The Cowichan Valley will take centre stage next year as part of the for the Rogers Hometown Hockey Tour for the 2017-2018 NHL season.

Now in its fourth season, the nationwide tour will bring host Ron MacLean and co-host Tara Slone to Cowichan for a special live pre-game show to air on Sportsnet prior to the Sunday, January 21, 2018 nationally broadcast game between the Vancouver Canucks and Winnipeg Jets.

The tour will arrive in the Cowichan Valley on the Saturday and involve all communities in the area, including Ladysmith and Chemainus and Duncan.

A committee of stakeholders is being formed in the coming weeks to determine a location for the broadcast.

“Having the Cowichan Valley named as a stop on the Rogers Hometown Hockey Tour is an incredible honour and we are thrilled to share our stories with the nation,” said Jon Lefebure, Cowichan Valley Regional District Chair and North Cowichan Mayor.

“I invite everyone to join us for the fun and excitement. This fantastic showcase provides an opportunity for all families, children of all ages and of course hockey fans, to participate in this interactive event.”

The free, family-friendly weekend will include interactive games and activities celebrating all things hockey, plus live entertainment, a chance to meet NHL alumni and lots of free contests and giveaways.

Local minor hockey associations will also be a huge part of the event and will receive exclusive access and perks during the weekend.

The weekend will culminate in an outdoor viewing party of an NHL broadcast on the Sunday, with MacLean and Slone hosting live from the Sportsnet Mobile Studio.

MacLean and Slone will feature grassroots hockey stories and tales of local players that helped build Cowichan’s hockey community.

The full event schedule and broadcast details for Rogers Hometown Hockey in the Cowichan Valley will be announced closer to the event.

The estimated economic impact for Cowichan Valley from the event is $1 million.

Nanaimo played host to Rogers Hometown Hockey last year with a full day of activities at Maffeo Sutton Park.

There will be 24 communities featured as part of Season 4 of Rogers Hometown Hockey tour including, Surrey and Williams Lake in British Columbia.