WWE Hall of Famer Bret Hart was honored by the Calgary Hitmen hockey team on Saturday night in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Hart was a founding owner of The Hitmen in 1994, and the inspiration for their name. The Calgary Hitmen are a top team in the Western Hockey League, and two-time champions.
Saturday’s WHL game was the Third Annual Bret Hart Game to be hosted by The Hitmen. Hart was honored in a pre-game ceremony for his outstanding contributions to the team as a “Forever A Hitmen” banner was raised into the rafters of the Scotiabank Saddledome, where it will remain on permanent display, according to the Hitmen website. The team also noted that Hart was enshrined as the fourth inductee in the “Forever A Hitmen” program.
As seen in the video below, Bret was in attendance for the ceremony, along with his wife and children, and other family members. The team also released footage of Bret talking to players before the game in the locker room, and a clip of some players arriving to the arena wearing Hart’s famous sunglasses.
To continue with the theme of the Third Annual Bret Hart Game, Hitmen players wore a specially designed jersey reflective of their namesake while the game-worn and game-issued jerseys were put up for sale via online auction at elevateauctions.com/BretHart, with proceeds going to the Prostate Cancer Centre. $5 from every ticket sold by the Prostate Cancer Centre went back to the center itself. Fans were also treated to a post-game on-ice wrestling show put on by Dungeon Wrestling, the promotion launched in 2022 by Bret’s sons Blade and Dallas, and indie wrestler Mo Jabari. “Havoc at The Hashmarks” featured three matches – Harry Smith defeating Chris Knight, Mo Jabari defeating Shaun Moore, and Zoe Sager defeating Ava Lawless.
You can see photos/videos from the ceremony and the matches below, along with the “Forever A Hitmen” tribute video for Hart.
Despite the presence of The Hitman and Dungeon Wrestling, The Hitmen lost Saturday’s game to the Red Deer Rebels, 9-0.
Hart has not publicly commented on Saturday’s game, but he did provide comments a few weeks back when the show was announced.
“To have my banner raised and be named Forever a Hitman this March 11th is such an honour. I am forever grateful to the @whlhitmen for many years of friendship, kick ass hockey and service to our community. On March 11th we continue to raise awareness for @prostatecancercentre and the importance of Getting Checked! My sons wrestling promotion @dungeon_wrestling will also be in the house with a great wrestling show to follow the hockey game. It will be a great day [heart emoji],” he wrote in the Instagram post seen below.
Below are the aforementioned photos, videos and posts:
Our namesake in the rafters forever #ForeverAHitmen @BretHart pic.twitter.com/8l5mVTXbq0
— Calgary Hitmen (@WHLHitmen) March 11, 2023
Another honour for Bret Hart today.
The WHL’s Calgary Hitmen recognized The Hitman for his “outstanding contributions” to the franchise by raising his banner to the rafters of the Saddledome, where it’ll be on permanent display.
Congrats! pic.twitter.com/ZzJhjGR7ej
— Steve Argintaru (@SteveTSN) March 11, 2023
The best there is, the best there was, the best there ever will be. #ForeverAHitmen pic.twitter.com/WJftcyyeyE
— Calgary Hitmen (@WHLHitmen) March 12, 2023
Hitmen fans, you showed out today!
@brfkenworthy pic.twitter.com/yVMea461Cb
— Calgary Hitmen (@WHLHitmen) March 12, 2023
The man himself came in to chat with boys before game time@BretHart @NHLFlames pic.twitter.com/bSZxKo3ydr
— Calgary Hitmen (@WHLHitmen) March 11, 2023
The best there is, the best there was, the best there ever will be! #hitmen #brethart #wwe pic.twitter.com/rSpS2LrmIr
— Bret Kenworthy (@brfkenworthy) March 12, 2023
Thank you @DWrestlingYYC for putting on a great show following the @WHLHitmen game – very talented group of wrestlers with great futures! #BretHartNight pic.twitter.com/rRJ68StJjb
— Brent Gibbs (@Gibbsy35) March 12, 2023
I now hold the most wins out of any independent professional wrestler to work inside the @cgysaddledome, and that’s pretty cool pic.twitter.com/D2qWzwT1Gv
— 𝓘𝓷𝓽𝓪𝓷𝓰𝓲𝓫𝓵𝓮 Zoë Sager (@SagerZoe) March 12, 2023
Storm academy representing out there.
— DungeonWrestling (@DWrestlingYYC) March 9, 2023
thank you to @KidChocolateMJ & @DBSmithjr, couldn’t have done it without you guys.
Thanks to @WHLHitmen for having us out for the @BretHart game!
: @brfkenworthy pic.twitter.com/aeoESrJsNG
— JD (@JDfromCJAY) March 12, 2023
Today, the @WHLHitmen are honouring their namesake @BretHart with a special Forever A Hitmen pre-game ceremony!
Game time is 2:00 PM MT – get your tickets now: https://t.co/CLd34FA0YW pic.twitter.com/QQqJw3ymRz
— Calgary Flames (@NHLFlames) March 11, 2023
Time for the main event
@Rebelshockey
2:00 PM MT
https://t.co/0voAbOUdez
https://t.co/2ZK4qOdirZ
@Sportsnet960#ForeverAHitmen