By Nathan Kanter

Sask. Hockey Hall of Fame banquet on the horizon

Jun 7, 2017 | 5:00 PM

The upcoming Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremony is now just over six weeks away and things are beginning to come to fruition.

The nine inductees were announced in late January: Olympic medallist Fiona Smith-Bell, four-time Stanley Cup champion Bob Bourne, the late Eddie Litzenberger, builders Stan Dunn and Graham Tuer, Ken Wheler, now an officiating manager with the NHL, the 1983-84 Wilkie Outlaws and 2000-01 Lloydminster Border Kings, and the Northwest Hockey Development Association in the grassroots category.

Now also confirmed for the event on July 22 is master of ceremonies Darren Dreger of TSN, as well as the full schedule for the day.

A pancake breakfast will kick things off at the civic centre at 8 a.m. and go until 10 a.m. That will be followed by a three-on-three outdoor road hockey tournament starting at 11 a.m. that plans to feature one North Stars player per team and is open to all ages. The VIP reception for inductees and sponsors will begin at 5 p.m., followed by cocktails for all attending at 6 p.m. and then dinner at 7 p.m.

“It’s a blessing and a curse to go as long as we did in the playoffs because we weren’t able to get a good start on this until May-ish so we’re a little bit behind the eight-ball but I think we’re on track,” North Stars president Troy Slywka said on Wednesday morning. “We’ll get everything organized and I think we’ll have a good turnout. It’ll be a good experience for everybody that attends.”

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Caitlyn Gray is the North Stars marketing manager and has been working closely with the Saskatchewan Hockey Association (SHA) to plan the event.

She said things have been going well so far, despite the late start because of the long playoff run.

“We’ve been selling lots of tickets,” Gray said. “It’s almost acting as a reunion for those two teams that are being inducted so I’ve seen lots of tickets being sold for them. As well as Northwest Hockey [Development Association], they’re getting lots of their old volunteers that have helped in the past. So it’s been going really good.” 

As far as pulling the strings to get Dreger, who is a Saskatchewan native and a well respected hockey broadcaster with TSN, Sheri Trapp of the SHA said the credit should go to SHA general manager Kelly McClintock.

“[McClintock] kind of reached out to [Dreger], and being a good Saskatchewan guy that he is, he’s happy to take part and likes to come home to Saskatchewan,” Trapp said, who is the manager of marketing and communications for the SHA. “I’m really excited. I think he’ll be a great addition and should be a draw. Anybody who watches any hockey knows who Darren Dreger is and he’s got a great personality and I think he’ll bring a lot to the event.”

Trapp added that having a full day of activities leading up to the dinner is a big plus, and is part of what makes this year’s event unique.

“That is something we like to see: it’s not just the evening. It’s going to be a full day event,” Trapp said. “The three-on-three road hockey tournament and the pancake breakfast will make it feel like a really big event and…I know the inductees are excited about that too.”

The road hockey tournament is free, while individual tickets for the dinner go for $75 and a table of eight costs $500.

For ticket information you can call the North Stars office at 306-445-7827 or go to http://www.northstars.ca

“This is a great way to celebrate hockey in Saskatchewan and the Battlefords,” Slywka said. “To see the local Saskatchewan talent that this province has produced in the game of hockey is phenomenal.”

nathan.kanter@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @NathanKanter11