From Shea Weber to Tyler Myers to Jessica Campbell, there was no shortage of stars on the ice and behind the bench at the Kelowna Hockey Fest on Friday, August 23.
After afternoon activities and a meet-and-greet for fans, the professional game of the event took place at Prospera Place.
It was the team of Weber and (Josh) Gorges – a pair of former NHL defensemen and Kelowna Rockets – versus the team of Campbell and (Brent) Seabrook. All four served as coaches for their respective teams.
Organized by Kelowna High Performance (KHP) and GSL Group, the festival’s professional game offered fans the opportunity to see their favorite current NHL stars ahead of the 2024-2025 season.
Among those on the ice on Friday were 2019 Stanley Cup winner Joel Edmundson, now with the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Curtis Lazar of the New Jersey Devils.
Tyler Myers and Damon Severson, two former Rockets and current NHL defensemen, also attended the event. The two were spotted during the Homebase Charity Slo-Pitch Tournament at Elk’s Stadium in Kelowna in June 2023.
A kids’ zone, hockey competitions, food vendors, a beer garden and a merchandise tent were the main attractions of the festivities in front of Prospera Place before the puck dropped.
Behind the substitutes, the Kelowna Hockey Fest was able to score points with an even more star-studded line-up.
While Weber and Seabrook were both recently inducted into the BC Hockey Hall of Fame in Penticton, Campbell made history this summer when she was hired by the Seattle Kraken.
With the Kraken’s move, Campbell became the first woman hired as an assistant coach for an NHL franchise. Her journey into the league – which includes stints at the RINK Hockey Academy in Kelowna and the OHA in Penticton – will surely be well documented on Oct. 8 when Seattle hosts the St. Louis Blues.
There, Campbell will officially become the first woman to sit behind the bench of an NHL regular season game.
The Kelowna Hockey Fest also featured a 50/50 raffle and a used jersey auction, with proceeds from the event benefiting the YMCA of Southern Interior of BC.
