Calgary Hockey Magazine Winter Edition 2016

WINTER 2016

Sheldon Kennedy’s

CHILD ADVOCACY

Battle of

CENTRE

Alberta

REVISITED

JOE COLBORNE: Homegrown Flame

HARNARAYAN

SINGH

Hockey Night in Canada Punjabi Broadcast Host

SUNDAY FUNDAY! EVERY SUNDAY AFTERNOON HOME GAME

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CALGARY HOCKEY MAGAZINE

TABLE OF

CONTENTS

24 ZACHARY SAWCHENKO - GOALIE FOR THE MOOSE JAW WARRIORS 5

6

PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE

KEN BABEY:

20 LEFT VS RIGHT:

13

HARNARAYAN SINGH:

23 HOCKEY SHOT:

Sets the Target

Hockey Night in Canada Punjabi Broadcaster

SPOTLIGHT ON GOLD MEDAL WINNER: Alex Richmond

Shooters in the NHL

Tip of the Month

28 BATTLE OF ALBERTA:

Book fondly remembers Alberta’s dominance in the NHL

JOE COLBORNE: Making an impact on and off the ice

9

10

30 HOCKEY TWITTER STATS

16

SHELDON KENNEDY’S

18

ARENA LOCATOR MAP

Child Advocacy Centre

Who’s the leader for followers?

32 SPOTLIGHT ON AN OFFICIAL: Bryan Nguyen

If your child won a gold medal at the 2016 Esso Calgary Minor Hockey Week, we want to hear from you! Please complete the following questionnaire and send it in by February 10th, 2016 and your child could be featured in the 2016 Yearbook Edition of the Official Calgary Hockey Magazine. Send in the completed entries along with a photo (preferably in a hockey uniform) to: Calgary Hockey Magazine c/o Playhouse Publications Ltd. 10177 -105 Street NW Edmonton, AB T5J 1E2 (If you include a self-addressed, stamped envelope, we will gladly return your photo.)

You can also e-mail your submission to: publisher@hockeymagazine.net

Spotlight on Gold Medal Winner:

Name: Jordan Poon Age: 11 School Grade: 5 Current Team: Simons Valley Storm, Atom 7 Number of years played: 6 Usual Position: Defence Favourite Hockey Team: Washington Capitals Favourite Hockey Player: Alex Ovechkin Who is your role model: My dad becasue he teaches me hockey.

Other Interests: Basketball, soccer, trick-scootering, snowboarding and swimming.

Favourite Hockey Memory: Winning the city championship last season.

4

Name

Age

Current Team Number of Years Played Usual Position Favourite Hockey Team Favourite Hockey Player Who is your Role Model Other Interests Favourite Hockey Memory

School Grade

Message From

The Publisher

Welcome to our Winter Edition of the Calgary Hockey Magazine!

In this edition of the magazine, we have a feature article on Joe Colborne of the Calgary Flames. Colborne grew up in Calgary, first playing minor hockey in Springbank when he was five years old. He was very happy to return home when he was traded from the Toronto Maple Leafs in September 2013.

Another local player is Zachary Sawchenko, who first started playing hockey at three years of age. Sawchenko tried a variety of playing positions, before switching over to goaltender at the atom division. Sawchenko currently plays for the Moose Jaw Warriors in the WHL, and is projected to be a fourth round draft pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.

Our magazine has featured and promoted the “Respect in Sport” program for many years, an initiative very near and dear to Sheldon Kennedy’s heart. We caught up with Kennedy recently, to chat about the Sheldon Kennedy Advocacy Centre, and its focus in addressing the serious problem of child abuse and childhood trauma, and how the centre provides support for abused children.

How’s this for a switch of career paths? Ken Babey served as the men’s hockey coach at SAIT for 27 years, but last year, he decided to make a career change. Not changing his “title” as hockey coach, but switching over to coach the Canadian National Men’s sledge hockey team. Canada captured a bronze medal at the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, but Babey’s goal is to capture gold at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Last but not least, we have a feature article on Brooks native (but current Calgary resident) Harnarayan Singh, who is the host of Hockey Night in Canada in Punjabi. Singh is a die-hard hockey fan, who grew up cheering for the Edmonton Oilers, but married a woman who cheers for the Calgary Flames. Their wedding featured a Stanley Cup shaped wedding cake, and their wedding guests wore hockey jerseys to the event.

If you have any ideas or suggestions for an upcoming edition of the magazine, please pass it along. Maybe it’s a coach who goes the extra mile, maybe it’s a young minor hockey official making his or her way, or maybe it’s a hockey event making a difference in the community. If it’s hockey related, we’re all ears!

Credits President and Publisher // Rob Suggitt Art Director // Christine Kucher Graphic Designers Cailey Buxton // Katelyn Suggitt Contributing Writers D.T. Baker // Jeremy Freeborn Maurice Tougas // Rob Suggitt Cover Photo Provided by Shannon Richmond Copy Editing Shari Narine Photography Credits Candice Ward - Calgary Hitmen Gerry Thomas - Calgary Flames Harnarayan Singh - HNIC Hockey Canada Images Jenn Pierce - Calgary Flames NHL Sportsnet Respect Group Inc. SC Parker Photography Stephen Simon - Moose Jaw Warriors Sales Associates Kerri Anderson // Lynn Schuster Administration Amber Grmek

The Hockey Magazine is a product of Playhouse Publications Ltd. - an affiliate of Suggitt Group Ltd.

President & CEO // Tom Suggitt President & CFO // Rob Suggitt 10177 - 105 Street, Edmonton AB T5J 1E2 Ph: 780.423.5834 // Fax: 780.413.6185 Playhouse Publications Ltd. also publishes the Citadel Theatre Playbill, Edmonton Opera Playbill, Arden Theatre Playbill, The Fringe Theatre Adventures Arts at the Barns Magazine and the Calgary Opera Program.

All Rights Reserved. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expresses within do not nessesarily represent the opnions of the publisher or Hockey Edmonton. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher - www.suggitt.com Printed By R.R. Donnelley

Sincerely,

Rob Suggitt

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Publisher,

Calgary Hockey Magazine

5

COLBORNE

MAKING AN

IMPACT ON AND OFF

THE ICE [ Article written by Jeremy Freeborn ]

The date of Sept. 29, 2013 will always have special

meaning for Joe Colborne: it was when the Calgary native was traded from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Calgary Flames for the Flames’ fourth round choice in the 2014 National Hockey League Entry Draft. At the time, Colborne was excited and ready to make strong contributions for the Flames on the ice.

Colborne, however, has gone a step further, making considerable contributions off the ice within the city of Calgary as well.

At 25 years of age, Colborne is entering the prime of his NHL career, playing his sixth season in and third full season. Originally drafted by the Boston Bruins in 2008, Colborne never played for the Bruins as he was traded with two draft picks for defenceman Tomas Kaberle on Feb. 18, 2011. He played only 16 games in a span of three seasons with the Maple Leafs, spending most of his time with the Toronto Marlies, of the American Hockey League. Colborne made his biggest impact in Calgary. He has fit in well with the Flames in a third line checking role and delivered a physical presence, currently at 6’5” and 215 lbs. In his first two full seasons with the Flames, he had 287 hits in 144 regular season games. Colborne has also showed strong improvement in the face-off circle. He has seen his face-off percentage improve from .485 in 2013-14 to .524 in 2014-15 to .568 in 201516.Colborne’s on-ice production has been highly praised by Flames head coach Bob Hartley.

“Joe is a good up and down winger for us. He is very versatile.

He can play all three forward positions. He can be on the power

6

play and be used in a penalty killing role. He is a big body, so that’s important. He has really good skills and a really good understanding of the game. Since his arrival, he has shown great progress.”

Colborne, who was born on Jan. 30, 1990, first played organized hockey in Springbank when he was only five years old.

Colborne remembers shooting pucks on his father in the family’s basement. His father Paul has a sports background himself, as he was the quarterback of the University of Calgary Dinos football team from 1978 to 1980.

Colborne played in Springbank until bantam. Then he played for the Edge School and the Calgary Titans (a team comprised of players who were born in 1990 from southern Alberta that were brought together to play hockey for spring tournaments). While playing at the Edge School and the Titans, Colborne played with another “big body.” Colborne’s teammate was Winnipeg Jets defenceman Tyler Myers, who is now 6’8”, 220 lbs.

