03/30/2026
𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐊 𝐘𝐎𝐔 ❤️🏒
As we begin to wrap up the 2026 Joe LaMontagne Memorial March Break Tournament, I want to take a moment to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who played a role in making this year’s event such a success.
This tournament is more than just a week of hockey—it is a reflection of who we are as a community. Cole Harbour is built on pride, resilience, and connection. It is where generations of players first laced up their skates, where lifelong friendships are formed, and where the values of hard work, respect, and teamwork are passed down year after year.
Since 1979, this tournament has been part of that story.
𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝟏𝟗𝟕𝟗 is not just a line—it is what The Joe represents. While many know Cole Harbour as the hometown of Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon, what truly defines it is the thousands of players, families, coaches, and volunteers who continue to give back to the game. That shared commitment is what makes this tournament special—and what continues to make it one of the most meaningful experiences in minor hockey.
A sincere thank you to our facility partners who supported the delivery of this year’s tournament—management, staff, and operators at Cole Harbour Place and the RBC Centre for their efforts throughout the week, as well as the team at Shearwater Arena for providing ice when we needed to adjust scheduling. Your support played an important role in making the tournament run smoothly.
A sincere thank you to our partners and sponsors who help elevate the experience for every player and family:
• Booster Juice and Boston Pizza for proudly supporting our Player of the Game prizing
• Paul Mason and the Crosby Family for their continued and ongoing support of the Sidney Crosby Shootout
• High Button Sports, our title sponsor, for outstanding coverage of the tournament, including the Sidney Crosby Shootout and all Championship Games
• GrayJay for seamless tournament registration, live scoring, and backend support
• Sysco Food Services Canada for helping make our hospitality suite a success
• Oasis Canada and Costco Canada for their generous contributions to the hospitality suite
• Eddie Schwartz Photography for capturing so many unforgettable moments and team memories
A special thank you to our incredible local partners—KO Logos, High Button Sports, GrayJay, Cole Harbour Trophies & Awards, and Studio 11. Supporting local is important to us, and we are proud to work alongside businesses that are part of this community. Your contributions—from bringing our tournament vision to life through graphics and branding, to providing medals, MVP trophies, and the coveted Championship Rings—play a meaningful role in creating a first-class experience for every player and team.
To our small but mighty volunteer committee—Jason Clarke, Scott McMullen, Nicole Poplar, Kate Smith, Merilee Kaylta, Jonathan Hunter, Joanna Hall, and Paul Thibideau—thank you. Your commitment, effort, and pride in this event are what make it all possible.
To our parent volunteers, thank you for the time, energy, and commitment you gave throughout the tournament—especially those who supported the hospitality suite. Your willingness to step up and contribute is what creates the welcoming, community-driven experience that The Joe is known for.
To our junior tournament assistants, thank you for your professionalism, energy, and the role you played in delivering the event. This is meaningful experience, and you should take pride in the contribution you made to something much bigger than yourselves.
To our arena operators—and especially everyone’s favourite Zamboni drivers—thank you for your hard work all week long. The quality of the ice and the ability to keep games running on schedule is critical, and you delivered.
To the coaches, managers, treasurers, and parents who travelled to Cole Harbour to compete and spend March Break with us—thank you. We know you have choices on where to go, and we are proud you chose to be here with us.
To our officials—referees, linesmen, lineswomen, and timekeepers—who supported over 350 games in just 9 days, thank you for your professionalism, dedication, and commitment to the game.
To all participants—congratulations. To our champions, well earned. To every team that competed, you are part of what makes this tournament special. Thank you for coming to Cole Harbour, and we hope to welcome you back again next year.
A special thank you as well to everyone who attended the Jason Price concert. It was a meaningful night for our community as we continue to honour and remember Coach Dewey “Dwight” Patterson, Coach & Builder Wallace Deveau, Player Nolan Lillington, and Hockey Dad/Coach/Fan Tony Mitchell—along with the many members of our hockey community who came before them and helped build the foundation we stand on today. Their impact, their passion, and their love for the game continue to live on through every player, every team, and every moment shared at The Joe.
The 2026 tournament is proudly dedicated to their memory. May their legacy continue to live on in Cole Harbour for generations to come.
Thank you to Michael and Maddie LaMontagne, grandson and great-granddaughter of tournament founder Joe LaMontagne, for joining us each weekend to assist with championship presentations. Your presence is a powerful reminder of where this all began.
To our local hockey community—thank you for the incredible support shown to the Newfoundland and Labrador teams who arrived without their gear. The response, generosity, and willingness to step up is exactly what defines Cole Harbour. To the media who helped share that story, and to the NL teams for their gratitude—this is what hockey does. This is how communities rally.
To anyone we may have missed, please accept our sincerest apologies—but trust that your contributions do not go unnoticed. We are forever grateful for the role you played in making this tournament a success.
There is something special about this community that cannot be replicated anywhere else. It’s not just the games—it’s the people, the pride, and the tradition that has been built here since 1979.
While there is still work happening behind the scenes to officially close out 2026, planning is already underway for next year.
We look forward to welcoming everyone back to Cole Harbour
📅 March 6 – March 14, 2027
🏒 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐞.
Finally, for all of those who have taken the time to thank me personally for the hard work and dedication to this tournament, it is truly appreciated. While I may help lead the initiative, it is the team I surround myself with—and the Cole Harbour community —that makes this tournament what it is. It is each and every one of you who bring it to life. I just have the privilege of helping bring it all together.
𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐉𝐨𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥—𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Jeff McPhee
Chair of The Joe
