Hockey Manitoba Cup being paused as tournament is reviewed

An adult recreational hockey tournament is being put on hold by Hockey Manitoba for the organization to assess.

Hockey Manitoba is putting an adult rec hockey tournament on pause as they work to make sure resources are aligned for the event.

The Hockey Manitoba Cup is a yearly tournament that features multiple teams from around the province. In 2025, 40 teams across eight divisions were featured in the tournament.

The tournament is held in either April or June, but this year, Hockey Manitoba has hit pause to evaluate the event.

“The tournament is on pause. It has not been cancelled. I want to make that clear,” said Trevor Buhnai, the CEO of Hockey Manitoba.

“I took part in the tournament as a player. So I know how loved it is. I know how much fun it is. But it’s just good business to occasionally step back from your programming and take a look at how it’s serving the membership and if it’s meeting the mandate of Hockey Manitoba.”

He said many of the people who participate in the tournament are not current members of Hockey Manitoba. He noted, first and foremost, what the members need is the organization’s top priority.

“The evaluation is to see if it’s going to meet the criteria. Going forward, our number one priority is to support all of our members,” said Buhnai.

He understands there are people who are upset by this decision, but said this is a step they need to take.

“So the consternation, I look at as passion. If no one complained or mentioned a comment about the tournament being postponed, that would be a bigger consideration for me. The fact people are interested, I’m very happy.

“We are going to look at every opportunity for how it might be able to continue in the future.”

An update is expected in 2027 following the review.