The Olympic Regional Development Authority (Olympic Authority) announces that a CAN/AM Special Hockey Tournament will be hosted at the Olympic Center in Lake Placid on Friday through Sunday, March 27-29, 2026.

Why this Matters: More than 400 athletes with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities will take the ice in a non-contact, inclusive hockey tournament inside Lake Placid’s historic Olympic venues.

What: CAN/AM Hockey regularly brings large, multi-day hockey tournaments to the Lake Placid Olympic Center for youth and adult teams from the United States and Canada, and this Special Hockey Tournament serves those with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities, giving players of all ages and ability an equal opportunity to experience the sport in the Olympic Center’s legendary ice arenas.

Games are played upright using standard hockey equipment with adaptive modifications that meet athletes’ different needs. All games are non-contact and structured to create a supportive, confidence-building environment for participants.

In addition to game play, the weekend will include an Opening Ceremonies in the 1980 Herb Brooks Arena, an indoor Family Skate, a Coaches’ Game, a Tournament Party with a DJ and dancing, and an award ceremony.

Visual Opportunities: 

    • Opening Ceremony in the 1980 Herb Brooks Arena (Friday)
    • Tournament gameplay across three Olympic Center rinks
    • Athlete and team interactions throughout the weekend

Who: Teams from a dozen states, including 450 athletes and coaches, will participate. The athletes are accompanied by friends and family members for a total of more than 900 registered participants.

Where: Tournament games will be held in the Olympic Center’s 1980 Herb Brooks Arena, the 1932 Jack Shea Arena, and the USA Rink. The Family Skate and Opening Ceremony will be held in the 1980 rink, followed by tournament play and a Coaches’ Game, where players will faceoff against their coaches. The Tournament Party for registered participants will be held in the Lake Placid Conference Center.

When: While the event is designed for registered participants, spectators visiting the Olympic Center are welcome to attend. Admission is free. Games begin Friday evening and conclude Sunday in the early afternoon, with each game running 50 minutes. The Family Skate, open to registered athletes, friends, and family is Friday at 2:30 pm and will be followed by the Opening Ceremony. The Coaches’ Game will be held from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm, and the tournament party takes place on Saturday evening.

For further information on CAN/AM Hockey, the Special Hockey Tournament, and other event details, visit: https://www.canamhockey.com/tournaments/tournaments/special-hockey-2026

Media contact: Jaime Collins ([email protected]).