Why Peterborough is a True Ontario "Hockey Town" Worth Celebrating
Hockey is a mainstay of Ontario’s culture, but you won’t find the heart of that culture in the overpriced seats of Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena. The heart of that culture lies in our “hockey towns,” and Peterborough is a shining example of what it means to hold that title.
Bri and I there, decked out in Petes gear, cheering on the fellas in warmup. Photo Credit: Christopher Mitchell
It wasn’t until I left Ontario for a period of time that I fully understood what a hockey mecca it was.
Growing up in Toronto, and travelling around the province for tournaments in my youth, I had simply assumed that most cities of a certain size had an indoor rink, and that outdoor rinks would be readily available for most children who were willing to tough out the winter weather.
I thought it was standard practice to heat up the car in the driveway on Saturday morning when the sun had yet to rise, and to ask your dad if, alongside your bagel, you might be able to add on an orange cruller. Then, to listen to CBC on the way to the rink, while drifting in and out of sleep (despite the sugary donut that Dad had been nice enough to say yes to).
I didn’t know that many places in the world had no idea what Hockey Night in Canada actually was, whereas for us, a Leafs game on Saturday night was something we’d move mountains to be able to watch — a religion unto itself.
What I didn’t understand, but do now, is that Ontario is ground zero for high quality hockey. Give or take half the NHL consists of Canadian born players, and the highest percentage of those players come from Ontario. In fact, no single region on the planet produces more NHL players than the Greater Toronto Area.
I remember when I had moved to Istanbul, and was at a local bar off Istiklal Street, I met a hockey coach from Minnesota who was coaching in the Turkish Super Lig. When he heard I was from Ontario and had played in the GTHL, he offered me a try out on the spot. That ultimately led to me playing two seasons for the Koç Rams.
The truth is, hockey is a part of the fabric of our culture. It’s something that brings us together. I can still vividly recall my brother and I sitting in the stands to support my dad’s hometown Junior Team, the Perth Blue Wings, and feeling like I was watching the Super Bowl. Hockey in Ontario, it feels larger than life.
But this culture, well it comes from somewhere.
Well known Canadian hockey personality, Jeff Marek, regularly talks about how this hockey culture comes from the towns and cities where you can’t walk down the street without seeing a jersey, or overhearing a conversation about the local squad at cafes, bars and restaurants. He calls these places “Heritage Hockey Towns,” and, like me, he places Peterborough, Ontario, home of the Peterborough Petes, at the very top of that list.
The Impact of the Peterborough Petes
The Petes were founded all the way back in 1956, making them the oldest continuously operating franchise in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).
They really hit their stride under legendary coach Roger Neilson in the 1960s and 70s, which was a big part of the impetus of Peterborough becoming an undeniable hockey stronghold.
I was fortunate enough to be able to interview Pete Dalliday, a local sports icon in Peterborough, and the play-by-play announcer for the Petes, who has called over 1500 games over 25 years, 15 of which he did alongside his father.
“I was born and raised here,” noted Pete, “so I’ve been around hockey all my life. My dad even played for the Petes under Scotty Bowman before becoming an announcer!”
The late 70s and early 80s were a golden era for the Petes, as they won three OHL championships during that span, and with players like Larry Murphy on board, they won their first Memorial Cup in 1979.
The list of great players to come through the Petes organization is a long one. My favourite player of all time, Steve Yzerman, was a Petes alumni, and I love thinking about these young players, on the precipice of greatness, learning what it means to be a professional and planting the seeds for their career in Peterborough.
Pete thought back fondly on times when two tough guys like Mike Ricci and Tie Domi were on the same squad, noting that “Ricci was a rock star in Peterborough” and that, perhaps “his banner should be the next one that goes up in the rafters.”
But it was reciprocal. As the Petes grew in popularity, more rinks were built for youth hockey, people were skating on the canal en masse, attendance at games increased, and the excitement poured into the bars and restaurants in the community.
The Petes have been consistent, and are regularly thought of as one of the great hockey pipelines to the NHL. In fact, over 150 NHL alumni came through the Petes, very much including the big name guys like Yzerman and Pronger. They’re hungry for another Memorial Cup, but they’ve won a bevy of OHL championships in the meantime, most recently in 2023. On podcasts, I regularly hear commentators call Peterborough, and their beloved Petes, a “junior hockey factory.”
The goal for the Petes is always excellence. Photo Credit: Christopher Mitchell
We went to see a game just last year, and the whole experience was stellar. As a visitor (and, well, travel writer), it’s hard to think of a better way to fully ingratiate yourself with the community than to catch a Petes game, while going out in the city before or after the game.
I asked Pete Dalliday about the Petes in the modern era, and how they’re connecting with the city and the surrounding region, and he told me that “we’re seeing more Petes stuff out in the community than ever before. The last few years, the team and the community have had a lot of fun with it. Roger, our mascot, was at the mall yesterday signing autographs!”
It’s a New Era in Peterborough’s Hockey Legacy
In 2026, one of the biggest events in minor hockey is heading to Peterborough for the first time, the TELUS Cup. It’s been around for over 50 years, is run by Hockey Canada, and in short, is Canda’s national U18 AAA club championship.
It’s a tournament that players like Sidney Crosby played in. You may have heard of him.
“It’s the first time we’ve had an event like this,” Pete told me. “With the Miskin Law Community Complex, we have a top-tier facility that can host events like this, and it’s going to be a big economic boost for the city. We’re such a hockey town, I know people will come here, check out the events, and get hooked as it all unfolds.”
In hockey right now, there’s a lot of change in the way that players are aiming to make it. With the rise of NCAA hockey and the like, there was one thing that Pete wanted to share with me, and the audience at large.
“The biggest thing with me – I think a lot of people leave Peterborough thinking the grass is greener on the other side, but the minor hockey system is pumping out some unbelievable talent. You can stay here, develop here, and be found here. There’s a misconception that you need to go elsewhere, but it sure worked out well for Chris Pronger, the Staal brothers, Zach Bogosian and more. The Petes have always been proud to turn players into stars, or successful people who can go onto become doctors, lawyers and more.”
If you’re coming for the TELUS Cup, you’re not just celebrating tomorrow’s stars, but a city that builds tomorrow’s stars, too.
Now, of course, Peterborough is about more than hockey. We’ve done winter retreats in Peterborough, stayed at Elmhirst’s Resort, done a huge amount of cycling in Peterborough & the Kawarthas and more. But with hockey here, it’s not just the game you’re accessing, it’s the heart of the community.
I could have spent days at the Peterborough & Sports District Hall of Fame. Photo Credit: Christopher Mitchell
We’ve been to Peterborough many times, but it wasn’t until we got ourselves to a Petes game, and visited the Peterborough & District Sports Hall of Fame, that I felt I had a full grasp on what makes the city special.
And it doesn’t have to be the Petes, it could be watching some shinny hockey on a local rink, or perhaps nabbing tickets to the TELUS Cup — but it’s about pausing for a moment to understand what makes a place unique.
The hockey history of Peterborough, which very much extends into the present day, is the story of a community that embraced a sport and a local team, and has benefited from that ever since.
If travellers are willing to travel halfway across the world to visit a town in the alps and bask in the wonder of nordic sports that they’ve become famous for, then to me, it’s about reframing our ideas of what we as Ontarians understand as commonplace that are in fact, exceptional, and well worth celebrating.
We want to thank the City of Peterborough for partnering with us as media. All opinions are completely our own.