After not being selected in the 2005 Western Hockey League Bantam Draft, Colborne played for the Notre Dame Hounds in the Saskatchewan Midget Hockey League for a season before returning to Alberta to play for the Camrose Kodiaks of the Alberta Junior Hockey League for two seasons. While with the Kodiaks in 2007-08, Colborne led the AJHL with 57 assists and was second in the AJHL in scoring with 90 points. From there Colborne went to the University of Denver after being drafted by the Bruins.

Joe Colborne Colborne has great memories playing in the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

“I had two of the best years of my life in Denver. It was such an amazing experience. I had some great coaches that helped me learn what it was going to be like in the professional game and took me to the next level.”

Playing for the Flames for the first time was another special experience for Colborne.

“It was a dream come true. They were my heroes growing up. They were my role models, especially Al MacInnis and Jarome Iginla. It was the highlight of my year when I got to go to a game with my dad or friends. The first time I skated on the Saddledome ice and heard my name called, that was a special day.”

Colborne has also had a significant impact off the ice as a member of the Flames. He is involved in numerous local charities, among them ‘Colborne’s Forces’ and the ‘Joe Colborne Families in Crisis Fund.’

In Colborne’s Forces, Colborne purchases a pair of season tickets.

He then hosts a member of the Canadian military and a guest to every Flames home game. After the game, the military member and guest get a tour of the Calgary Flames locker room and have the opportunity to personally meet Colborne. Recognizing the Canadian military is meaningful for Colborne.

“It is something I am extremely proud of. I have so much respect for the armed forces and the sacrifices they make. In my opinion, they are the true role models we should look up to. They do so much for our country and do not get near as much credit (as they deserve) for what they do.”

The military member is also recognized by Beesley, the Flames public address announcer. For Beesley, it is a privilege to recognize the selected military member of Colborne’s forces. Beesley feels a personal connection with the announcement, as his uncle died in World War II. “When I do the public address announcement of Colborne’s Forces, it actually moves me. They give so much. They sacrifice everything for our country. That is the unique thing about the program. Colborne’s Forces represents all of us. When you see all players stand and slap their sticks along the boards when I introduce the military person, it gives me a feeling of honour and pride that a member of the military is being recognized in front of 19,000 hockey fans. It is my favourite announcement because it touches so many people.”

FACTS #

8 ABOUT 8 1.

Joe’s dad Paul is an oil and gas executive with Surge Energy, and played football for the University of Calgary. (He was a quarterback.)

2.

At 18 years old, Colborne finished his second season with the Camrose Kodiaks of the AJHL, tallying 33 goals and 57 assists (90 point) in only 55 games.

3.

Colborne was only the second player in the history of the AJHL to be selected in the first round of the NHL draft, going 16th overall. (Brent Sutter was the other. He went 17th overall.)

4.

Colborne played two seasons with the University of Denver, and averaged a point per game in his last WCHA season.

5.

Colborne has already been traded twice in his young NHL career. First, from Boston to Toronto for two draft picks and Tomas Kaberle in 2011. He was traded from the Leafs on Sept. 29, 2013 for a fourth round selection at the NHL Entry Draft.

6.

Colborne described former Flames players Al MacInnis, Joe Nieuwendyk and Jarome Iginla as his heroes.

7.

Colborne is currently in the second year of a twoyear deal for $1.2 million per season.

8.

Joe’s nickname is Jumbo or JC.

“ “ [Photos courtesy of Jenn Pierce & Gerry Thomas / Calgary Flames]

7

Joe Colborne Colborne is also the honourary spokesperson for the Big Hearted Mavericks Foundation, and is the acting chairperson of their annual charity golf tournament. The foundation donates $400,000 annually to children’s charities. Colborne, with the assistance of the Mavericks Foundation and the Flames Foundation for Life, has also created the “Joe Colborne Families in Crisis Fund” which directly supports families in financial need.

Calgary Flames Foundation executive director Candice Goudie says Colborne’s charitable contributions have been outstanding.

“Joe has been a tremendous ambassador for our charitable initiatives through the Calgary Flames Foundation, and so many more. Joe recognizes the role he can play as a professional athlete, as a role model and mentor. That is so important and valuable for the groups that he works with through our team, and he does it with such consistency, whole-hearted intentions and consideration.”

For his efforts on and off the ice, Colborne was recognized by the Flames this past season. He won the Ralph T. Scurfield Award. The award, named after the former Calgary Flames coowner who died in a ski accident near Revelstoke in 1985, is presented to the Flames player that “exemplifies perseverance, determination and leadership on the ice, combined with dedication to community service off the ice.”

Colborne has also been recognized by the local media as the winner of the Peter Maher Award in the last two consecutive seasons. The award is presented to the Flames player, who is best with the media.

Colborne says it is important to be involved in the community and to volunteer whenever possible.

“It is a huge responsibility of ours to give back to the community when we have the opportunity. We are extremely fortunate to have the support from the city.”

In addition to his personal charities, Colborne has spent time volunteering at the Alberta Children’s Hospital, the Ronald McDonald House, and is involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Calgary.

In the future, Colborne would love to win a Stanley Cup with the Flames and to help grow his local charities. Not only are the Calgary Flames lucky to have Colborne, so is the city of Calgary.

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Spotlight on

GOLD MEDAL WINNER:

Alex Richmond

Current Team:

McKnight Mustangs

School Grade:

9

Number of years played: Usual Position:

7 My team the McKnight Mustangs Bantam 3 team had won every game we played that week to make it into the final gold medal game.

Forward

Favourite hockey team:

Vancouver Canucks

Favourite hockey player: Alexandre Burrows Role Model(s):

Fourteen-year-old Alex Richmond fondly remembers his 2015 Esso Minor Hockey Week experience...

My coaches

Other Interests:

Lacrosse, longboarding, snowboarding and mountain-biking

Favourite hockey memory:

Playing at Max Bell arena with the QR77 Minor Hockey Roadshow – during my Atom hockey year.

Our gold medal opponent was the McKnight Mustangs Bantam 4 team. They moved up into our division after seeding rounds and made it all the way to the final round too.

I was really excited to play.

Once the game started they scored the first goal, and then we came back and scored two. It was in about the midpoint of the second when I got the puck and scored our third goal. I skated along the boards celebrating with my hand on my hip and my knee raised, the Captain Morgan celly.

After that we scored two more goals. I scored the fifth and final goal to finish off the game with a 5-1 win.

After the win we took our team picture on the ice, and then also took giant team picture with our friends from the other McKnight team.

9

BABEY SETS THE TARGET National men’s sledge hockey team to win gold in next Paralympics

[ By Jeremy Freeborn ] On June 3, 2014, the landscape of the Calgary amateur

hockey scene changed forever when veteran hockey coach Ken Babey resigned as the athletic director and the head coach of the men’s hockey team at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. Babey’s name had become synonymous with SAIT. He was the men’s hockey head coach for 27 years and was the athletic director for 17 years.

At the time of his resignation, Babey insisted he wasn’t ready to retire but he needed a change. In November of 2014, Babey met with Hockey Canada and by Jan. 8, 2015, Babey came to terms with Hockey Canada to be the head coach of the Canadian national men’s sledge hockey team. Babey was hired along with assistant coaches Hervé Lord, who played 19 seasons on Canada’s national men’s sledge hockey team from 1991 to 2010, and Ron Choules, who is currently an assistant coach with the Concordia University men’s hockey team in Montreal.

Babey’s job is to guide Canada through to the 2018 Paralympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang. At the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Team Canada won the bronze medal.

The Canadian team went through Group A with a perfect record of three wins and zero losses, but when it came to the medal round, Team Canada lost in the semi-final by a score of 3-0 to the eventual gold medalist, the United States. In Pyeongchang, the goal is for Canada to win the gold medal.

It is something the Canadian national men’s sledge hockey team has only once been able to accomplish—at the 2006 Paralympic Winter Games in Turin.

Babey was born in Saskatoon, Sask., on Oct. 24, 1954. He first started playing hockey at the age of five, and would play hockey or shinny all the time—either on the outdoor rinks, the school playground, or the local streets. Babey played minor hockey in Saskatoon up until the junior level, when a shoulder injury he suffered while with the Saskatoon Quakers forced him to leave the game as a player.

