Deline was the winter headquarters for Sir John Franklin’s second Arctic expedition, 1825 – 1827. Délı̨nę was formerly known as “Fort Franklin”.

Franklin wrote in his diary that his men took up a game on the ice that sounds strikingly similar to hockey. For this reason, Délı̨nę is considered one of the birthplaces of ice hockey.

November 6, 1825, Franklin notes, “[w]e endeavour to keep ourselves in good humour, health, and spirits by an agreeable variety of useful occupation and amusement. Till the snow fell the game of hockey played on the ice was the morning’s sport.”

The first indoor hockey game was played on March 3, 1875, in Montreal.

Photo: George Back in Fort Franklin, 1825