Less than two weeks after Ken Pearson's resignation, the Battlefords North Stars have found their man.
Stew Demmans with the Board of Directors announced this morning that Kevin Hasselberg is the new head-coach and G.M. of the Battlefords North Stars.
Hasselberg spent last season with the BCHL's Alberni Valley Bulldogs as an assistant coach, but previous served 10 years with the Olds Grizzlies of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. Hasselberg was the head-coach in Olds from 2004 to 2010.
"I can't express how enthusiastic our family is right now about making the trip out to North Battleford," said Hasselberg this morning. "Our daily activities are going to be all about preparation. We will be proud of what we represent."
Hasselberg is married with two children, and hopes to be settled in the Battlefords with his family by the middle of next week.
Stew Demmans with the Board of Directors hopes that Hasselberg can provide some continuity with the position. Demmans says, "One of the keys for us here was trying to get some continuity at the coaching level. We've had some turnover here in the past couple of years which isn't the best for the franchise."
Hasselberg will be a guest on Monday's edition of the Co-Op Leisure Time Sports Fix.
---
I personally want to welcome Hasselberg to the Battlefords! I really enjoyed our talk earlier this morning, and he seems genuinely excited to get going.
Friday, August 5, 2011
Thursday, August 4, 2011
North Star Reflections - Part 1
Good morning,
The reality of my move to Prince George is starting to take effect. I gave my one-month notice for my apartment on Sunday, and now I get to start costing out U-Hauls, and figuring out the logistics of a move to B.C. between now and the 12th of August (my last day at CJNB).
For those curious about the future of this blog, let me address that situation right now.
The Prince George Cougars have very kindly given me the 'green light' to continue this blog. Naturally my writing focus will soon shift to the Prince George Cougars and the Western Hockey League, but I will certainly be following the SJHL from B.C. and will happily throw in some thoughts and opinions when necessary. The site's address will not change, but the colors, the title and the focus will all be different by August 14th. I encourage everybody who's become a loyal reader over the past three years to continue to follow the blog. I also want to take this time to welcome any new readers.
---
The cool thing about my four years in the Battlefords is that all four years were profoundly different. I wanted to se my final days in the Battlefords to reflect on those years, and help provide some insight into what each of those four years meant to me on a personal level. I can't help but look at the growth of the North Stars over the past four years, and feel like I've grown up right along with them.
Season One:
I arrived in the Battlefords on July 23, 2007 after a year in Chetwynd/Dawson Creek B.C. The first time I had ever visited Saskatchewan was for my interview at CJNB//CJNS. I was a B.C. boy with no real Saskatchewan connections, and I quickly learned what it took to survive in this province: A warm jacket, and a lot of green t-shirts. (Yes, I am a Rider's fan, and that won't change when I move back to B.C.)
The 2006-2007 Battlefords North Stars had been bounced in the first-round by the Nipawin Hawks, and the 2007-2008 group was hungry for a better result. Head-Coach Gary Clark was bringing back some impressive veterans like: Nick Kalnicki, Jason Walker, Barrett Penner, and Rick Cey up front. The defense looked promising with Corey Demko, Jesse Lebreton, Ryan Scheafer and Brody Malek in the fold, and Clark had two promising 18-year-old goaltenders (Adrian Lemay and Ryan Kerpan) who would battle for playing time.
It was relatively clear from the start that the 07-08 North Stars would be in tough. They started with a 3-2 overtime loss to Kindersley at home, and then followed that up with a 12-3 loss on the road the next night. At the end of September, the team had only won twice, and it seemed like the only solution was to start rebuilding.
In early October Gary Clark traded Barrett Penner, Scott Day, Corey Demko and Trent Lizzee away in separate deals, and while the losses kept mounting - The team remained as positive as possible. Players like Jesse Lebreton, Mitch Wall, Tony Oak, Coleman Brodbin, and Brody Malek were getting valuable ice-time which would prove to be key for their long-term development. In December the Star's traded Nick Kalnicki and Jason Walker to Melfort, which signaled that the Stars were in a full rebuild mode, and a month later Gary Clark was relieved of his duties as Coach and G.M.