10

Babey then went on to get his education degree at the University of Saskatchewan. While at university, he got involved with a local bantam team, and found out how much he loved coaching. After his university graduation, Babey moved to Calgary and began coaching hockey at the midget and bantam levels.

“

Ken Babey

That Canadian team also boasted Claude Giroux, John Tavares and P.K. Subban.

In 1987, Babey became the first ever full-time hockey coach at SAIT. In his first 10 years, he was the Trojans’ hockey coach and taught two classes—physical education, and sports management and law. Then in 1997, Babey became the Trojans’ athletic director, and continued to be the men’s hockey coach.

While with the Danish national junior hockey team, Babey had the opportunity to coach some players who went on to play in the National Hockey League. The list includes Anaheim Ducks’ goaltender Fredrik Andersen, Arizona Coyotes’ left winger Mikkel Boedker, Montreal Canadiens’ centre Lars Eller, and former defensemen Phil Larsen (Edmonton Oilers) and Oliver Lauridsen (Philadelphia Flyers).

“I love the game so much. I love being around people. I am a very competitive person. I had to stay in the game somehow and this was the best way.

Coaching gave me the opportunity to work with players, try ideas, be part of that team concept and to win,” said Babey about his decision to pursue coaching professionally.

While at SAIT, Babey won 534 games with the Trojans, nine Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference championships, and was the ACAC’s men’s hockey coach of the year seven times. In 2000, Babey won the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association National Men’s Hockey Championship.

SAIT took the gold medal convincingly, defeating Sir Sandford Fleming College 16-2 at Seneca College in Toronto.

Babey looks back at his coaching career at SAIT fondly.

“I think of the players and the staff that I worked with. I coached between 750 and 800 players. I am very proud of the fact that so many of the players graduated.

So many of them now are positive contributors to the economy and society.”

Babey also had international coaching experience prior to being the head coach of the Canadian national sledge hockey team. He led Team Canada’s under-18 team to the gold medal in the 2000 Four Nations Cup in the Czech Republic, and was the head coach of Team Denmark at the 2008 World Junior Hockey Championship in Pardubice, Czech Republic. On New Year’s Eve in 2007, Babey had his proudest hockey moment in his coaching career when Denmark faced Canada.

Babey has also been recognized for his success coaching hockey in Alberta. On Feb. 24, 2015, it was announced that Babey would be inducted into the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame in Red Deer. Babey was officially inducted at an awards gala in July in Canmore with former Calgary Flames’ captain Lanny McDonald, of Hanna, Alberta, former Edmonton Oilers’ defenseman Al Hamilton, minor hockey referee George Kallay, and the 197980 Red Deer Rustlers, who won the Canadian Junior A hockey championship or Centennial Trophy (now known as the Royal Bank Cup).

Babey is comfortable leading the Canadian national sledge hockey team.

“I was blown away by the athletic skill of these guys and their competitiveness.

I love working with athletes, who have gone through personal challenges. They are inspiring to me from that perspective.

The game is different. It gives me an opportunity to try some different approaches to expand my coaching skills.”

Babey also discusses some of the coaching strategies that have helped him generate success over time.

I was blown away by the athletic skill of these guys and their competitiveness.

I love working with athletes, who have gone through personal challenges.

They are inspiring to me from that perspective.

“

Among the teams he coached were the Calgary Royals and Calgary Northstars.

“I learned what it was like being the underdog, sort of what it was like when I first started at SAIT. It put me back to being humble and to work hard as a coach. We only lost to Canada 4-1, and it was my proudest moment. The Canadian team had Steven Stamkos, Drew Doughty and Kyle Turris. We played them tight. We played our system well,” said Babey.

Photos courtesy of Jenn Pierce and Hockey Canada Images

11

Ken Babey “I really believe that whatever system you are going to run in terms of the style of play will be successful if the players work together to execute it.

I have always pushed and continue to push during my time now with sledge hockey is teamwork. You cannot rely on one or two players. On the ice, I want them to be tight, play as a unit and be supportive of each other. If we have teamwork, are trustworthy and are accountable, I find our teams to be successful.”

Babey has always encouraged his players to be “physical within reason,” to be disciplined, and to play positionally as much as possible.

But Babey has had to make adjustments in his coaching style for sledge hockey. Among those changes is finding ways for Team Canada to generate more offence.

“Last year was a big learning curve for me. I noticed you don’t get many chances. When you get those chances, you have to bury those chances. You sometimes get only 10 to 15 shots a game.

Due to the fact you cannot make long passes in sledge hockey because players are having to skate, pass and shoot with their arms, you have to change your style in terms of puck possession.

You have to be good at carrying the puck and maintaining control of the puck. When you pass the puck, it has to go to a player who is three to five feet away from you and to a player who is ready to receive the puck. In sledge hockey, it slows down a little bit, so you can make some plays.”

Babey is also pleased with the competition within Team Canada as a strong younger core of players is starting to challenge the veterans for spots on the team. The healthy competition will allow the Canadian national sledge hockey team to be strong for a long period of time.

Babey sees many opportunities on the horizon for those interested in coaching sledge hockey.

“The sport has a bright future. Hockey Canada is going to be working on developing the game of sledge hockey. We need coaches to stay in the game. There’s going to be many opportunities for coaches in the future because the sport is going to grow.”

For more information on Hockey Canada’s national sledge hockey program, go to http://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/ Team-Canada/Men/Sledge.aspx.

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Calgary resident Harnarayan Singh is living a dream. He still cannot believe how fortunate he is to be able to broadcast Hockey Night in Canada in Punjabi, the third most spoken language in Canada. The native of Brooks, Alberta, who now calls Calgary home, is in his ninth season on television.

Currently on OMNI, Singh and his broadcasting team of Harpreet Pandher, Taqdeer Thindal, Randip Janda, Gurpreet Sian and Bhupinder Hundal cover back-to-back National Hockey League games every Saturday night, and then exclusive coverage of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

HARNARAYAN SINGH

HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA

PUNJABI-BROADCAST

UNITES THE GENERATIONS

[By Jeremy Freeborn / Photos provided by Harnarayan Singh]

The interest in watching hockey amongst the

“During class, I would be memorizing hockey jersey numbers when I should have been paying more attention to my teachers.

I had a Hockey News subscription from a young age, and I was constantly filling my brain with information. My dad was constantly worrying what I was going to do with all of this information about hockey. There came a day when, lo and behold, it paid off.�

Singh grew up a fan of the Edmonton Oilers. He was the youngest child in his family and learned about hockey from his older siblings, who had great passion for hockey and idolized Wayne Gretzky. Singh was also interested in the broad-casting element of the game, regularly studying the broadcasters. Singh would do his own play-by-play broadcasts of the games as he watched, frequently annoying his parents, who would be trying to listen to the games. Singh was also fascinated with the statistics side of hockey. He came by his interest in numbers naturally, as his father has his doctorate in mathematics.

Singh began his broadcasting career during high school. He covered local high school sports at the Brooks radio station.

From there he got accepted into the broadcasting program at Mount Royal College, and in his second year was selected for an internship at TSN Sportscentre in Toronto. In 2004, Singh returned to Calgary and worked for the CBC, initially as a reporter.

Punjabi-speaking communities in Canada is significant. Last season, the Punjabi broadcasts were made available to 20.4 million Canadians. The broadcasts can now also be seen on pristine high definition television, just like the English-speaking broadcasts on Hockey Night in Canada.

Then prior to the 2008 Stanley Cup final, Singh received a phone call from CBC executives in Toronto. They asked him if he would be interested in broadcasting Hockey Night in Canada in Punjabi.

13

“I could not believe it. I didn’t know whether to take it seriously or not. I never thought it was possible. I was always told Hockey Night in Canada is the cream of the crop.

Everybody in the sports industry wants to be part of Hockey Night in Canada. CBC was trying to do something unique and multicultural. I don’t think they initially had any idea how big this would become. Initially our broadcast team received significant media attention throughout India, Europe and Canada.”

Then two weeks before the start of the 2008-09 NHL regular season, Singh received a phone call from CBC executives, who were pleased with the ratings of the 2008 Stanley Cup final, and asked Singh to be available every Saturday night to broadcast a doubleheader in Punjabi.

“This was unbelievable. I then said thank you, Mom and Dad, for teaching me a second language because without that I would not have this dream. It has been a phenomenal and amazing ride.”

