About the Tournament

In 1992 the tournament was launched as the Little Caesars Challenge Cup. It was a one game exhibition match played between the Computing Devices Canada (CDC) Hockey Team, and the newly formed Ottawa Senators Alumni. CDC corporately matched the fundraising proceeds from the game as part of their United Way campaign.

In 1995 when Brian Smith, former NHL player and local sports anchor for CJOH-TV was tragically shot and killed, the Tournament Committee decided to honour Brian. They changed the name to the Brian Smith Memorial Hi-Tech Hockey Tournament, and chose to support Brian's favourite charity, the Boys and Girls Club of Ottawa-Carleton. When the Brian Smith Foundation was formed the event elected to split the proceeds equally between the two children's charities. In 1998, the Ottawa Senators Alumni "It Could Happen To You." fund was added to benefit area youth who had suffered a serious sports-related injury.

The Hi-Tech Tournament quickly grew with Ottawa's exploding high technology sector from 4 teams in 1996, to 56 in 2001. After the technology correction the event is still popular and is now renamed the Corporate Hockey Challenge (in memory of Brian Smith) to allow teams from different industries to participate. Each team plays a minimum of three games in a very popular draw format, which directs teams into A and B divisions, and thus ensured teams would find the proper level of competition. A and B Champions are crowned, however the main focus is still on fund-raising. From a humble beginning of several hundred dollars in 1992, the event has donated (not raised) a total of over $421,000 to area children's charities.

The most popular event is the All-Star game where two teams are made up of the top fund-raises from the teams. The All-star Teams are captained by former NHL pro's, in previous years members of the Ottawa Senators Alumni Association as well as former greats of the game. Invitees have been Steve Larmer, Terry O'Reilly, Rick Middleton, Reggie Leach, Dave Shultz. Dale Hawerchuk, Bobby Hull, Wendel Clark, Billy Smith, Bill Derlago and Kirk Muller. The tournament is played primarily at the Kanata Recreational Complex.

The event has been blessed by great corporate sponsors such as The Ottawa Sun, Ottawa Business Journal and Magma Communication (now Primus Canada).