It was a night of remembering, a night of debuts, but above all, it was a night to help out Hockey NWT.

The Explorer Hotel was the site for Hockey NWT鈥檚 inaugural fundraising gala on Oct. 15. Close to 150 people were in attendance to help raise money for the organization鈥檚 programming, along with getting a sneak peek at some new clothing and honouring those who have passed on for their contributions to the sport in the territory.

Kyle Kugler, Hockey NWT鈥檚 executive director, said this was the first time the organization had hosted something like this on its own.

鈥淲e did it on a bit of short notice, but I鈥檓 very proud of how it turned out,鈥� he said.

The fundraising portion of the evening included both live and silent auctions. The live auction items included two ticket packages to see the Edmonton Oilers take on the Winnipeg Jets in Edmonton on Dec. 31. Canadian North provided return airfare for two, while Tod Ashton of Ashton Chartered Accountants and Stu Impett donated two tickets each for the game.

There was also some entertainment in the form of Jason Chimera and Jason Strudwick, two members of the Edmonton Oilers Alumni. They were in town as the guest coaches for the Oilers First Shift program, which hosted the first of six sessions at the Yk Community Arena earlier in the day.

The pair took part in a 鈥渉ot stove鈥� style discussion, where they took questions from the audience, ranging from their first game in the National Hockey League to how they got started in the sport.

Everyone in attendance got a look at the brand new uniforms the men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 hockey teams will be wearing at the Canada Winter Games this coming February in Charlottetown. The new-look jerseys were designed by Robbie Craig and Diana Curtis and feature a wolverine emerging from behind a hockey puck with the 鈥淲鈥� in NWT carved out in claw-like fashion.

The logo has special meaning to James Williams, one of the assistant coaches for the men鈥檚 team. Before the reveal, he had no idea what it was going to look like, but when he saw it, he was taken aback.

And it all had to do with Tom Williams, his late father, who was the head coach of the 2007 Canada Winter Games men鈥檚 hockey team.

鈥淒ad and I were having a talk before he passed and we started talking about reincarnation 鈥� what would you like to come back as?鈥� he recalled. 鈥淗e said an eagle at first, to be able to fly over everyone and see what鈥檚 going on. Then he said a marten and a wolf, but he settled on a wolverine. I asked him why a wolverine? He said because you don鈥檛 see them all the time.鈥�

Cue the reveal. And cue Williams鈥� shock.

鈥淚 thought it was a grizzly bear at first, but then I looked at it some more, and I just got emotionally shocked,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was so cool to see that and I was looking at my wife. There鈥檚 that sign that dad was there. Of all the animals, there was the wolverine. I always told him before he died that he should give us a sign 鈥� let us know you鈥檙e there. And there he was.鈥�

Tribute to referee

A total of four jerseys were revealed, all of which were promptly put up on the live auction block by Mark Scholz, the evening鈥檚 MC, and all four went for a total of $1,000. They were split into two parts: two jerseys with no. 20 and the other two with no. 23. Williams and his wife bought the no. 20 jerseys for $500.

鈥淒ad would have told me to pay for it, no matter the amount,鈥� said Williams. 鈥淗e was such a huge supporter of kids playing sports and the money is going to help kids do just that.鈥�

The late Craig Hockridge was honoured with a jersey retirement of sorts. The longtime hockey official and former referee-in-chief of Hockey North died in June 2020 after suffering a stroke, and Hockey NWT showed its appreciation by framing one of his old uniforms.

Kim Knutson, Hockridge鈥檚 wife, was on hand for the presentation and simply said her late husband would have loved the honour.

鈥淗e loved officiating and he鈥檚 here watching this with us,鈥� she said.

Kugler said the permanent spot for Hockridge鈥檚 uniform hasn鈥檛 yet been decided.

鈥淲e鈥檙e going to talk with Kim and figure that out,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 probably going to be at either the Ed Jeske (Olympic Arena) or the Multi-Sport Training Facility.鈥�

Two more such events like this are planned for 2023 and 2024, Kugler added, and the next two will happen each September to coincide with the annual National Coaches鈥� Week celebrations.

鈥淲e鈥檒l look to plan some coaching development courses that week and with the bigger window we鈥檒l have, we鈥檒l try and make this a bigger event,鈥� he said.