Other attempts by sports executives to broadcast Hockey Night in Canada in languages such as Cantonese, Mandarin and Portuguese, have not been as successful as the broadcasts in Punjabi. In fact it is now easier today for many Calgarians to watch NHL games in Punjabi than French because OMNI is more accessible for local television viewers than TVA Sports, which currently has the French-speaking NHL rights.

Singh believes India’s strong showing in men’s field hockey, having won a record eight gold medals in the Olympics, results in greater attention among the Punjabispeaking culture compared to many other Canadian cultures.

“I think part of it has to do with the strong Indian interest in field hockey. There’s a strong connection to field hockey so it is easier for them to understand the game. We also live in a community that is vibrant and loud. We love our food and music. I think our community loves to get involved in things that are Canadian and I think hockey is so popular here, they became engrossed with it.”

Even though the level of interest in hockey is high amongst the Punjabi-speaking population in Canada, there have not been a lot of players in the NHL, who are of Punjabi descent. The first player of Punjabi descent who made it to the NHL was Robin Bawa, who played for the Washington Capitals, Vancouver Canucks, San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Mighty Ducks from 1990-1994.

14

DID YOU

KNOW ?

According to the latest Canada Census, Punjabi is the 3rd most spoken language in Canada. There are over 1.1 million Punjabi speaking people in Canada.

Many people from Calgary's Punjabi community are season ticket holders and many more attend games regularly.

Close to half a million Calgarians reported speaking an immigrant language most often at home. Of those languages, Punjabi is number one.

Bawa was followed by NHL veteran Manny Malhotra, whose father is from Pakistan. It should also be mentioned that Edmonton Oilers prospect Jujhar Khaira is of Indian origin.

In order to connect with his Punjabi-speaking audience, Singh has created a few interesting phrases that combine the Punjabi and English languages. They include “mareya shot-keetha goal,” which means “he shoots, he scores” and “chaparre shot” which means “slap shot.”

Other terms that Singh has created include “dharvaja bandh,” which means “shuts the door” (used by Singh when a goaltender makes a huge save), “saja dha daba,” which means “the box of punishment” (used

by Singh when he is referring to the penalty box) and “seetee maarkay balauna hat ja,” which is a line in a famous Punjabi song which is translated into “stop whistling at me.” Singh uses this term when players show dissatisfaction when they are called for too many penalties. Also, when a team is dominating their opponent, Singh suggests that the team must have drank a lot of Chai Tea, the most popular beverage amongst the Punjabi-speaking population.

Singh also tries to relate to his audience by showing excitement, passion and entertainment in his play-byplay. When a player scores, it is common for him to get as excited as a South American broadcaster does when broadcasting soccer.

For the last four seasons the broadcasts have been sponsored by Chevrolet. With Chevrolet as a primary sponsor, Singh has been able to concentrate on his hockey broadcasts and make it his full-time career.

Singh also tells me a story of how generations of Punjabispeaking families are uniting around the television set to watch his broadcasts every Saturday night.

“A most rewarding experience was when I met a grandmother from Toronto. She had a walker and was dressed in a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey over her traditional Punjabi dress. She was over 90 years old, and told me that she had nothing in common with her grand-

Harnarayan Singh children because of the cultural gap. Since the broadcasts, she can understand hockey and spends every Saturday night with her grandchildren. We are hearing stories that our broadcasts are the only thing that brings families together. I did not know that our show would have this type of an impact.”

Hockey has also been a large part of Singh’s personal life. His wife, Sukhjeet, is a huge fan of the Calgary Flames. Harnarayan and Sukhjeet were married at the hockey arena at the Acadia Recreation Complex in southeast Calgary in 2011. They had a Stanley Cup shaped wedding cake, had their wedding guests wear hockey jerseys, and had their wedding photos taken at the Scotiabank Saddledome with Kelly Hrudey! Hrudey has become a friend and mentor for Singh. According to Singh, Hrudey was one of the people to recommend to CBC executives to have a Punjabi-

speaking Hockey Night in Canada broadcast, and suggested Singh be the play-by-play announcer. Hrudey has helped Singh with preparation tips for the broadcasts.

Singh’s latest accomplishment was winning the 2014 Canadian Ethnic Media Association Excellence in Television Award. Singh received the award at a gala in Toronto.

Singh would like all Canadians to know that Punjabi-speaking Canadians are just as Canadian as everybody else, and that Punjabi-speaking Canadians love Canada. Hockey, according to Singh, is “a universal language that brings Canadians together.” In the future, Singh would like to broadcast more hockey games in Punjabi during the season, and also to broadcast Hockey Night in Canada in English.

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Sheldon

Kennedy’s ADVOCACY CENTRE

Provides Support for Abused Children [ By Jeremy Freeborn ] In the fall of 2009, I interviewed Sheldon Kennedy for the

first time. Kennedy and his business partner Wayne McNeil explained in detail their Respect in Sport Initiative, a program that promotes respect not only in sports, but also in workplaces and school systems.

The focus for Kennedy and McNeil is to try and stop bullying, abuse and harassment.

The Respect in Sport Initiative was meaningful for both Kennedy and McNeil, and I could sense they each had larger goals in trying to make a genuine difference in society. In February of 2013, the Sheldon Kennedy Child Advocacy Centre opened its doors. This past November, I had an opportunity to interview Kennedy again and talk about the personal progress he has made in his initiatives.

The advocacy centre is located near the Alberta Children’s Hospital.

It currently employs 110 full-time people, which includes 30 social workers, four pediatricians that specialize in child abuse, and 15 psychiatrists.

Kennedy is the lead director of the Sheldon Kennedy Child Advocacy Centre. He estimates he volunteers 60 hours a week. He is constantly meeting with people to discuss issues of child abuse. After my interview, Kennedy was to meet Alberta Justice Minister Kathleen Ganley.

The purpose of the advocacy centre is to address the serious problem of child abuse in southern Alberta. According to the Sheldon Kennedy Child Advocacy Centre website, http://www.sheldonkennedycac.ca/, there are four different types of abuse—emotional, neglect, physical and sexual.

On average, employees from the centre investigate 125 cases a month. Close to 70 per cent of the cases are related to sexual abuse.

To date, the advocacy centre has dealt with 4,000 cases and has helped over 6,000 children over the last two years.

“The most important thing we can do is to have people understand the severity of early childhood trauma. Early childhood trauma can come in all shapes and sizes. I think it is important that we create consequence for people’s actions. I think the more we understand the impact and severity of this crime, then I think you will see sentences go up,” said Kennedy.

16

[ Photos courtesy of Respect Group Inc. ] Guilty pleas for offenders have also gone up since the Sheldon Kennedy Child Advocacy Centre opened. According to Kennedy, the guilty pleas have increased from 20 per cent to 60 per cent, and investigations are done in half the time. The advocacy centre also tries to make sure that children are not “retraumatized” unnecessarily.

The child advocacy centre has personal meaning for Kennedy. A native of Brandon, Man., Kennedy was sexually assaulted as a teenager by his hockey coach, Graham James, while playing for the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League. Even though Kennedy went on to play 310 National Hockey League regular season games with the Detroit Red Wings, Calgary Flames and Boston Bruins, James’s actions scarred Kennedy.

In 1996 Kennedy went public with his story, which became national headlines. Since Kennedy’s courageous act, five other hockey players have told their stories of being abused by James, including former Calgary Flames captain Theoren Fleury. James is serving a prison term until 2018.

The Sheldon Kennedy Child Advocacy Centre has the support of Alberta Education, Alberta Health Services, Alberta Child and Family Services, the Calgary Crown Prosecutors’ Office, the Calgary Police Service, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

The Children First Act, which was launched in 2013 in Alberta, allows the supporting organizations to be integrated and share information in the best interest of the child. Their co-operation helps child advocacy centre employees generate more information to assist children at risk.

Initially, Kennedy realized that organizations were not working together as well as they should.

“What we found out in doing child abuse investigations is that none of the systems talked to each other. For example, members from the Alberta Health Services never talked to Alberta Child and Family Services. Information was not shared and they did not work as a team.

In 80 per cent of the cases that we see, more than two organizations are involved. Families would have to go to police, then the Alberta and Child Services and then the Alberta Health Services to tell their story.

Families had to wrap around the system and we felt we had to create a system that wrapped around the child and family.”

Kennedy believes the systematic partnerships that have recently been developed are groundbreaking.

