Paul Bissonnette is one of the rising stars in sports media, and he’s now giving back in a way that really hits home.

Bissonnette has partnered with Kraft Hockeyville during the 20th anniversary of the program. Under the new format, Kraft Hockeyville will deliver over a million dollars in community prizing, with an emphasis on delivering critical upgrades to rinks across Canada. There will be one provincial and one territorial winner across all 13 provinces and territories, with the winners receiving $50,000 each. The runner-up of the full project will receive $100,000 while the grand prize recipient gains $250,000 and access to an NHL preseason game.

Nominations are open through January 1-March 1, 2026. Bissonnette spoke to The Leafs Nation on December 18 to discuss his involvement in the project, along with some banter about his beloved Toronto Maple Leafs. He spoke about the impact of playing in a Kraft Hockeyville game in 2016 in Lumby, British Columbia, as a member of the Los Angeles Kings, during a preseason contest against a young Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.

“I knew what Kraft Hockeyville was. You saw it on TV, the clips and you knew what it was about. Helping communities all across Canada, fix up barns and do repairs. But just to see and be in it, as far as the fan reaction and the community being overwhelmed with an NHL game is coming to their arena. The impact I saw first-hand was awesome, and the fact that I get to be a part of it.

“I’ve said this on meetings as well: I’m coming in Year 20 with the pom-poms, let’s go, but this was a foundation that was laid even longer than 19 years ago. What all the people at Kraft Hockeyville have been able to do, as far as donating over $5.5 million to 105 communities across the country, that’s pretty remarkable. And the amount of joy it’s brought some of these small communities, because if you think about it: some of these communities, the arena is where they come together. You’ve got church and the rink as where you get all the amazing stories, and the memories take place.”

Bissonnette starred for the Southern Tier Admirals AAA team based out of Welland, Ontario, before being selected 31st overall in the 2001 OHL Priority Selection by the now-defunct North Bay Centennials. After starring in the OHL, Bissonnette went on to play 202 games in the NHL, and spoke about the importance of having a community rink as a central hub, before his major junior career took off.

“I was blessed because I got to play in Southern Ontario. The accessibility to all these different arenas. We had Fort Erie down the road, where they had a new state-of-the-art rink. Two pads were there. Welland, it was a little more beat up but nothing that wasn’t manageable. We had them at our disposal, whereas other areas across the country, there may not be another rink for another 100-150 kilometres, maybe even more.”

“The fact that I got the opportunity to have them at my disposal like that, I’m forever indebted and grateful. So that’s why amplifying this and trying to get these smaller communities where maybe they don’t have the funds to repair things, and help create some of those memories I got to experience, that’s why we’re here, that’s why Kraft Hockeyville does it.”

Bissonnette is a major part of the changing hockey media landscape and his ability to connect with a younger generation of players truly stands out. New York Islanders rookie phenom Matthew Schaefer took part in a lively interview with Bissonnette over the summer as one shining example, and the NHL on TNT analyst offered his perspective on building relationships with younger players, while offering the highest praise for the Islanders’ standout.

“Part of us remembers when we were young coming in. He’s an 18-year-old and he’s a phenom. It’s good to pick these guys’ brains and it’s good to give everybody a sense that they’re just normal kids. They just so happen to be extraordinary at playing a game. I think that’s one of the best things of jumping into media because I really miss the locker room. I miss the banter and camaraderie and hearing these stories.”

“You get these guys on, and they might tell a story: for Schaefer, he lost his mother before his NHL Draft. Hearing, maybe being another player on the other side of that, maybe they lost a family member and how he was able to battle through that adversity and where he brought his mindset, and how he’s gotten over it. Just to share all that and help facilitate that and talk to all these amazing guys, it’s what fills up my tank and it’s become my purpose.”

Bissonnette is an avowed Leafs fan, and when we conducted the interview, the team was about to embark upon a three-game road trip, in which they went winless. With criticism mounting, Bissonnette provided his perspective on John Tavares, Auston Matthews, and the Toronto hockey media market.

“I feel like people are ragging on Matthews. They’re just so negative surrounding the team. I get sometimes you have to be critical, I just think it’s a little bit over the top right now with the slander on the Toronto Maple Leafs. They’ve dealt with goaltending injuries, they’ve had two significant pieces in (Brandon) Carlo and (Chris) Tanev missing significant time on the back end. Matthews, there’s a lot to ask him of him, he lost his right-hand man in Mitch Marner,” Bissonnette said.

Since the interview was conducted, the Maple Leafs went into a tailspin through the month of January, although Matthews has perhaps been the team’s lone bright spot, leading the NHL in 5-on-5 goals through January.

Kraft Hockeyville is a terrific project that has improved the quality of arenas across Canada for two decades, and Bissonnette is more than thrilled to take part in an initiative, truly giving back to communities throughout the country.