Three years ago, the Upper Peninsula’s deep-seated roots in hockey were nationally recognized when Marquette was named Kraft Hockeyville USA for 2016. This week, Kraft Hockeyville USA is back in the U.P., this time to name Calumet as the winner. A slew of events have been planned to commemorate the victory.

Hundreds of people attended Monday’s event to kick off Kraft Hockeyville week. Former Detroit Red Wings players Drew Miller and Kirk Maltby — a four-time Stanley Cup winner with the Red Wings — made appearances and signed autographs for fans.

Many posed for photos with the Cup, waiting in a line that extended from the event on the corner of Red Jacket Road and Calumet Avenue to Calumet High School.

Some hugged the Cup, some kissed it, some traced their fingers over the names and most took one last glance while walking away after taking a picture with it.

The Cup’s public viewing followed a private viewing inside the Calumet Colosseum. The world’s oldest hockey trophy inside the world’s oldest indoor hockey rink — a pairing that could only happen in Calumet.

The week will be capped off by an NHL exhibition game between the Detroit Red Wings and St. Louis Blues, which will be broadcast live on NBC Sports beginning at 7 p.m. today.

“This is awesome. This is like a miracle and a dream come true,” Bruce Coppo, head coach of the Calumet Wolverines, said. “It’s gonna be great for all the young kids. This is something they’ll never forget. It’s kind of ironic that just after we found out we won, we were saying, ‘Wouldn’t it be something if we could get the Red Wings here and the Stanley Cup winners?’ It just fell into place. It’s beautiful.”

Both NHL teams will have a gameday skate in the early afternoon today. The Red Wings’ skate is 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. The Blues’ skate is from 12:30 to 1:15 p.m. Calumet High School’s Agassiz Field will host the official viewing party from 5 to 10 p.m.

When looking at the origins of hockey, the road will always lead through the U.P. We are grateful that yet another Yooper community is being recognized on the national level, and that so many children in that community will have a dream come true right there in their hometown.

We hope that our fellow Yoopers turn out in force for that game and show the whole country just how passionate our community is about its hockey.