The Draft Tournament / Le Tournoi

06/11/2024

It's 49 sleeps until Christmas... struggling for gift ideas for the hockey player in your life?

We will hopefully have both Anglet, France and Sheffield, UK on sale by the end of the month.. more details to follow.

Sheffield will be the 8th to 10th August 2025. We are still looking at venues for the party.

We are waiting to sign the contract for France too and will have that sorted in the next few weeks. 🏒🚨🇬🇧🇫🇷🍻🍻

14/10/2024

Planning is well underway for our tournaments in 2025! We have dates for both tournaments, we're just waiting for confirmation from the rink in Anglet before we formally announce them. Let's just say August 2025 is going to be pretty busy! 🙈🏒🇬🇧🇫🇷🍻

We took some time off after the Sheffield tournament and unfortunately we missed a few messages and emails. We will be catching up this week. Sorry about that. 😕

We are super excited about the launch of our online shop in association with our partners, Jersey53!

Here, you will be able to order and personalise any of our back catalogue of jerseys!!

You will also be able to pre-order the 2025 jerseys, although these will not be posted out until after the tournaments to keep them exclusive to the weekend!

We hope you find everything you need. But if there is something else you'd like to see on there (tee shirts, hoodies), please let us know! 😊😊🍻🇫🇷🇬🇧🏒

AMATEUR ICE HOCKEY TOURNAMENTS ONLINE STORE UK DRAFT TOURNAMENT JERSEYS LE DRAFT TOURNOI JERSEYS

09/09/2024

We didn't get many pictures from the weekend.. so if you did and you want them sharing on our socials.. please send them over. 🇬🇧🏒🍻😊

09/09/2024

Drafts and rec season done for another year!!

What a fantastic weekend of hockey and parties we had in Sheffield this weekend!!

Congratulations to -

Team Goonies for winning the championship
Team Cobra Kai for winning the Cup
Team Ghostbusters for winning the Plate.

A huge thank you to all our Sponsors!

MJ Sports
Tuby Guy Hockey
Gin Coin Jewellery
Monster Moggies

And of course Jack Hartley for supplying the beers!

A huge thanks to Happy’s Bar Sheffield for hosting us all weekend!

Wild Blue Heart for entertaining us all on Saturday night!

Thanks to Ice Sheffield for hosting the hockey!

Ali Cree at Jersey53 HQ for the amazing jerseys!

Richie Muzzy for his off ice wizardry! This guy puts in a shift to make sure everything runs on time and is done properly!

The referees - David Pyatt, Danny Glue, Rob Wilson and James Clarke. If it wasn't for these guys, we wouldn't have had the games.

Last and by no means least, my wife Vicky! She puts up with me being stressed out, hitting the lows and then the highs and supports me with these amazing events as well as keeps the house hold running so smoothly. Without her understanding and support, these tournaments wouldn't be what they are today!

Until 2025! 😉🏒🇬🇧🇫🇷🍻

08/09/2024

This is how the table looks going into day 2!

07/09/2024

Tournament day!! You can follow the results here..

https://tournify.uk/live/ukdraft/schedule

06/09/2024

Yeah well... has your tournament got cocktails mixed especially for you?!! 🍸🍸

06/09/2024

YEAH THEY DO!!! 💪🍻🍻🍻

05/09/2024

Jerseys and trophies have arrived... Draft order sorted (yes, I know a couple have requested changes... I'm on it ok!! 😉🙈)!

LESS THAN 24 HOURS TO GO!! 🤯🤯🤯🏒🇬🇧🇬🇧🍻🍻

04/09/2024

Saturday evenings entertainment at Happy’s Bar Sheffield will be brought to you by the band Wild Blue Heart!

The band are a 4 piece who play upbeat anthems from the last 25 years of pop and rock. They will be suitable for everyones taste and promise to help you guys keep the party going after a gruelling day on the ice!

They will be on stage around 8:30ish.

Check out their social media pages https://www.instagram.com/wildblueheartband?igsh=MXBlNGw5dms1Znhocg==

03/09/2024

Only a few days until we meet in Sheffield for the draft tournament! We have emailed all registered players with the final updates and guidance for the weekend. Please check you junk folders and if you haven't recieved anything. Please give us a shout.

In the meantime... I'd like to introduce to to another one of our sponsors! Gin Coin Jewellery! 🪙 We had a chat with draft tournament regular and Gin Coin Jewellery owner, Josh Wood, to find out more -

" The idea for Gin Coin Jewellery came about in 2019 and developed through the pandemic, now we make a variety of jewellery from coins of old and have helped customers around the world celebrate their special occasions in style.

If you would like to know more I will actually be playing at the tournament! Just look out for the okayish, bearded goalie - feel free to come and have a chat or look at my ring (steady!) if you want to see some of my designs in person. Alternatively, you can check out my stock and a portfolio of my work on my website: www.gincoinjewellery.com "

If you're interested in finding out more, Josh will be around all weekend. 🏒😊 Some examples of his work are attached.

30/08/2024

Jersey drop for Sheffield 2024!!

Our favourite decade is of course, the 80's!!

Video courtesy of our youngest daughter, Alice!

We hope you like them!!

We will be sending over an email to all players this weekend, check your junk!

The plan is meet at Happy’s Bar Sheffield on Friday night at 7pm!

