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It may be a long shot, but you count on him to give it everything he's got.

If things go his way in his planning for the 2026 Jon Lindell Memorial (JLM) Calm Air Cup senior men's hockey tournament, general manager and tournament organizer Gleason Uppahuak will be bringing three very special guests to the community who will host a very special event at its conclusion.

Uppahuak said he's submitted a request to the hamlet to bring in former NHL player and coach Ted Nolan and his two sons, Brandon and Jordan, during the JLM. Jordan is a three-time Stanley Cup champion with the Los Angeles Kings and St. Louis Blues.

"My hope is to get them here during the JLM and then they will host a three-day hockey camp for our local minor hockey players," said Uppahuak.

"If the hamlet approves my funding request, I'll get a hold of Brandon to work out the details and we'll go from there. I have a working relationship with Brandon.

"We tried to execute my plan this past winter, but the Kivalliq Inuit Association never even responded to my funding request. We were deeply disappointed by that.

"I even tried to get them to bring the Stanley Cup along if they make it here, but they told me the NHL would never allow that to happen."

Uppahuak said if he can get the Nolans into Arviat on the Saturday of the JLM weekend, they would be able to do meet and greets during all the playoff games the following day.

He said the youth hockey camp has become a tradition of the JLM, but he's hoping this year's version will be a huge step up with the Nolans being in town.

"I've had three instructors come up from Winnipeg to do a three-day camp for a number of years now. The kids have fun, but I wanted to do something very special for the kids this coming winter.

"Ted (Nolan) is a monster and Brandon being a three-time Cup champion, there will be lots of pictures and autographs for everyone.

"Ted is a great coach and he's also a great role model for all us Indigenous people. He survived a lot of racist stuff that we wouldn't understand here today. A lot of terrible things were said to him during his junior career, especially.

"He's a total class act and our kids will probably remember their three-day camp with him and his two sons for the rest of their lives if they make it here."