suits available at registration!
But truly — thank you for being part of this circle. Thank you for carrying this monumental legacy forward. And thank you for proving, year after year, that when we gather, give, and connect… we don’t just honor the past — we build something that lasts.
So cheers to a successful Kimmett Cup #17 and to every single person here for being a special and important part of our Kimmett Cup family! Have a great night, friends!
KC17 – Feb 6-7, 2026
47 Teams
407 Players
150 Sponsors
60 Volunteers
$165,000 Raised for Local Charities
Champions
Competitive Winner
Cochrane Cruisers
U18 Winner
Deke and Destroy
U13 Girls Winner
BVC Yellow
Spirit of Kimmett Cup
Team Unrealer (Team)
Elle, Simon, Leslie and Reid Kimmett (Individual/Family)
