This upcoming September the Pittsburgh Penguins will be playing a game in a unique location as part of the Kraft Hockeyville series. They will be playing the Ottawa Senators in Elliot Lake, Ontario.

The details of the preseason game, including location and broadcast timing, are currently being finalized and will be announced at a later date, along with other important community event details.

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) June 16, 2024

Preseason games lack the luster of seeing best on best. Many teams, like the Penguins, split their rosters in half while also splitting notable players. It makes for a quasi-lame experience in a normal NHL arena.

I like the Hockeyville setup in the preseason. It gives a community a once in a lifetime chance to host some NHL players in an official capacity which usually brings a rabid energy to the game. While teams might not play all of their notable players it doesn’t damper the excitement or energy in the building.

This year’s preseason game marks the third time Pittsburgh has played in a Kraft Hockeyville game. The Penguins played in the inaugural Kraft Hockeyville USA preseason game at the Cambria County War Memorial Arena in Johnstown, Pennsylvania in 2015 and also at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex (Rostraver Ice Garden in Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania) in 2017.
In addition to hosting this preseason contest, the Elliot Lake community has received $250,000 for arena upgrades and $10,000 worth of youth hockey equipment from the NHLPA Goals & Dreams fund.

This kind of event also comes with a financial windfall for the host arena which is a great thing.

Thanks for reading!

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