“Nobody else is doing this work that we know of in Canada. We are shaping the way that integrated practice is delivered. Our motto is ‘we are better together.’”

Every case at the Sheldon Kennedy Child Advocacy Centre is triaged.

Each case is then reviewed by representatives at the advocacy centre and a plan is put into place. All sexual abuse cases and the most severe cases stay with people at the advocacy centre, while other cases are dealt with by other community services.

Mentoring is another part of the Sheldon Kennedy Advocacy Centre.

Members of the advocacy centre are now assisting officers, health care workers and social service workers in smaller Alberta communities.

Recently, the Sheldon Kennedy Advocacy Centre formed a partnership with Treaty 7, which comprises the First Nations population in southern Alberta.

The Sheldon Kennedy Advocacy Centre has also received strong support from the Calgary hockey community. Among the people who have attended the advocacy centre to show their personal support are Hockey Canada president Tom Renney, Calgary Flames defenseman Kris Russell, and Hockey Calgary executive director Kevin Kobelka.

“

“

We receive a lot of help... What it does is create a lot of confidence for Hockey Canada and Hockey Calgary.

What they say is, if there is an issue in the hockey community or any community, they are here to help and work with our organization.

“We receive a lot of help,” said Kennedy. “What it does is create a lot of confidence for Hockey Canada and Hockey Calgary. What they say is, if there is an issue in the hockey community or any community, they are here to help and work with our organization.

That is their role. Hockey organizations and volunteer organizations aren’t in the positions to make all of the decisions about child abuse.

That is our role and we are here to help.”

As far as the Respect in Sport program is concerned, Kennedy is pleased with the initiative’s progress.

“We have lots of research now that proves the programs are working— the parent program and the coaches program. I think we trained 250,000 parents in Ontario last year alone.

The Respect in Sport program is all about prevention, and creates a platform for conversation to happen. In that sense, the program is working. We have the research to back that up. There are no organizations that are doing more in the prevention field anywhere in the world than hockey. We want to train every volunteer coach and every volunteer working with youth across Canada. We believe they need the tools to recognize and understand if abuse is happening, or a child discloses to them if abuse is going on.”

Putting children first is important to Kennedy. There is no question that Kennedy himself has been through a lot on a personal level and suffered negative experiences as a teenager. There was no centre available for Kennedy, but he has done his utmost to fill the void in creating a centre to assist children in need. The Sheldon Kennedy Child Advocacy Centre continues to have a significant impact on society.

17

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19

LEFT VS

RIGHT Shooters in the NHL An article by Rob Suggitt

Shooting left does not mean a player is necessarily left-handed – in fact, most are not. While the hockey stick is held on the left-hand side of the body, the right hand is still dominant in the shooting process, so this explains (in part) why so many right-handed people shoot left in hockey.

Another big factor is the stick provided when a player starts to play hockey. This means that a young child will usually be given a hockey stick by a parent, or older family member, so if “Dad” shot left, the son or daughter will probably shoot the same direction.

It’s interesting to see the country of origin for right or left shooters.

In gathering our stats, we went to the official NHL website, and included all players listed as having played at least one NHL game this season, so a total of 753 players at the time we went to press.

In Canada and the U.S., it’s approaching an almost even split between right and left shooters, but left shooters still lead the way.

(Approximately 55 per cent.) For Russian or European born players, the ratio is closer to 75 per cent, as seen in the attached chart.

Left or Right Shooters by Birth Nation:

Growing up in the 70s, it seemed to me that the vast

majority of hockey players shot left. I was 11 years old when the Canadians took on the Soviets in 1972, and the series was populated with most players who shot left.

As most remember, the 1972 Summit series featured the best players from both countries, and arguably the best players in the world. Notable absences were two players with the first name “Bobby,” one who was injured (Bobby Orr), and the other (Bobby Hull) who was not allowed to play because he joined the upstart Winnipeg Jets of the WHA. Like most of the best players, both players shot left.

As for “Team Canada,” over 85 per cent of the Canadian players shot left. (Only Ron Ellis, Rod Gilbert, Paul Henderson, Bill Goldsworthy and Stan Mikita shot right.)

As for the Russians, all but two players from the U.S.S.R. shot left (Vladimir Petrov and Yuri Liapkin shot right), so it was a real team of “lefties.”

In the same decade (the 70’s), the Montreal Canadiens were probably the best team of the decade, winning six Stanley Cups. In their entire roster, they only had three regular players who shot right: Jimmy Roberts, Mario Tremblay and Guy Lafleur. Every other player on that team shot left, so when Lafleur flew down the right wing (as he did so often), his right-handed shot was an exception to what a goalie faced most nights.

Things were not much different with the high-flying Oilers in the 80s. Eighty per cent of the team shot left, including Gretzky, Messier, Coffey, Anderson, Tikkanen, Krushenlyski, Lowe, Huddy. (Kurri’s right-handed shot was a rare exception on the Oilers.)

Skipping over to today, the number of right shooters has increased over the past few decades, but left shooters still outrank right shooters by a fair margin, with 62 per cent of NHL shooters shooting left.

Country

Left

Right

Canada USA Sweden Russia Czech Finland Slovakia Chechnya Germany Denmark Austria Other

196 87 44 24 18 16 7 5 5 4 4 11

149 77 17 6 9 5 0 2 1 1 1 3

For playing position, there is no discernible difference between the ratio of right or left shooters between defence and forwards, but a striking difference when looking at goalies.

Left or Right Shooters by Playing Position: 500

375 [292] [258]

250

[166]

125 [63] [3*]

0

F

s

en

ard

orw

20

Righties Lefties

[429]

De

fe

em nc

s

alie

Go

Detroit has the fewest North American players of any NHL team, and with only eight Canadian-born players, only the New Jersey Devils have fewer Canadian-born players. Lou Lamoriello, former GM of the Devils, had a tendency to draft or trade for U.S. born players, and while he now plies his trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs, it’s no surprise that the Devils have the most U.S. born players of any NHL team on their roster. (Thirteen, including two goalies.) Only Pittsburgh and San Jose come close, both who have 12 U.S. born players on their current rosters. Dallas, at the other end of the spectrum, has only one U.S. born player on their roster.

NHL PLAYERS: Country of Origin: 6.8%

Canada

48.8%

USA Sweden Russia There are only three NHL goalies who shoot right (and *catch right): Jonas Hiller (Flames), Michael Hutchinson (Jets), and Steve Mason (Flyers - pictured above). When facing this rare breed of netminders, coaches will point this out on the bulletin board before game time. When coming down the right wing for example, the “short side” will usually be the glove side for most goalies faced, but for a right shooting (and right catching) goalie, the short side will be the blocker side. Such details make a difference when you’re playing at a high level.

And which teams lead the league in Canadian-born players?

The Calgary Flames have 17 Canadians on their current roster, which is tops in the NHL. Ottawa, St. Louis and Edmonton come next with 15 Canadian-born players on each of their rosters. It’s no surprise (to Canadians) to see the number of Canadian-born players on any NHL roster.

Canada currently supplies about half of the league’s players, but the number of U.S. born players has doubled in the past 15 years. And while there were no Russian-born players in the NHL less than 20 years ago (until Alexander Mogilny defected from the Soviet Union in 1989), there are currently 33 Russian-born players in the NHL. But Sweden has become a real hockey hotbed of talent, supplying 70 NHL players, including nine goalies.

And to demonstrate that the NHL really includes the best players in the world (and from all over the world), it’s interesting to see a few players who were born in France (Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, Antoine Roussel), and an Italian (Luca Sbisa) for good measure. (All three players who shoot left.)

Most teams have a two-third to one-third balance of left shooters to right shooters, but the Anaheim Ducks are a clear exception. On the Ducks current roster, only eight of their 23 skaters shoot left. No other team comes close to this ratio. The Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens have a balance between right and left shooters (11 of each), but every other NHL team ices a roster with more (and in some cases, way more) left shooters than right shooters.

The Detroit Red Wings lead the league in left shooters with 19 out of 23 players on their current roster shooting left. This makes sense when looking at the geographic make-up on the Red Wings roster.

