In Apr. 2018, Clinton was named the winner of the 2018 Kraft Hockeyville USA competition. Now, excitement and anticipation are beginning to build throughout Clinton, NY, as the celebratory weekend finally approaches. In only a few weeks time, on Sept. 25, Clinton will host a National Hockey League (NHL) preseason game between the Buffalo Sabres and Columbus Blue Jackets at the historic Clinton Arena. With puck drop just around the corner, members of the Clinton and Hamilton College communities are working together to organize a series of special events leading up to game day.
The Hockeyville honor is no random luck of the draw — Clinton has a rich ice hockey tradition that helped propel it to victory over competing towns around the nation. This history was on display last February when Hamilton College’s Sage Rink and the Clinton Arena hosted an event celebrating “100 Years of Hockey” in the area. The occasion honored Albert Prettyman, Hamilton College’s long-time Athletic Director and hockey coach (1917–1948) who played a large part in introducing hockey to the region. Andrew Burns ’78, an alumnus of both Clinton High School and Hamilton College, organized the entire Prettyman Centennial Hockey Celebration. Burns, who grew up in Clinton and played hockey throughout his childhood, says the Village’s links to its hockey past take
on an important and personal meaning to him.
“Because of Mr. Prettyman, there were many professional players and teams here in Clinton when I was growing up. The Canadian players who were on the professional teams were coaching youth hockey, so my coaches were all pros,” Burns said. “Clinton High School was pumping out incredible talent. Some of my teammates went on to play at Hamilton and some of them even played professionally. It became a symbiotic and amazing relationship between professional, high school, and college hockey that I am glad I was able to be a part of.”
Last February’s event welcomed back over a thousand former Clinton High School and Hamilton hockey alumni. The eager participants took part in alumni games and a slew of other festivities throughout the weekend. “Due to all the enthusiasm from the Prettyman event, we decided to go for the Kraft Hockeyville award because we knew they looked for the most enthusiastic small hockey towns in America,” Burns said.
With much excitement, the stories submitted about Clinton and its connection with the sport of hockey helped put the town and its iconic Clinton Arena into the online-vote finals along with Shreveport, LA, Brandon, SD, and Middlebury, VT. “We received the highest number of votes and won the Kraft Hockeyville first-place award, which meant we were granted $150,000 for rink upgrades and the opportunity of hosting an NHL preseason game,” Burns said.
Burns is working with a few of the current Hamilton College men’s and women’s hockey players to help promote the game here on campus. A pancake breakfast, Clinton Youth Hockey BBQ, and NHL Alumni autograph session are scheduled to take place on Saturday, Sept. 22 in Clinton. On Sunday, Sept. 23, Hamilton students as well as members of the Clinton community are welcomed to an open skate at the Clinton Arena and to see the Stanley Cup Trophy up close. On Monday, Sept. 24, there will be a fundraiser dinner at Tolles Pavilion on campus where Jeremy Roenick, a former NHL All-Star, USA Olympian, and television analyst, will be on hand alongside the legendary Clinton Comets — a former minor league team that played in Clinton until 1973. Tickets for this event are $50.00 per person (those interested in attending can RSVP with [email protected]).
Clinton’s four-day Hockeyville experience will culminate in an exhibition game between two NHL Eastern Conference rivals. The Columbus Blue Jackets will take on the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday, Sept. 25 at 7 PM at the Clinton Arena.
As for tickets, the majority of tickets have already been dispersed to Clinton residents, local youth hockey teams, and Hamilton students. The 400 free tickets that were set aside for general admission were subject to a public drawing that closed on Tuesday, Sept. 11. Winners of the drawing are expected to be announced on Saturday, Sept. 15. Sam Jones ’20, one of the Hamilton men’s hockey players who is helping Burns organize the events, said, “Though the lottery opportunity has already passed, there might be a time later where leftover tickets will be given away.”
As the Kraft Hockeyville website states, “Communities build hockey and hockey builds communities.” Clinton is living proof of that statement. For the past 100 years, thanks in large part to Hamilton’s own Coach Prettyman, the college and the community have shared a love for all things hockey. Clinton’s Kraft Hockeyville celebration further cements that bond.
“I think this is and will end up being a very special event,” said Burns. “Joining the Hamilton student body with the Clinton community through hockey will be very special and I’m excited to see how everything turns out.”
