A Spruce Grove hockey tournament for military members and first responders is the only one of its kind in Canada, created to bring them “together,” says one of its founders. Twenty-three teams are playing in the In Their Honour Invitational Hockey Tournament at Spruce Grove’s Heavy Metal Place Thursday through Sunday, including games on the ice, of course, as well as helicopter landings, community displays and an honour ceremony on Saturday morning. A foundation created in the memory of a fallen Edmonton police officer established the tournament. In Their Honour was founded by the family of Const. Brett Ryan, who along with his partner Const. Travis Jordan was slain on duty on March 16, 2023. Laurie Ryan, Brett’s mother, said Thursday the tournament was created to further the legacy he “would have wanted.” “He was very compassionate, understanding,” Ryan told CTV News Edmonton. “He was always there for his colleagues, his workmates, in minor hockey.” One of the arenas in the twin-rink facility is named in honour of Brett. Ryan said what they are “hoping to accomplish with the tournament is that all first responders and military come together, remember each other.” “They all have each other’s back out on the street – maybe not so much on the ice – but they’re all there for each other,” Ryan said. “We just want to share that. We want to bring them together.” With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Darcy Seaton
