Great Lakes Invitational hosted at Joe Louis Arena

The Great Lakes Invitational, an annual college ice hockey tournament featuring regional programs, was staged at Joe Louis Arena for many years as a central Detroit holiday-era event. After Joe Louis Arena closed in 2017, the tournament moved to Little Caesars Arena, but its multi-decade history at Joe Louis is a documented part of Detroit hockey tradition. The event provided a recurring site for college hockey competition and local fan engagement in downtown Detroit.