Finland Czech

3.6% 3.7% 4.3%

Other* 9.3%

23.5% *Other includes: Chechnya (9), Slovakia (8), Germany (8), Denmark (6), Austria (5), Latvia (3), France (2), Croatia (2), Norway (2), Slovania, Kazakhstan, Estonia, Italy and the Netherlands

DREAMS ARE SO IMPORTANT You need to have big goals and expect alot out of yourself

but you need to enjoy the ride too 21

3 Grasp The Stick for Ideal Mobility

SNAP SHOT

You want to be able to have fluid movement of your stick during the snap shot. With your shoulders squared, grip the top of the stick with one hand, and your shooting hand should be about one third to just less than half way down the shaft of the stick. You want to prepare your shot with the toe of the stick on the ice, and you can begin to apply downward pressure on the blade. Hold your lower forearm straight down. Hold the stick about six inches from your body for the best range of motion.

FUNDAMENTALS Developing a great snap shot helps you capitalize on scoring opportunities, and catch goaltenders off guard when you’re in front of the net. This shot makes an excellent addition to your hockey skills arsenal. There are a number of things you’ll want to keep in mind to make the snap shot a natural part of your game. When you are between the hash marks, or on the point, the snap shot stance can let you fake the goalie out as to whether you’re going to shoot on goal, or pass to your line mate. The snap shot is as much a mental strategy as it is a physical action, so practicing the fundamentals in some hockey drills is important.

Here are five of the most important elements of a snap shot to keep in mind:

Bend Your Knees To prepare for the snap shot, think of your body and your stick like a spring that needs to be compressed, and then released to hurl the puck at the net. Loading your weight on your legs coils the spring, and prepares your body for the necessary weight transfer for a great shot. Get a good grip on the ice with your skate opposite your stick and carve the ice a little with your inside edge.

4

Take Advantage of your Stick’s Flexibility If your shot is beginning right beside you and you have loaded your weight on to the toe of the blade, start to glide the puck forward. As the blade of the stick touches the ice down towards the heel, don’t be afraid to build up a little curve in your stick. Not enough to break your stick, but just enough to build up the potential energy, which will make the puck, glide faster as you complete your shot.

5 Follow Through & Finish your Shot When you take your shot, complete the forward motion of the puck, releasing the energy of your stick as it uncoils its flex from your downward pressure. Keep the motion of the stick going forward and finish your shot with authority. The quick shot from a neutral stance will hopefully elude the goaltender and his defenders who might have been preparing to cut off a pass instead of a sniper snap shot.

Perfect Puck Positioning When you are making a snap shot, you want the puck to be at a comfortable distance beside you, in between the toe and heel of your skate. You don’t want to lean out too far, lose your balance, stretching for the puck, and end up staring at the championship banners hanging from the ceiling. You also don’t want to lose the power of the shot by having the puck too close to your body. Hold your stick out so it feels natural, balanced, and so you can protect the puck from anyone trying to poke check it away.

Honing your hockey skills with a great snap shot can make a big difference in your mental game and should make a difference on the scoreboard as well. Out-think your opponents, catch them flat-footed, and take advantage of: Your power Your stick's flexibility Proper stick grip position for mobility and control Perfect puck positioning with a great snap shot

The snap shot is a great combination of strength, finesse, and skill, which you can be proud of.

For all the top training aids to improve your Shooting Skills,

visit www.hockeyshot.com

23

Warriors goalie wants to help his team win Memorial Cup [ By Jeremy Freeborn ]

ZACHARY SAWCHENKO [ Photos provided by Stephen Simon - Moose Jaw Warriors & Candice Ward - Calgary Hitmen. ]

This is an important hockey season for Calgary

3.32 and a save percentage of .896. At first glance, Sawchenko’s statistics may not seem impressive, but Sawchenko was the youngest goaltender in the WHL this past season to play a minimum of 2,500 minutes. With a birthdate of Dec. 30, 1997, he was two to three years younger than many goaltenders he was up against.

But the draft is not even on Sawchenko’s mind at the moment.

His focus is to lead the Warriors to a Memorial Cup, something the franchise has not been able to accomplish since joining the WHL in 1984.

It is clear that the Warriors have allowed Sawchenko to grow and develop and that long-term commitment could pay dividends this season. The Warriors are in a position to be a serious contender for the 2016 Memorial Cup.

native Zachary Sawchenko. The number one goaltender for the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League, Sawchenko is also one of the elite goaltenders in the Canadian Hockey League, and projected to be a fourth round pick in the 2016 National Hockey League Entry Draft.

“It’s extra motivation,” said Sawchenko, following a 10-2 Warriors’ victory over the Calgary Hitmen at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Oct. 15. “Every season you come in, work hard that year to get a berth at the Memorial Cup.” Sawchenko had a record of 21-22-2 in 2014-15 with the Warriors. He also had four shutouts, a goals against average of

24

Sawchenko began playing hockey when he was three years old. He remembers being on the outdoor rinks and enjoying his time practicing. Like most Calgary minor hockey players, he tried many different positions. He gave goaltending a try while playing in the atom division for Bow River.

“I fell in love with it right away and have loved it ever since,” said Sawchenko.

Zachary Sawchenko

At the peewee level, Sawchenko participated in the Glenlake Hockey Association, and then moved on to play with the Calgary Royals in bantam. Success would come for Sawchenko within the Calgary minor hockey system. According to www.westernelitehockeyprospects.com, Sawchenko won three city championships in four years including the Bantam AA championship with the Calgary Royals in 2011.

In 2011, at the age of 13, Sawchenko had his first experience of international hockey. He represented the Calgary Nationals at the World Selects Invitational Hockey Tournament in Prague, Czech Republic. A personal highlight was having a chance to beat CSKA Moscow by a score of 3-1.

The goaltending position is extremely difficult to master.

Goaltenders need to be exceptional both physically and mentally. Sawchenko says he does psychological and mental exercises to stay sharp.

“I didn’t know it at first, but it is one of the hardest positions to play because of the mental toughness involved with it. It’s

“

tough, but you have got to learn to deal with it and my parents were lucky enough to support me with the right people.”

At 6’1”, 180 pounds, Sawchenko is not one of the biggest goaltenders in the Canadian Hockey League. To compensate for his lack of size, Sawchenko relies on his flexibility and athleticism. To become a better hockey player, Sawchenko is working on his puck-handling and being a little more patient.

“There are times I try to chase the puck a little bit,” he said. “I try to be too fancy and do too much. I’ve got to get that out of my game.”

Sawchenko’s role model is currently one of the best goaltenders in the NHL. Carey Price, of the Montreal Canadiens, had an outstanding 2014-15 regular season with a record of 44-16-6, nine shutouts, a goals against average of 1.96 and save percentage of .933. He also cleaned up on the trophies winning the Hart, Vezina, and William M. Jennings, as well as the Ted Lindsay Award.

Like Sawchenko, Price played in the WHL, dressing five seasons for the Tri-City Americans. Sawchenko would also like to represent Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championships. Price led Canada to a gold medal at the 2007 tournament in Leksand, Sweden.

“

At first, Sawchenko struggled between the pipes. He claims he was not a very good hockey player in the early stages of his career, especially as a goaltender. But, his passion and motivation for the game was always there, and Sawchenko was driven to be the best goaltender possible.

25

Zachary Sawchenko Another one of Sawchenko’s role models plays baseball—Marcus Stroman, of the Toronto Blue Jays. Stroman is only 5’8”, 180 pounds, but is one of the top starting pitchers for Toronto.

“Hockey is a big man’s game. I once read a quote from Stroman that was pretty special. ‘Height doesn’t measure heart.’ That’s pretty special. He’s not the biggest guy. It doesn’t matter how big you are. It doesn’t matter how little you are. You’ve just got to go out there and do your job. Bigger guys can rely solely on their size.

Shorter guys have to rely on their positioning. It’s tough being a smaller guy but I love the adversity.”

In addition to playing for the Warriors, Sawchenko has participated in three international events over the last two years.

He won the gold medal for Team Canada at the 2014 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, in Breclav, Czech Republic; a silver medal for Team Pacific at the 2014 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, in Sydney, Nova Scotia; and a bronze medal for Team Canada at the 2015 World Under-18 Hockey Championship, in Zug, Switzerland.

Sawchenko says he has learned a lot from representing Canada internationally.

“In short term competition, every game is a playoff game. Every game matters and every point matters.”

Sawchenko is now trying to bring the “every game matters” mentality to the Warriors franchise, a team he has great admiration for since they drafted him with their first pick in the 2012 WHL Bantam Draft.

“They have been awesome. They are nothing but the best.