Still to this day I have nothing but kind things to say about Gary Clark. He made every effort to make me feel welcome in a new city, and even when the losses kept mouthing, he never quit on his team. The popular consensus was that Clark was a great coach but simply didn't have the greatest grasp of being a team's General Manager. I'm not defending or rebuking him, but the Star's list wasn't exactly in the greatest shape to begin with.
The Stars finished the season with only five wins, but again the thing that truly sticks out for me was the fact that the guys never quit. They always battled, kept a great attitude, and it was almost like they knew that better days were ahead for them.
Jesse Lebreton even went so far as refusing a trade to a Sherwood Conference team simply because he enjoyed the Battlefords so much.
Thinking back, my first season in the broadcast booth for the Battlefords North Stars was likely choppy, inconsistent and 'all over the place!' But by the end of Year One, I felt like I was beginning to gain a stronger understanding of the league, the players and the way that everything was setup.
Some personal highlights from Year One included:
- Calling a game on a cell-phone at the Showcase in Saskatoon.
- Getting introduced to the likes of: Rob Hart, Craig Stein, Darryl Skender, Kenny Trenton, Dallas Hicks, Darren Dupont, Blaine Weyland and Kevin Smith.
- Getting to know the parents, fans and players on a friendly level.
I can proudly say that after one full season in the Battlefords I was more comfortable and better acquainted with the goings on of the SJHL. Year Two would provide a series of new challenges and excitement. I'll hit on those reflections this weekend at some point.
The reality of my move to Prince George is starting to take effect. I gave my one-month notice for my apartment on Sunday, and now I get to start costing out U-Hauls, and figuring out the logistics of a move to B.C. between now and the 12th of August (my last day at CJNB).
For those curious about the future of this blog, let me address that situation right now.
The Prince George Cougars have very kindly given me the 'green light' to continue this blog. Naturally my writing focus will soon shift to the Prince George Cougars and the Western Hockey League, but I will certainly be following the SJHL from B.C. and will happily throw in some thoughts and opinions when necessary. The site's address will not change, but the colors, the title and the focus will all be different by August 14th. I encourage everybody who's become a loyal reader over the past three years to continue to follow the blog. I also want to take this time to welcome any new readers.
---
The cool thing about my four years in the Battlefords is that all four years were profoundly different. I wanted to se my final days in the Battlefords to reflect on those years, and help provide some insight into what each of those four years meant to me on a personal level. I can't help but look at the growth of the North Stars over the past four years, and feel like I've grown up right along with them.
Season One:
I arrived in the Battlefords on July 23, 2007 after a year in Chetwynd/Dawson Creek B.C. The first time I had ever visited Saskatchewan was for my interview at CJNB//CJNS. I was a B.C. boy with no real Saskatchewan connections, and I quickly learned what it took to survive in this province: A warm jacket, and a lot of green t-shirts. (Yes, I am a Rider's fan, and that won't change when I move back to B.C.)
The 2006-2007 Battlefords North Stars had been bounced in the first-round by the Nipawin Hawks, and the 2007-2008 group was hungry for a better result. Head-Coach Gary Clark was bringing back some impressive veterans like: Nick Kalnicki, Jason Walker, Barrett Penner, and Rick Cey up front. The defense looked promising with Corey Demko, Jesse Lebreton, Ryan Scheafer and Brody Malek in the fold, and Clark had two promising 18-year-old goaltenders (Adrian Lemay and Ryan Kerpan) who would battle for playing time.
It was relatively clear from the start that the 07-08 North Stars would be in tough. They started with a 3-2 overtime loss to Kindersley at home, and then followed that up with a 12-3 loss on the road the next night. At the end of September, the team had only won twice, and it seemed like the only solution was to start rebuilding.
