Yardmen Arena hosted an NHL pre-season game between the Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets on September 14, 2013 as part of the Kraft Hockeyville festivities.

Nearby Stirling-Rawdon won the Kraft Hockeyville contest in 2012, but the original game scheduled between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Columbus Blue Jackets was cancelled due to the 2012-13 NHL lockout.

The games all had the Berlin River Drivers as the home team against and the Port Huron Prowlers on December 12, the Danbury Titans on January 2, and the Dayton Demolition on February 13.

[2] Upgrades would have to be made to accommodate an AHL franchise including repairing the boards, the floor refrigeration system, and increasing the arena's capacity.

[3] The transfer was confirmed in September 2016, after Belleville City Council approved a $20.5 million upgrade to the arena.

The upgrades included an increase in capacity, a new NHL-sized rink, new home team dressing room, new refrigeration system, new score clock, new washrooms and a new public entrance and in effect lead to a rebuilding of the arena.