By Nathan Kanter

Civic Centre to host Saskatchewan HHOF induction banquet

Jan 25, 2017 | 4:00 PM

The 2017 Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame induction dinner is coming to the Battlefords this July, where nine new members will be recognized.

The list of inductees is led by Olympic medallist Fiona Smith-Bell, four-time Stanley Cup champion Bob Bourne, builder Stan Dunn – who was one of the founders of the SJHL – and Ken Wheler, now an officiating manager with the NHL.

Smith-Bell, from Edam, played with the Battlefords Minor Hockey Association before going on to represent Canada on the international stage. She won a silver medal in Nagano with the women’s hockey team at their first ever Olympic appearance.

Dunn, who passed away in 2006, coached the SJHL’s Battlefords Barons for three seasons in the late 1970s and early 80s and was also the Swift Current Broncos coach and general manager.

Wheler, from Battleford, began refereeing at age 14 as part of the Battleford Community Youth Club hockey program.

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“They want to try to make [the induction dinner] as local as possible,” North Stars president Troy Slywka said. “It’s a fantastic way to recognize just the importance of the game in this area… [and] it’s a good way to celebrate our local talent.

“It’s a great opportunity for the Battlefords. It’s going to showcase our community and just how important the game is and I’m honoured to have Battlefords hosting this event.”

Every year the Saskatchewan Hockey Association tries to hold the banquet in a new location. Last year it was in Weyburn, and the year before it was in Humboldt.

This year’s banquet will be on the evening of Saturday, July 22.

“Battlefords has been such a great partner with us in regards to Cameco Hockey Day in Saskatchewan and other ventures that we’ve done, [so] we just thought we’d reach out to them to see if it was something they wanted to be a part of,” SHA manager, marketing and communications Sheri Trapp said. “We like to travel it around the province because it gives an opportunity, number one, to highlight deserving inductees from different areas of the province. But also it gives those areas an opportunity to celebrate hockey in their area. It also acts as a fundraiser.”

In total, three players, two builders, two teams, one official, and one grassroots organization will be inducted.

In addition to Smith-Bell and Bourne being inducted into the players category, so too will the late Eddie Litzenberger. Dunn will be inducted into the builders category along with Graham Tuer. Wheler is the lone official being inducted, while the 1983-84 Wilkie Outlaws and the 2000-01 Lloydminster Border Kings will be inducted in the teams category. The Northwest Hockey Development Association will be inducted in the grassroots category.

Slywka said they are still in the planning stages but a pancake breakfast and road hockey tournament are some of the initial ideas being thrown around.

“We want to celebrate the day with it,” he said. “We want to get as much of the community involved as possible so that was one of the reasons we looked at a pancake breakfast or road hockey tournament.

“We’re still finalizing entertainment for that day as well.”

Individual tickets for the event will sell for $75, while $500 will get you a table of eight.

The tickets don’t go on sale until the beginning of February.
 

Nathan Kanter is battlefordsNOW’s sports reporter and voice of the Battlefords North Stars. He can be reached at Nathan.kanter@jpbg.ca or tweet him @NathanKanter11