In early October Gary Clark traded Barrett Penner, Scott Day, Corey Demko and Trent Lizzee away in separate deals, and while the losses kept mounting - The team remained as positive as possible. Players like Jesse Lebreton, Mitch Wall, Tony Oak, Coleman Brodbin, and Brody Malek were getting valuable ice-time which would prove to be key for their long-term development. In December the Star's traded Nick Kalnicki and Jason Walker to Melfort, which signaled that the Stars were in a full rebuild mode, and a month later Gary Clark was relieved of his duties as Coach and G.M.
Still to this day I have nothing but kind things to say about Gary Clark. He made every effort to make me feel welcome in a new city, and even when the losses kept mouthing, he never quit on his team. The popular consensus was that Clark was a great coach but simply didn't have the greatest grasp of being a team's General Manager. I'm not defending or rebuking him, but the Star's list wasn't exactly in the greatest shape to begin with.
The Stars finished the season with only five wins, but again the thing that truly sticks out for me was the fact that the guys never quit. They always battled, kept a great attitude, and it was almost like they knew that better days were ahead for them.
Jesse Lebreton even went so far as refusing a trade to a Sherwood Conference team simply because he enjoyed the Battlefords so much.
Thinking back, my first season in the broadcast booth for the Battlefords North Stars was likely choppy, inconsistent and 'all over the place!' But by the end of Year One, I felt like I was beginning to gain a stronger understanding of the league, the players and the way that everything was setup.
Some personal highlights from Year One included:
- Calling a game on a cell-phone at the Showcase in Saskatoon.
- Getting introduced to the likes of: Rob Hart, Craig Stein, Darryl Skender, Kenny Trenton, Dallas Hicks, Darren Dupont, Blaine Weyland and Kevin Smith.
- Getting to know the parents, fans and players on a friendly level.
I can proudly say that after one full season in the Battlefords I was more comfortable and better acquainted with the goings on of the SJHL. Year Two would provide a series of new challenges and excitement. I'll hit on those reflections this weekend at some point.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Some Personal News.
It is with sincere excitement, yet also with a heavy heart that I make a major personal announcement. After four unforgettable years in the Battlefords I have accepted a position with the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League. I will be responsible for Corporate Sales, Media Relations and the Play-By-Play Broadcasting for all regular season and playoff games for the 2011-2012 season and (hopefully) beyond.
The past 48 hours have been extremely emotional, and there's a lot to process right now, and the next few weeks are no doubt going to be an absolute blur. There are so many things that I want to reflect on, and so many people that I want to thank, and I will certainly do so before my time in the Battlefords comes to a close.
I'm excited for the new opportunity, and I'm overjoyed by the fact that Julie and I get to start a new adventure together. This is something that I have been building towards ever since I started watching hockey and I'm incredibly excited to hit the ground running and contribute to the legacy of the Prince George Cougars.
The support that I have received from family, friends and colleagues has been nothing short of amazing. The phone-calls, e-mails, and texts have made me feel incredibly humbled and grateful. I feel so much gratitude to those who have cheered me on and encouraged me along the way.
I promise that there will be some more entries and some deeper thoughts posted on here before the move. For now I just wanted to publish the news, and make everyone aware of the decision.
Thanks for stopping by. Your readership and support is something that I genuinely appreciate.
More tomorrow, I promise.
The past 48 hours have been extremely emotional, and there's a lot to process right now, and the next few weeks are no doubt going to be an absolute blur. There are so many things that I want to reflect on, and so many people that I want to thank, and I will certainly do so before my time in the Battlefords comes to a close.
I'm excited for the new opportunity, and I'm overjoyed by the fact that Julie and I get to start a new adventure together. This is something that I have been building towards ever since I started watching hockey and I'm incredibly excited to hit the ground running and contribute to the legacy of the Prince George Cougars.
The support that I have received from family, friends and colleagues has been nothing short of amazing. The phone-calls, e-mails, and texts have made me feel incredibly humbled and grateful. I feel so much gratitude to those who have cheered me on and encouraged me along the way.