The tournament fixtures can be found here - Tournify.uk/live/ukdraft

25/08/2024

Meet the final captain for Sheffield 2024... Oskars Mezavilks !

Oskars has played in all the Sheffield draft tournaments too and always comes over to chat to us and express his disgust that he always gets a Green jersey!! 🙈 Well, he'll get the chance to pick which jersey to wear this weekend! Will there be another green one in the mix? 🤔😬

"Hello, I'm Oskars.
What an awesome weekend of ice hockey is round the corner! If you are looking to have fun, stay active, and meet new and old friends, then this is the right place!
This will be the third time I'm participating in this tournament, and I have to say it's one of the best experiences I've ever had playing ice hockey! Thank you, Jimi and all of the organising team, for such a good party!
See you all soon"!!!

That's all the captains for 2024! Maybe we should drop some jerseys? 🤔🍺🏒

24/08/2024

Captain No. 5 for Sheffield is a guy who has played every one of the Sheffield Tournaments! He always plays in the spirit of what the tournaments are made for, whether that be the Drafts or Rec Hockey Tournaments. Please welcome Scott Hayward !

Scott is also responsible for one of the best pictures captured at the first ever Draft... 🤣🙈

Here's what he had to say about being asked to be captain!

"Absolutely pleasure to be asked to captain one of the teams this year at the draft event, I've been to every UK one, and hopefully, that streak continues!

I usually get myself into a bit of a state on the Friday night, and I'd be expecting my teammates to follow suit!

I mostly coach nowadays, but I love the chance to throw my kit on and attempt to practice what I preach.

Big shout out to Jimi and Vix for putting this on again and looking forward to meeting new and old players alike again"!

You're welcome.. and we're already looking forwars to seeing the Friday night state. 🙈🏒🍺

23/08/2024

Let's introduce you to Captain No.4 for Sheffield! Meet Mike Musson! We've known Mike for a while having played against him on the rec scene. He attended the Sheffield Tournament last year and more recently the Anglet tournament in July!

He was inspirational in helping to find Vicky when she managed to get lost at the Fête de Bayonne (picture for context) and also supplying a severely hungover Jimi with ice and water. 🙈🤣

"Hi I’m Musson

Being chosen to be one of the captains for this year’s Draft tournament is a privilege.

I’ve been playing hockey for 32 years ( Still can’t toe drag 😂) Starting my early years playing out of Grimsby now play out of Leeds for Leeds Lightning.

I’ve played in the last few Draft tournaments here at Sheffield ( what a blast ) went away to my first France draft tournament ( what a week we had ) came back winning 🥇 made some great friends and making new memories.

Win lose or draw I’m always up for a good game of hockey added bonus about the draft tournament is you don’t have a clue who you will be stepping on the ice with from league players or even players who have only just started to skate I welcome you all with open arms to this years mixed ability draft tournament.

Big shout out to Jimi vix and the crew for making this happen for another year 😀"!

Two weeks to go!! 😱

We will be emailing all players the timings and information for Sheffield on the Monday before the tournament.

15/08/2024

Captain No.3 for the Sheffield Tournament! Meet Josef Tomlinson!

Josef is a huge member of his team, the Sheffield Ice Tigers! He works hard on the ice as well as off. He and his wife Amy, often help out on the time keepers bench for, not only the club, but for the Draft and various charity events. Josef was Captain of the Bluebell Wood Children's Hospice hockey team where they raised around £18k for the charity at this years UK Charity Allstars !

Josef and Amy's son was born on the afternoon of last years Draft party! In true draft tournament spirit... Josef witnessed the birth, came to the Draft party and played all weekend! 😳🤣🏒🍺🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Here's what he had to say -

"Hi, I’m Joe Tomlinson still married even after leaving our lass in hospital after having our little boy… but it was worth is as we won the final game of draft 2023 tournament..

Anyways this will be my 4th draft tournament and I’m honoured to be asked to be captain for a team.

I love the draft as it brings the hockey community together & it’s great to have a laugh with a few beers meeting old and new players

I cannot wait to meet all the guys and let the party begin 🎉

Ps let’s hope for a win as I’m on 2 outta 3 wins"!

Fingers crosses Joe! 😊🙈

14/08/2024

Time to meet Captain No.2 for the Sheffield draft!

Please welcome Tom Scott ! Tom brings a lot of energy to the game, whether he's playing on the ice or announcing games off the ice, it's always fun being around the rink when Tim is there...

"Hey, I’m Tom!

I’m absolutely thrilled to be a captain for this year’s’ UK draft tournament!

I started playing hockey after Covid, and got involved with the Sheffield Ice Tigers a few years ago, which is where I met Jim!

My first draft year I was on Team Jack Daniel’s, and had the best time both on and off the ice, I’ve been coming ever since! I’ve also got involved with a fair bit of off ice activities for various hockey leagues, so you might know me from there too!

The draft is such a fun weekend for everyone, and I’ve made friends from the draft weekend which stretch up and down the county (and across the world now), and I can’t wait to be a part of the draft 2024!

I won the draft last year as part of Mystery Alaska, so here’s hoping for another win in Sheffield"! 🏒🍺🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

We can't wait to see what he brings to the tournament as Captain!

We have just finished up hosting the Rec playoffs at ice Sheffield this weekend. We currently have a large back log of messages we are working through and will reply to the all asap! 😊