It’s Fred Sasakamoose Day in Saskatchewan.

Mayor Charlie Clark says two hockey heroes will grace the front entrance to SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon, “Gordie Howe and Fred Sasakamoose from Ahtahkakoop First Nation, first Indigenous player ever in the NHL and he was such a champion of good programs for kids and wanting to make sure the youth growing up here had every opportunity to live out their dreams.”

The statue, expected to be ready by October, is being donated by The Dakota Dunes Community Development Corporation, Battleford Agency Tribal Chiefs and Synergy 8 Community Builders and is estimated to cost $180,000.  A ceremony was held Tuesday morning at SaskTel Centre.

Tuesday is also the scheduled release of Fred Saskamoose’s memoir titled Call Me Indian: From The Trauma Of Residential School To Becoming The Nhl’s First Treaty Indigenous Player.