I promise that there will be some more entries and some deeper thoughts posted on here before the move. For now I just wanted to publish the news, and make everyone aware of the decision.
Thanks for stopping by. Your readership and support is something that I genuinely appreciate.
More tomorrow, I promise.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
Pearson Resigns as Coach and G.M. *Updated*
The Battlefords North Stars are looking for a new head-coach and General Manager.
Stew Demmans with the North Star's Board of Directors announced this morning that Ken Pearson has resigned from the team due to family reasons.
"Throughout the three seasons there have been times where it's been tough to be away from them (two kids)," Pearson told me earlier this morning. "This decision to step down is purely based on me looking to get closer to my kids."
Pearson added, "Hopefully my replacement continues to build on the things we (the coaches, staff and scouts) have built there."
Pearson served as coach and General Manager for the Battlefords North Stars for three seasons. In 2009-2010 he led the Stars to a birth in the Bauer Conference Final with La Ronge, and was also nominated for Coach of the Year in 2010. Pearson is largely responsible for rebuilding the Stars into a contender, and has worked extremely hard to help graduating North Star's find a place to play once their Junior A. careers conclude.
The Board of Directors are already accepting resumes and applications for the vacant position. All interested applicants can send their package to Stew Demmans. His e-mail is stewlaw@sasktel.net.
Listen to CJNB/CJNS throughout the day for the latest audio and information.
Ken Pearson will be my guest tonight on the Co-Op Leisure Time Sports Fix. The show runs tonight on CJNB-CJNS at 8:00.
Stew Demmans with the North Star's Board of Directors announced this morning that Ken Pearson has resigned from the team due to family reasons.
"Throughout the three seasons there have been times where it's been tough to be away from them (two kids)," Pearson told me earlier this morning. "This decision to step down is purely based on me looking to get closer to my kids."
Pearson added, "Hopefully my replacement continues to build on the things we (the coaches, staff and scouts) have built there."
Pearson served as coach and General Manager for the Battlefords North Stars for three seasons. In 2009-2010 he led the Stars to a birth in the Bauer Conference Final with La Ronge, and was also nominated for Coach of the Year in 2010. Pearson is largely responsible for rebuilding the Stars into a contender, and has worked extremely hard to help graduating North Star's find a place to play once their Junior A. careers conclude.
The Board of Directors are already accepting resumes and applications for the vacant position. All interested applicants can send their package to Stew Demmans. His e-mail is stewlaw@sasktel.net.
Listen to CJNB/CJNS throughout the day for the latest audio and information.
Ken Pearson will be my guest tonight on the Co-Op Leisure Time Sports Fix. The show runs tonight on CJNB-CJNS at 8:00.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Tuesday Odds and Ends.
Welcome to the dog-days of summer.
Don't get me wrong. I love golfing, camping, playing ball and lounging in the summer sun. But at the same time, it excites me to know that September is not THAT far away and soon there will a LOT more to talk and write about.
---
I really enjoyed last night's Sports Fix.
It's always great having Dana Johnson (North Battleford Golf and Country Club) on the program. Together we talked about the Sportsman's Dinner taking place on August 15th. Boston Bruin's fans will love the fact that Wayne Cashman and Gerry Cheevers will be on hand to sign autographs on Sunday the 14th, and will participate in a breakfast, fun scramble and supper on the 15th. Anybody interested in participating needs to act fast. Call 937-5659 for details.
I also spoke with Sean Campbell from the Team 990 in Montreal. The struggles of the Saskatchewan Roughriders have been well documented through three-weeks, and it's only going to get tougher in Week 4 when they head to Montreal Sunday. Campbell hosts the Al's This Week on 990 and also does the sideline reporting for the Allouette's broadcasts. His insight is always appreciated.
