TORONTO, October 21, 2025 – The National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) and OREO proudly announce the grant recipients of the inaugural OREO Stay Playful For All program, providing $200,000 in hockey equipment from OREO and NHLPA Goals & Dreams to youth hockey organizations across Canada. Designed to enhance the accessibility of grassroots hockey among youth in Canada, the program helps invigorate local communities, keep the sport inclusive, and nurture the next generation of hockey players.
From coast to coast to coast, 14 hockey organizations received much-needed hockey equipment in the first year of the OREO Stay Playful For All program, enabling more kids to lace up their skates and experience the joy of the game. The selected teams represent a diverse group of communities that are dedicated to fostering a love of hockey among youth and are committed to keeping the playful spirit of the sport alive.
"Through the OREO Stay Playful For All program, we're not just donating hockey equipment we're investing in the spirit of play and community across Canada," said Sonia Bongiorno, Canada Team Lead, Partnerships/Scale Activations, & Shopper Marketing, Mondelez Canada Inc. “By partnering with the NHLPA and its longstanding NHLPA Goals & Dreams program, our goal is to remove the barriers that often prevent access to the game Canadians love and give more kids the opportunity to get on the ice and experience the joy of hockey.”
The complete list of recipients is:
- $25,000 Grant Recipients
- Bill Bolton Arena (Toronto, ON)
- Vancouver Female Ice Hockey Association (Vancouver, BC)
- Sensory Motor Instructional Learning Experience (S.M.I.L.E) Program (Wolfville, NS)
- La ligue de hockey les Mini-Palettes Roses(Laurentides, QC)
- $10,000 Grant Recipients
- Take A Shot Sports (Windsor, ON)
- London Blizzard Sledge Hockey (London, ON)
- North Bay North Stars (North Bay, ON)
- Fort Hope First Nation Hockey (Fort Hope, ON)
- Carmacks Minor Hockey (Carmacks, YT)
- Hockey New Brunswick (Dieppe, NB)
- L’Association de Hockey Mineur de Villeray (AHMV)(Montreal, QC)
- Association du hockey mineur de Rocher(Chandler en Gaspesie, QC)
- Association du hockey mineur de Mont-Joli (Bas-Saint-Laurent, QC)
- Huntingdon Minor Hockey Association (Lac St-Louis, QC)
Captured in a heartwarming campaign video, two of the grant recipient teams, Bill Bolton Arena and L’Association de Hockey Mineur de Villeray (AHMV), were surprised by program ambassadors and NHL star players Nick Suzuki and William Nylander who hand delivered their new hockey equipment and enjoyed an afternoon of play. The video encapsulates the true power of the sport and how it connects and uplifts youth in Canada.
“As a not-for-profit hockey organization that offers recreational house league and helps disadvantaged youth get new equipment, it’s thanks to grant programs like this that allow us to expand programming and impact more members of the community,” said Daniel DeCarolis, Grant Recipient Bill Bolton Arena. “These kids are walking away with more than just new equipment; they’re getting to experience the passion of hockey and creating lifelong memories.”
“NHLPA members have a long history of supporting grassroots hockey in communities all across Canada through NHLPA Goals & Dreams, and we are extremely proud to align that support this past season with OREO/Mondelez Canada and the Stay Playful For All campaign,” said Devin Smith, NHLPA Senior Director, Sponsorship & Player Marketing. “Providing access to the game and connecting with people across Canada who love hockey is something that our players take great pride in, and we are thrilled to celebrate the success of Stay Playful For All from coast to coast to coast.”
The program was also supported by NHL and PWHL star players, Sarah Nurse, Marie-Philip Poulin, Quinn Hughes, Zach Hyman, William Nylander and Nick Suzuki, as ambassadors. Through their advocacy on social media, the campaign inspired fans and communities to embrace the Stay Playful ethos by sharing their stories about what it means to them.
For more information about the program, 2025 grant recipients and future opportunities, please visit: www.oreoplayful.ca.