Coming from Calgary to a small town like Moose Jaw, I didn’t

“

“

26

know what to expect. I loved the place right away and I couldn’t be more happy than playing for Moose Jaw.” Sawchenko also admires Warriors head coach and Calgary native Tim Hunter, who played with the Calgary Flames from 1981 to 1992.

“He’s nothing but the best. He has been there, played in the NHL, knows what it is all about. He is keen on hard work and work ethic. That is the biggest thing.”

Hunter also has high praise for Sawchenko.

“He has played very well. Zach has a great overall feel for the game. He reads the puck well, very athletic and has a lot of skills for a goalie. As a coaching staff, we want to play him as much as we can.”

Sawchenko would like the NHL scouts to know he is fully bilingual. He is fluent in English and French, as he took French on a regular basis from Kindergarten to Grade 8.

For those goaltenders who are interested in playing in the WHL, Team Canada internationally and possibly in the NHL, Sawchenko has the following message.

“Work hard. Every chance you get on the ice, there is an opportunity for you to work hard. If you take care of that, the rest will take care of itself.”

It will be interesting to follow Sawchenko’s progress through the hockey ranks. One thing is for certain: Sawchenko is mature for his age and has the capability to achieve greatness over the next few years.

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BATTLE of ALBERTA

the

[ Article By D.T. Baker ]

Author Mark Spector

Photo Courtesy of NHL Sportsnet

You young ‘uns might think it the stuff of legend, but oldtimers will tell you, there was a time (1983-84 to 1989-90, in fact) when an Alberta-based hockey team was in the Stanley Cup final every year. The Flames and the Oilers typically finished one-two in the President’s Cup standings (best team record in the regular season). The Oilers, of course, had the edge in overall success, but the Flames were, for many years, the yardstick by which the Oilers measured their success. The Flames, for their part, built their teams each season to achieve one goal – beating the Oilers.

The Battle of Alberta isn’t just one man’s recollection of a peak in provincial hockey – published in the valley of a long dry spell of NHL success (it’s a dozen years now since the Flames lost game seven to Tampa Bay). Spector’s book takes one of the most storied chapters in league history and examines it like the facets of a diamond.

Trying to predict the upswings (or downswings, for that

matter) of an NHL team should be a sure thing – but it’s not. Last season, the Calgary Flames magically coalesced, combining Johnny Gaudreau’s breakout year with Mark Giordano overcoming his injury and going two rounds deep into a playoff run. But this year, watching the Flames falter has certainly been a letdown. For Alberta hockey fans, enduring a decade-or-more famine of success can make one nostalgic for the days when an Alberta-based NHL team was always in the finals.

It’s hard for the last generation or two to believe, but those days are a treasured, if increasingly distant, memory for some of us, and that includes former Edmonton Journal sports columnist and current Sportsnet hockey analyst Mark Spector. In his new book The Battle of Alberta, Spector revisits those glory days with more than a wisp of wishful thinking mixed in.

“It was my hope that as the book came out, that the battle would re-emerge,” he confessed. “And for a while there, the timing looked pretty good. You know, the Flames got into the second round, the Oilers got McDavid. Now I’m looking at the standings and I’m thinking, ‘You know what? Maybe not.’ But I do think sports is cyclical, and I think they’re both due. And I’ve seen signs. They both have good young players, they both seem to have very stable front offices – now. They’ll get better, and I think they’ll get better soon.”

28

“Well, the goal was to try to think of 15 different chapters, and to look at it through 15 sets of eyes,” Spector explained. “So I talked to all the media guys and told the story the way they saw it, talked to the officials and told stories from their side of it. I tried to pick out the principal guys, right? Fleury, Lanny MacDonald, Gretzky, Messier. Their eyes were worthy of a chapter’s worth of stories.”

An impressive number of contributors lent their recollections to Spector’s trip down memory lane, from office personnel for both clubs to the refs and linesmen who had to pull Hunter and Semenko apart, time after time.

“A lot of them I know, but I hadn’t talked to them in a long time,” he said. “So it’s always fun to catch up. Kevin Lowe was my first interview. He’s very well spoken and he played in every minute of this thing, right from the Oilers coming into the league.

So I sat down with him first and foremost and kind of touched on everything – and it sprung from there. I met Colin Patterson, the old Calgary Flames winger in a restaurant in Calgary, and I’d never met him before, and we talked for an hour and then he just picked up his phone and said, ‘OK, who do you need?’

And I just started listing names, and he started giving me phone numbers and emails. People were very helpful. I think everyone loves talking about their glory days in their life. So I think this is no different.”

Spector knows that anyone can look up the games, the scores, the penalty minutes. So his spin on The Battle of Alberta goes deeper, even unearthing an incident or two that very few know about (no spoilers here – read the book!). He devotes individual chapters to seminal moments of the battle, and does it all with an eye to the feelings of both Flames and Oilers fans. The foreword is by Theoren Fleury even though Edmonton had the edge in cups won.

“There are plenty of Calgary moments that a Calgary fan wants to remember: a lot of great things that went on, and a lot of interesting people. The way they built that team – Badger Bob Johnson, Lanny, Fleury, all these guys that were pretty cool cats.

It couldn’t just be a book about who won the games, or no one in Calgary would want to buy the thing,” Spector laughed. “And I don’t think that would do it justice. There was more to it than who won the games, right? It was about a lot more than that, I hope.”

“ You would never turn your back on

anybody. As a defenceman, if the play went up the ice, if Tim Hunter was behind me, or beside me, I’d never take my eye off him. He’d chop you on the back of the legs or on the wrist. In front of the net in scrums, you never took your eye off anyone or the guy would pop you.

Your guard was always up.” ~ Kevin Lowe ~

Another thread that runs through the book is the nostalgia for a kind of freewheeling, bare-knuckled hockey that doesn’t get played anymore. Spector knows hockey has changed largely in response to injuries, both long-term and short-term, and that kind of hockey is best left in the past, but he still feels that the era is worth keeping alive.

“I’ve tried to say to people that just because we look back with fondness at the era and how entertaining it was and how we jumped up and down when Semenko fought Hunter, on both sides - Messier’s elbows were lethal weapons – it doesn’t mean that we pine for the return of that game. I think we’re all smarter now. I mean, if I was in the stands and I had to watch my son in a bare-knuckle fight at centre ice, I’d have a different view, I guarantee it. Hockey is in a better place. You can’t have the kind of injuries - Marty McSorley spearing Mike Bullard – it’s not a good thing. But it’s history, and we’re going to acknowledge it.

It happened, it did occur, and history will record this as some of the most heated, entertaining hockey ever played in this province.”

“People outside the province, I don’t think they understood how good the hockey was.”

~ Colin Patterson, former Flames player ~

“My sense would be that we were

much more the recipients than the instigators. We were a team that were much happier to play a hard game up and down. The Oilers seemed to be much more about wolf pack. They bordered on the personality that Slats had as a player – an irritant or an agitator. ~Jim Peplinski, former Flames player~

29

Hockey Hockey Twitter Who is the Leader for Followers?

Twitter is big no matter how you look at it.

There are over 240 million monthly active Twitter users, and 350,000 tweets are sent every minute. The average number of followers per Twitter account is 208, and YouTube is the most followed brand with over 40 million followers.

Followers

Following

Anaheim Ducks

252,219

642

Arizona Coyotes

171,342

2,811

Boston Bruins

794,015

32

Buffalo Sabres

290,417

634

Calgary Flames

342,661

277

Carolina Hurricanes

173,647

622

Chicago Blackhawks

1,085,481

1,865

Colorado Avalanche

260,479

557

Columbus Blue Jackets

234,619

1,350

Dallas Stars

260,106

878

Detroit Red Wings

635,618

525

Edmonton Oilers

428,625

294

Florida Panthers

159,222

1,248

Los Angeles Kings

673,692

8,651

Minnesota Wild

363,168

1,393

Montreal Canadiens

868,803

157

Nashville Predators

214,909

891

New Jersey Devils

258,615

4,473

New York Islanders

208,185

2,999

New York Rangers

544,633

5,859

Philadelphia Flyers

504,861

205

Pittsburgh Penguins

689,254

169

Ottawa Senators

298,216

99

San Jose Sharks

310,879

311

And which NHL teams have the most followers?