My final guest was Minnesota Wild forward Kyle Brodziak. I met Brodziak a week or so ago at the Battlefords United Way Golf Tournament. Brodziak was a first-timer on the program and spoke very well. Naturally he's excited about the upcoming season, and about the possibility of playing alongside either Dany Heatley or Devin Setoguchi. Brodziak set career high's last year with goals (16) and points (37) and could be poised for an even better year if all goes well.
The thing that caught my eye about Brodziak when looking at his stats: His health! In four full seasons in the NHL, Brodziak has only missed seven games total.
---
The Battlefords North Star's broadcasting schedule is basically complete. Once the I's are dotted and the T's are crossed, I will post it onto the blog, and I'm sure it will be posted onto the website as well. This season we will once again be carrying 40 regular season games a long with a pre-season warm-up. Every playoff game will also be on the radio.
I keep jokingly) trying to persuade the 'powers that be' to give me more games, and I continue to get (playfully) shot-down. In a perfect world, every single game would be on the radio, but it's simply not a reality at this stage. I feel that 40-games is more than fair, and hopefully there will be web-casting options available this season as well.
As for the broadcasting schedule itself. Every single road-game will (tentatively) be on the radio. Last season we couldn't do three road games because of neutral site games in Kyle, Stanley Mission, and I had to miss one because of my surgery. So far I'm not aware of any neutral-site games involving the Battlefords North Stars. Neutral-site games are fantastic for the league, but quite often they can be a broadcaster's nightmare. It's never fun worrying for an entire bus-ride and wondering whether your equipment will work in an unfamiliar rink.
---
Check out Blaine Weyland's blog to the right of this piece. He's posted some new pictures of Spectra Place in Estevan. I know I've beaten this horse to death before, but golly am I excited to see and experience the new rink in Estevan. I've made it no secret both on and off the air that I dreaded calling games in Estevan for the sheer difficulty involved in trying to conduct a broadcast without the services of a score-clock.
What made matters worse is that the Stars and Bruins have played some great games in Estevan (except for 2007-2008) that I wasn't able to truly enjoy.
All of that changes this season!
---
That's all I have for you today. Thanks for checking in during the 'slow time' of the summer. Your readership is always appreciated, and I look forward to chatting with you again soon.
Don't get me wrong. I love golfing, camping, playing ball and lounging in the summer sun. But at the same time, it excites me to know that September is not THAT far away and soon there will a LOT more to talk and write about.
---
I really enjoyed last night's Sports Fix.
It's always great having Dana Johnson (North Battleford Golf and Country Club) on the program. Together we talked about the Sportsman's Dinner taking place on August 15th. Boston Bruin's fans will love the fact that Wayne Cashman and Gerry Cheevers will be on hand to sign autographs on Sunday the 14th, and will participate in a breakfast, fun scramble and supper on the 15th. Anybody interested in participating needs to act fast. Call 937-5659 for details.
I also spoke with Sean Campbell from the Team 990 in Montreal. The struggles of the Saskatchewan Roughriders have been well documented through three-weeks, and it's only going to get tougher in Week 4 when they head to Montreal Sunday. Campbell hosts the Al's This Week on 990 and also does the sideline reporting for the Allouette's broadcasts. His insight is always appreciated.
My final guest was Minnesota Wild forward Kyle Brodziak. I met Brodziak a week or so ago at the Battlefords United Way Golf Tournament. Brodziak was a first-timer on the program and spoke very well. Naturally he's excited about the upcoming season, and about the possibility of playing alongside either Dany Heatley or Devin Setoguchi. Brodziak set career high's last year with goals (16) and points (37) and could be poised for an even better year if all goes well.
The thing that caught my eye about Brodziak when looking at his stats: His health! In four full seasons in the NHL, Brodziak has only missed seven games total.
---
The Battlefords North Star's broadcasting schedule is basically complete. Once the I's are dotted and the T's are crossed, I will post it onto the blog, and I'm sure it will be posted onto the website as well. This season we will once again be carrying 40 regular season games a long with a pre-season warm-up. Every playoff game will also be on the radio.
