Promises made, promises kept as JNI organizer hangs up his skates

Most wouldn’t think of centre ice, surrounded by athletes laced with skates and sticks, as a safe space, but that’s exactly what Milton Tootoosis is creating with the Jim Neilson Invitational (JNI) hockey tournament.

Now in it’s fourth – and final – year, JNI is a senior men’s tournament runs from April 11-13, It will bring together the best Indigenous teams and hockey players from around the prairies to battle for the final trophy.

Perhaps more importantly, it will provide a place for Indigenous players and fans to enjoy the sport in a safe place.

“What’s special about this tournament is that it’s an opportunity for our players to play in front of their own fans,” aid Tootoosis, JNI founder and organizer.

“There’s no racism, there’s none of those tensions or issues when you’re playing on an all-native team,” said Tootoosis.

He knows this to be a fact based on research.

“In surveys I’ve done with players who have played professional or college hockey, they say it’s way more fun and more loose when you’re playing with your own people,” said Tootoosis.

The tournament comes at a fitting time.

Recently, conversations around racism in minor hockey have sparked following a game in Wynyard, between the hometown Monarchs and the Round Lake Bears from Ochapowace First Nation. Videos taken at the game made it onto social media in the following days the Feb 28 game.

“There’s still a lot of racism and discrimination in the game of hockey,” said Tootoosis. “Unfortunately our First Nations and Métis athletes are sometimes shut out from playing in senior hockey leagues, like Ochapowace and how they’ve been discriminated against.”

The leadership of Wynyard and Ochapowace spoke and are looking at ways to create a better path forward.

Tootoosis said the annual tournament not only brings the Indigenous community together but it helps to showcase Indigenous hockey prowess.

“It’s very evident we can play at a high level,” said Tootoosis.

The tournament was created to pay homage to the late great Jim Neilson, who was a Cree hockey player from Big River.

He played over 1,000 games from 1962-1979 in the NHL and World Hockey Association (WHA).

Neilson was a trailblazer for Indigenous athletes. Growing up in an orphanage in Prince Albert, Neilson worked his way up through the minor hockey leagues until being drafted by the New York Rangers in 1962, where he played for 12 years.

“He was so humble, and just has an unbelievable story,”  said Toot0osis.

Neilson’s accomplishments are made even more incredible considering the obstacles he faced personally and professionally.

“He played in a time when racism and poverty was probably worse than it is today,” said Tootoosis. “He beat such incredible odds to make it to the NHL.”

The last JNI tournament is set for this April – Tootoosis said, at 62 years of age, it’s time for younger generations to take over.

In the four years of the tournament, it’s accomplished the goal of inspiring many young athletes through Neilson’s story.

“Instead of people asking who Jim Neilson was, they now know what an incredible human being he was,” said Tootoosis. “It’s rewarding to see younger generations discover who he was and be inspired by his achievements.”