The U18 AAA Estevan Great North Bears are looking to host a big event for the upcoming hockey season that will attract teams from across the country. The team has officially announced their bid to host the Telus Cup West Regional, which would be held from April 2nd to the 5th in 2026 at the end of their season.
League champions attending the tournament would include teams from Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Northwestern Ontario, with the host team rounding out the competitors to an even four.
Should the host team win the championship, the league runner-up will instead join in, with the winner of the West regional going on to the national Telus Cup tournament.
Blake Jamieson, the governor for the Bears, says that bringing the event to Estevan would be great for the team and the city as a whole.
"It's just a great opportunity for our organization and also for the city of Estevan to bring three other elite teams here with a chance to move on to the national championships."
With the three travelling teams coming to town, an event like this would also bring a lot of fans and family members to Estevan as well, providing a boost to local businesses.
The Bears are still working on their host package, which they would submit with an expected deadline for the submission of August 22nd.
Estevan's no stranger to large hockey events, having hosted tournaments like the Centennial Cup in the past, along with many others.
Jamieson says they're drawing on that experience to make the possible event the best that it can be.
"We reached out to lots of people in the community to get some support that way, and people with the city and the hotels and restaurants and also some people who were involved with the Centennial Cup.
Jamieson encourages anyone who hopes to see the event come to Estevan to purchase season tickets to the Bears' season, as they will get a reduced rate on the proposed tournament package.