I keep jokingly) trying to persuade the 'powers that be' to give me more games, and I continue to get (playfully) shot-down. In a perfect world, every single game would be on the radio, but it's simply not a reality at this stage. I feel that 40-games is more than fair, and hopefully there will be web-casting options available this season as well.
As for the broadcasting schedule itself. Every single road-game will (tentatively) be on the radio. Last season we couldn't do three road games because of neutral site games in Kyle, Stanley Mission, and I had to miss one because of my surgery. So far I'm not aware of any neutral-site games involving the Battlefords North Stars. Neutral-site games are fantastic for the league, but quite often they can be a broadcaster's nightmare. It's never fun worrying for an entire bus-ride and wondering whether your equipment will work in an unfamiliar rink.
---
Check out Blaine Weyland's blog to the right of this piece. He's posted some new pictures of Spectra Place in Estevan. I know I've beaten this horse to death before, but golly am I excited to see and experience the new rink in Estevan. I've made it no secret both on and off the air that I dreaded calling games in Estevan for the sheer difficulty involved in trying to conduct a broadcast without the services of a score-clock.
What made matters worse is that the Stars and Bruins have played some great games in Estevan (except for 2007-2008) that I wasn't able to truly enjoy.
All of that changes this season!
---
That's all I have for you today. Thanks for checking in during the 'slow time' of the summer. Your readership is always appreciated, and I look forward to chatting with you again soon.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Back At It.
Good morning,
After a week off I am back in the sports-chair and I've got a couple of things that I want to hit on this morning. As you can imagine, things are a tad slow on this end during the summer months, but the closer we get to September, the busier things will get I'm sure.
First off, if you didn't already know:
The Battlefords North Star's regular season schedule is posted on the North Star's website. Upon first glance, I feel that the schedule is favorable to the Stars. Their longest stretch of consecutive road-games sits at five - All of which are against Bauer Conference teams. That
stretch runs from October 1 - 11th, which could also help develop some early season chemistry.
The Stars start their season with the traditional home-and-home with Kindersley, and will also make their traditional weekend trip to Flin Flon in mid-February. 2011-2012 will mark the third season in a row that the Stars have done this trip, and it's always a highlight (unless your broadcasting gear fails you).
I will have a broadcast schedule selected by the end of this week. I'm expecting to call another 40-game schedule, but I assure you that I'll be nudging my bosses to let me do more. Efforts over the past two years have been futile in that regard, however my first season I only called 30. Now I call 40 games plus all playoff games.
Another thing that I'll be looking into is web-casting. The team hinted that they were heading in that direction towards the end of last year, but I won't speculate any further until I'm told whether or not it's a go. If so, then I'll happily call more games.
---
During my time away the Stars traded 1991-born forward Luke Hannas to the O.C.N. Blizzard in exchange for future considerations. I liked Luke both as a player and a person, but in my opinion he simply fell victim to a numbers game. The Stars had a surplus of eligible 20-year-olds, and it was unlikely that all would be returning.
With Hannas out of the picture, the remaining eligible 20-year-olds include forwards:
Blake Tatchell
Brett Miller
Boyd Wakelin
Samuel Fortier
On defence:
Woody Klassen
Travis Sparrow
In goal:
Graham Hildebrand
Blake Voth
---
A truly bittersweet day for me yesterday.
July 11 marked the one-year anniversary of my Mom's passing. It's been an emotional year, and while the pain has eased to a certain degree, there will always be days like yesterday where sadness is inevitable.
In saying that though, I could not have asked for a better day.
I had the pleasure of golfing in the Battlefords United Way Golf Tournament at the Jackfish Lodge Golf and Conference Center. The weather was cooperative, and a great time was had by all. The United Way more than doubled their proceeds from last year, and enrollment for the tournament had also increased.
I was fortunate enough to golf with three great guys: Martin Smith, Bruce Yockey and Todd Heck. I was blessed to join them on the course, and I greatly enjoyed their company. There are few things more enjoyable in life than a day on the golf course with your buddies.
