Janne Niinimaa scored some big goals during his NHL career with the Edmonton Oilers — now his sister, Maria, is chasing one of her own, helping raise $1 million for cancer research through the World’s Longest Hockey Game.
This is the 11th edition of the major fundraising event that was spearheaded by Dr. Brent Saik in 2003 on his acreage east of Sherwood Park, and has raised over $8.1-million for cancer research and equipment for the Alberta Cross Cancer Institute.
Forty players are attempting to break record for the World’s Longest Hockey game and play for 11 consecutive days (Feb.5-16) or 263 hours, which would break the previous record the fundraiser set in 2024, when they raised over $1.4-million.
Niinimaa travelled from her home in Stockholm, Sweden to take part in the event. Her brother Janne, played in the game in 2015.
“It’s been 24 years since I was last in Edmonton. I used to come visit Janne quite a bit when he was playing here,” said Niinimaa.
“Our family got to know Brent when Janne was playing here, and he always told Brent that when he was retired he’d play in this game, and I told Brent that I always wanted to do it, too.”
While he brother was a defenceman for five teams across his 10-year NHL career, Maria has strapped on the pads and her mask on and is between the pipes as one of the goaltenders for Team Hope as it plays Team Cure.
Goaltender Maria Niinimaa makes a save during the World’s Longest Hockey Game at an acreage east of Edmonton, Friday Feb. 6, 2026.
Niinimaa, 48, said she started playing hockey at the age of eight when Janne would wake her up in the middle of the night to come downstairs, so he could shoot pucks on her in the basement.
“He would be Janne ‘Ray Bourque’ Niinimaa, and I’d be Maria ‘Ron Hextall’ Niinimaa, and he’d shoot pucks on me non-stop,” recalled Niinimaa.
“My dad one night caught us playing, and he said, ‘oh, you’re pretty good’. I was doing gymnastics then, and could do the splits, but then I started playing hockey.”
Maria said there were no girls’ teams in the area of Raahe, Finland, where her family grew up, and so she played on boys for a few years until she eventually transitioned into soccer.
“I’m not here for my hockey skills, I’m just here for the fun. I’m having an absolute blast,” said Niinimaa.
“I’ve made a few good saves, and we have a great group of players, that’s making this experience so much fun.”
In past events, while the players involved in the game have had to endure brutal temperatures that have dipped into the -30 C and -40 C range, so far this year’s game has featured above seasonal temperatures, which helps when battling the elements of playing outdoors.
But Maria came prepared.
“Janne said I had to bring everything with me, because it could be warm one day and really cold the next. When he was playing, it was very windy, which made it quite cold,” laughed Niinimaa.
Ex-Edmonton Oilers defenceman Janne Niinimaa (left) shares a laugh with Mitchell Siminiuk (centre) and his brother Matt Siminiuk at the World’s Longest Hockey Game in Sherwood Park, Alberta on Sunday, Feb.15, 2015.
Playing in his game is personal for Maria. In the past five years, cancer has hit her family very hard. Her father and his partner are both currently battling cancer, and she fought breast cancer in 2022 and 2023, and thankfully is now cancer-free.
“When I got asked to play in this game, there was no chance I was going to say no. We need so many more treatments to fight cancer,” said Niinimaa.https://x.com/i/status/2020511319615578209
“I’m so happy to be part of this, because I’ve seen it so close now, and it’s affected me in so many ways. To see people go through treatment, and having my own cancer journey… I’ve met so many people who’ve had to fight this disease, and unfortunately, some didn’t make it.”
Maria’s husband and two children, aged 15 and 11 are here to support her. They will venture away for a short trip to go skiing, but she said having her family here to support her makes the experience even more special.
“My husband is a big hockey fan, and both my kids play hockey, and I think they’re pretty proud of their mom,” said Niinimaa.
“My kids have been around this terrible disease so much, and it’s been hard on them, but they’re really grateful they’re able to be part of this game with me. In many ways, this has been a nice experience for my family.”
Saik started this event in 2003 after his father Terry died of cancer. He also lost his wife Susan, soon after the inaugural game, and since then he’s made it his mission to fight this deadly disease through this event.
As of Sunday,the teams are over half way past their goal, having raised over $552,000. This year, the money raised will help fund the purchase and installation of life-saving CAR T-cell immunotherapy equipment.
Saik said this form of treatment has been around for years, isn’t available in Canada — only in the U.S. and the costs are astronomical, in the $500,000 range.
“If we can pull this off, the lab will be up and running in Edmonton and patients will be able to get access to that as often as they need,” said Saik, who is also playing in the game.
“I’m proud, a lot of times when we do this, it seems like the impact is direct and quick, and the Cross and the Alberta Cancer Foundation told me that if we can get this done, the doctors are waiting, the room is waiting, they’re just waiting for the equipment, and they could start treating people as early as Aug. 26.”
Players take part in the World’s Longest Hockey Game at an acreage east of Edmonton on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. The game runs from Feb.5-16.
Saik said that this year’s event is special, as many of the players from previous years, are now getting their kids involved as teens and young adults to play in the game.
“It’s a pretty cool dynamic to see a lot of fathers now have their sons come out and play,” said Saik.
“For Maria, her brother played, and she’s always been a big supporter of this event. There’s really no newcomers in my mind,” said Saik.
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