Ottawa’s Bell Capital Cup has become one the most prestigious minor hockey tournaments in Canada. The event welcomes teams from around the world, and just competing in the event – let alone winning – has become a real feather in the caps of young hockey teams.
But now, from an individual standpoint, receiving the hardest worker award at the event might be the favourite thing a young player receives this Christmas season.
The new medal for the hardest worker in each game of the tournament has been named after Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk. The medal is Tkachuk’s number seven in Sens colours, adorned with his autograph and the centurion logo, with a sharp red, white and black lanyard that reads “Canada.”
The Brady Tkachuk Hardest Worker of the Game Award is one of the new features at this year’s 24th edition of BCC.
“It’s definitely something that I’m proud of,” Tkachuk said in a tournament video. “A big part of my game is work. To be able to kind of translate that to the next generation and reward kids for putting in the work and caring and being good teammates is something that’s really important to me.”
According to the event website, this year’s tourney will have 258 teams and over 4000 boys and girls playing 600 games in just five days, making it the largest Bell Capital Cup since 2017. Along with over 200 Canadian teams, there are 50 rosters from across the United States along with 5 international teams – Slovenia, Austria, Korea and 2 teams from Chinese Taipei.
While the Senators are on the road this year due to the World Junior Championships in Ottawa, this year’s BCC is highlighted by Hockey Fest and the World Junior Watch Parties being held at Bell Sensplex.