That's not all. A strong tee-shot on #12 earned me the 'Closest to the Pin' award and a great prize through the Gold Eagle Lodge. And the icing on the cake: I won a signed Kyle Brodziak (Minnesota Wild) jersey through a raffle.
I can't help but feel like Mom had my back out there, and helped make sure that I had a day full of smiles.
A huge thank you to Kyle Kellgren (Jackfish Lodge), the entire United Way staff, and Access 7 for yesterday. It was truly a summer highlight.
--
I plan on touching base with Ken Pearson sometime this week. I'll ask him about the schedule, the search for a new trainer, and how recruiting/trading efforts are going. I'll be sure to keep you posted.
Have a great Tuesday.
After a week off I am back in the sports-chair and I've got a couple of things that I want to hit on this morning. As you can imagine, things are a tad slow on this end during the summer months, but the closer we get to September, the busier things will get I'm sure.
First off, if you didn't already know:
The Battlefords North Star's regular season schedule is posted on the North Star's website. Upon first glance, I feel that the schedule is favorable to the Stars. Their longest stretch of consecutive road-games sits at five - All of which are against Bauer Conference teams. That
stretch runs from October 1 - 11th, which could also help develop some early season chemistry.
The Stars start their season with the traditional home-and-home with Kindersley, and will also make their traditional weekend trip to Flin Flon in mid-February. 2011-2012 will mark the third season in a row that the Stars have done this trip, and it's always a highlight (unless your broadcasting gear fails you).
I will have a broadcast schedule selected by the end of this week. I'm expecting to call another 40-game schedule, but I assure you that I'll be nudging my bosses to let me do more. Efforts over the past two years have been futile in that regard, however my first season I only called 30. Now I call 40 games plus all playoff games.
Another thing that I'll be looking into is web-casting. The team hinted that they were heading in that direction towards the end of last year, but I won't speculate any further until I'm told whether or not it's a go. If so, then I'll happily call more games.
---
During my time away the Stars traded 1991-born forward Luke Hannas to the O.C.N. Blizzard in exchange for future considerations. I liked Luke both as a player and a person, but in my opinion he simply fell victim to a numbers game. The Stars had a surplus of eligible 20-year-olds, and it was unlikely that all would be returning.
With Hannas out of the picture, the remaining eligible 20-year-olds include forwards:
Blake Tatchell
Brett Miller
Boyd Wakelin
Samuel Fortier
On defence:
Woody Klassen
Travis Sparrow
In goal:
Graham Hildebrand
Blake Voth
---
A truly bittersweet day for me yesterday.
July 11 marked the one-year anniversary of my Mom's passing. It's been an emotional year, and while the pain has eased to a certain degree, there will always be days like yesterday where sadness is inevitable.
In saying that though, I could not have asked for a better day.
I had the pleasure of golfing in the Battlefords United Way Golf Tournament at the Jackfish Lodge Golf and Conference Center. The weather was cooperative, and a great time was had by all. The United Way more than doubled their proceeds from last year, and enrollment for the tournament had also increased.
I was fortunate enough to golf with three great guys: Martin Smith, Bruce Yockey and Todd Heck. I was blessed to join them on the course, and I greatly enjoyed their company. There are few things more enjoyable in life than a day on the golf course with your buddies.
That's not all. A strong tee-shot on #12 earned me the 'Closest to the Pin' award and a great prize through the Gold Eagle Lodge. And the icing on the cake: I won a signed Kyle Brodziak (Minnesota Wild) jersey through a raffle.
I can't help but feel like Mom had my back out there, and helped make sure that I had a day full of smiles.
A huge thank you to Kyle Kellgren (Jackfish Lodge), the entire United Way staff, and Access 7 for yesterday. It was truly a summer highlight.
--
I plan on touching base with Ken Pearson sometime this week. I'll ask him about the schedule, the search for a new trainer, and how recruiting/trading efforts are going. I'll be sure to keep you posted.
Have a great Tuesday.
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