Ottawa man makes Santa chair out of hockey sticks for Sens outdoor game

An Ottawa man who dons Kris Kringle's red suit for parties and events has crafted a special benchfor this weekend's NHL 100 Classic game at LansdownePark.

Marc Bertrand assembled used hockey sticks donated by Carleton University andthe University of Ottawa, along with ones hefound discarded at arenas, to create the bench.

Itwill be used as a seat for Santa Claus outside the game between the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadienson Saturday.

• Senators to host Canadiens in outdoor NHL game Dec. 16 at TD Place
• NHL begins makeover of Grey Cup site for outdoor Sens game

The chair took about 10 hours to build, but Bertrand said he spent three weeks looking for the right hockey sticks to do the job.

He noted in an email that he will be dressing up as the jolly man in red for the game and that the chair will be set up in theAberdeen Pavilion.

"I'm so honoured to have the opportunity to do this," Bertrandsaid. "It was something I suggested and [the NHL] totally went 100 per cent for it."

Game of Thrones fans might find the chair familiar. Bertrand saidthatitwas inspired by the populartelevision show.

Saturday's outdoor game will pay tribute to 100 years ofNHLcontests.

The firstNHLgame took place onDec. 19, 1917, between the Senators and theCanadiensatDey'sArena in Ottawa, which stood on present-day Confederation Park.

"Part of the negotiations for building the chair is that they get to keep it, so the NHL wants to keep my chair for I guess future, historical reasons," Bertrand added.

"I'm really quite touched by that."