The Nashville Predators Turkey Tourney is back for 2023 – but this year, with a twist. Rather than running a 5K to burn off those Thanksgiving calories, the Preds are inviting fans of all ages to an outdoor ball hockey tournament on Saturday, Nov. 25.
This year’s Turkey Tourney will be a 3v3 ball hockey tournament, hosted outdoors at the Lee Company Dek Hockey rink in Bellevue (located next to the Bellevue YMCA), on Saturday, Nov. 25. Players will register individually, and be placed onto teams by our Hockey Department staff. Each $25 registration will come with a team t-shirt and a four-game guarantee.
“We are so excited to transition our annual Turkey Tourney to ball hockey this year to make the game more accessible to more people,” Preds Director of Youth Hockey Fan Development Kristen Bowness said. “This is an action-packed ice hockey weekend throughout Smashville, so I’m thrilled we are still able to play our favorite game by simply swapping out our skates for running shoes.”
The tournament will be divided into four divisions – 8U, 10U, 12U, 13+ and Adult – making it a perfect activity for the whole family to enjoy. All that is required to play in the tournament is a stick and athletic, close-toed shoes. For those who don’t have a stick, there will be extras on hand. Gloves and shin guards are recommended, but not required.
“Ball hockey is great for learning and understanding the game with similar skill development and boosting hockey IQ,” Bowness said. “By eliminating the skating element, more people who may not have much on-ice experience can still play with their family and friends.”
Each team will consist of up to seven total players – six “skaters” and one goalie. Teams will play three round-robin games, and then be placed into either a championship or third-place game depending on their performance in the round robin segment. Games will be 15-minutes long each round, played 3 vs. 3 on half of the full size dek rink.
Registration for the Turkey Tourney will remain open until Wednesday, Nov. 22. Registered participants will also have access to purchase discounted tickets to the Predators home game against the Winnipeg Jets on Nov. 26 at Bridgestone Arena.
To register for the 2023 Turkey Tourney, click here.