St. Louis Blues

335,994

10,547

The reigning Stanley Cup champions, Chicago Blackhawks, lead the NHL with 1.1 million followers, followed closely by the Toronto Maple Leafs (who just reached one million followers), the Montreal Canadiens (870k), and the Boston Bruins (800k). The bottom team for followers is the Florida Panthers with 160k, with the Arizona Coyotes and Carolina Hurricanes not far behind. It’s not a big surprise that the teams with smaller number of Twitter followers rank near the bottom in team attendance, too.

Tampa Bay Lightning

294,783

6,981

Toronto Maple Leafs

990,861

25,310

Vancouver Canucks

678,345

237

Washington Capitals

320,135

101

Winnipeg Jets

298,765

240

When it comes to major sports leagues, Twitter is huge.

But just how huge? Ashton Kutcher, Kanye West and Coldplay are big into Twitter, but the NBA outranks them for followers. Beyonce and Ryan Seacrest have just under 14 million followers each, but the NFL ranks higher. The other two major North American sports leagues rank lower than the NBA or NHL for Twitter followers, with the NHL a million followers behind Major League Baseball.

But with over four million followers, the NHL has significant Twitter presence. Think of it this way: there are approximately 360,000 season ticket holders in the NHL (average of 12,000 per team), so the number of Twitter followers is 10 times this number!

Total Followers of MLB, NHL, NFL and NBA: [ 41,000,000 ] 4,130,000 10%

17,800,000 43%

5,175,000 13%

14,200,000 34%

30

What are the numbers for “Following?”

The Ottawa Senators and Washington Capitals do the least following of all NHL teams. These two capital city teams have over 300,000 followers, but their “following” list is around 100. And which teams do the most “following?” The Leafs do the most “following,” and by a big margin. With 1 million followers, the Leafs follow 25,000. The Blues are next, following around 10,000. And for the NHL brand, the league itself follows only 2,700, and yet has over 4 million followers.

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As for NHL players, Paul Bissonnette was one of the first NHL players on Twitter, and under his @BizNasty2point0 handle, he has amassed nearly 700,000 followers. (Bissonnette has not played in the NHL since the 2013-2014 season, but still plays in the AHL for the Ontario Reign.)

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Alex Ovechkin is the NHL “Twitter king” with over 1.51 million followers, and counting. Teammate Evgeni Malkin has 1.17 million followers, and Patrick Kane is next with 756,000 followers, and he hasn’t tweeted anything since July 20.

P.K. Subban has 682k followers, out “following” Steve Stamkos (387k), Claude Giroux (376k), and Jaromir Jagr (182k).

Henrik Lundqvist leads goaltenders with 540k followers. Carey Price is next with 280,000 followers, followed by Jonathan Quick (267k), and Ryan Miller (112k).

As for former players, Wayne Gretzky has a modest 100,000 followers (he doesn’t tweet a lot), but a couple of former NHL former sluggers with the first name George(s) have more: Georges Laraque has 146k followers, while George Parros has over 130k followers.

From the broadcaster side, Don Cherry has 600k followers, and he only follows one person – Ron MacLean.

MacLean has 100k followers, and Kelly Hrudey has 85k followers. But fellow HNIC panelist Nick Kypreos (@RealKyper) has 258k followers. But no one comes close to HNIC host George Stoumboulopoulos (@strombo), who has over 782k followers. He’s an active tweeter too, with 24k tweets and counting. As for the show itself, HNIC has over 468k followers.

TSN “Hockey Insider” Pierre Lebrun has 522k followers while Bob McKenzie has only 5,000 followers. How about Mark Spector – the author of “Battle of Alberta?” He has a very impressive 65k followers.

Of Oilers players, Taylor Hall leads the team on twitter with 371k followers. Jordan Eberle is next with 258k followers, followed by RNH (205k), and Connor McDavid. I suspect McDavid will catch up to his teammates soon, as his young NHL career starts to blossom. One thing for sure – everyone in hockey seems to be following McDavid’s progress this season!

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OFFICIAL BRYAN NGUYEN

We met up with Bryan Nguyen in late November as he was just getting ready to go on ice for a Midget AAA hockey game.

Bryan played hockey up to the midget level, but right now, this 17-year-old only on-ice focus is as a minor hockey official. Bryan took the time to answer a few questions about his background, and his experience as a minor hockey official. [ Photos by SC Parker Photography ]

Calgary Hockey Magazine What grade are you in and what are your future plans? College or university?

Bryan Nguyen I am currently in grade 12,

and as of right now, I plan on going to postsecondary next year. I plan on working towards either a commerce degree or a sociology degree in the future.

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CHM What other sports or activities do you participate in?

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BN As of right now, I mainly focus on being a

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SPOT LIGHT ON AN

referee, however I did play up to midget hockey.

CHM What are your other hobbies and interests?

BN Currently I enjoy anything multimedia

based, whether it’d be photography/video and editing, or 3D modelling, I’ve taken a liking to those past times.

CHM When did you start officiating hockey?

BN I started officiating in the fall of 2011, which would make this my fourth season as a referee.

CHM What made you want to become a hockey official?

BN Largely because at the time as a player, I also wanted to view the ice from a different perspective, as well as learn more things that hockey has to offer.

CHM How many games did you officiate last season?

BN It’s hard to put a number on the page, but possibly between 200-250 games. However it is not always about the amount of games, rather a good consistency in quality of officiating.

CHM Do you have a role model or mentor who has helped you along the way?

BN From my assignors to all the referees I’ve had the pleasure of working with, my assignors out of the NEZ Scott Fulmer and Alex Verhaeghe, as well as Duncan MacDougall from the NWZ have all been phenomenal mentors. I know I’m probably going to leave someone out here as I would like to include you all but lastly, my long-time friend and mentor, Jeff Howe. He’s been there for me since day one, and is still one of the reasons why I decided to start being a referee and continue to do so.

CHM How have you improved your skills as an official?

BN I can always learn something new at the referee clinic every

BN Know that hockey should be a fun and safe environment for everyone, and that you shouldn’t be so caught up in your anger as it often translates to your children. They are still learning, you might instill the wrong values about the game onto them.

CHM How many games do you plan to officiate this season?

BN I definitely plan on doing more games than last season, however if I do not get as many, I will just have to make the best out of the opportunities I get.

CHM What level of hockey are you currently officiating?

BN I currently am a linesman up to Minor Midget AAA, and I call up to Bantam Federation three-man hockey.

CHM Have you ever officiated during minor hockey week, and if so, what makes you volunteer your time?

BN I certainly have; to sum up the whole experience, it’s the wonderful people who make these tournaments happen. Not only do I need the assistance from on-ice officials, but also off-ice officials. I’m just doing my part to allow players like I once was, to be able to have a safe and competitive playing environment where they can show their abilities and better themselves.

year, and going out to watch higher officiating helps to develop a proper and consistent game, and taking the advice given, to heart and implementing it into my game is a large part of why I have found quite a bit of success as an official.

CHM Do you have any highlights related to big games or

CHM What is the toughest part about being a referee?

BN Most of my most exciting moments have been during

BN Being able manage the game to suit the appropriate age,

and level of hockey. However, it’s tough to see close friends lose interest from being a referee because of the brash nature of some fans as well.

CHM How do you handle criticism on the ice?

BN Know that they’re just fighting for their team, and that

tournaments to pass along?

Minor Hockey Week Finals, the competitiveness of the players is amazing, and it definitely reminds me what it’s like to be a player again; which were also some of my best memories.

CHM What do you enjoy most about officiating hockey games?

BN Not only being able to instill the proper core values to players in a hockey rink, but outside the rink as well.

they are just as passionate about the game as you are. However, you need to be diplomatic about the situation and treat their disrespect with respect.

CHM What kind of training were/are you provided?

CHM Do you have comments you wish to share with

BN Aside from the training provided to me as a player, it is

parents, coaches or anyone watching minor hockey?

mandatory that all referees take a clinic as well as an on-ice portion . The clinic not only tests you on your knowledge of the game, but your skating ability as well.

Penalty call Signals

BOARDING

BODY CHECKING

CHECKING TO THE HEAD

CROSS CHECKING

HOOKING INTERFERENCE

34

SLASHING

BUTT ENDING

CHARGING

ELBOWING

KNEEING

SPEARING

HIGH STICKING

MISCONDUCT

TRIPPING

CHECKING FROM BEHIND

HOLDING

ROUGHING

UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT