Kyle McIntyre, Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League commissioner and North Stars head coach Brayden Klimosko present Martin Smith and nephew Kian Bell with a banner of the 27 as it was officially retired during the Hall of Fame banquet on Saturday, June 22. (Julia Lovett-Squires/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Julia Lovett-Squires

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Martin Smith and Kian Bell were completely unprepared when the moment came.

“I can’t even put it into words and I know that – how much the organization meant to my parents – especially my dad,” said the first family member to don the number 27.

“We know that Dad – his grandpa – is smiling down right now and it’s just such an honour.”

It came as a complete surprise to the uncle and nephew pair when, during the 2024 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League Hall of Fame induction banquet that the Battlefords North Stars number 27 was officially retired.

The Battlefords North Stars family gathered together to celebrate during the Hall of Fame banquet on Sat., June. 22. (Julia Lovett-Squires/battlefordsNOW Staff)

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Smith, who joined the team roster in the 1987-88 season, chose the number because it was worn by a favourite Stars player of his, Jerry Bick. When his career with the team ended and Bell decided to play for the Battlefords, there was only one number he wanted on his jersey.

“It was just super unexpected, all the Hall of Fame and stuff was more than I could ask for,” added the younger player.

“Just with the number, I didn’t have any cool stories of the number, I just wanted to be like my uncle. So, coming here, it was a no brainer to take that number if he allowed me to.”

The event was a jovial one, held on the rink at the Access Communications Centre on Saturday, June. 22. North Stars of the past and present came together to share memories, laughs and even a few tears.

MC’d by Jay Crockett, the ceremony celebrated the best of the local legends’ commitment to the game and each other. First to be inducted into the club were the two builder families. The Georges and the Smiths, both of whom had three generations joining the Hall of Fame ranks (the latter of whom included Dr. Ian Smith, and Fiona Smith-Bell, who won silver during the 1998 Olympics with the women’s hockey team.)

Commissioner Kyle McIntyre and Head Coach Brayden Klimosko induct Michael and David George during the Hall of Fame banquet on Saturday, June. 22. (Julia Lovett-Squires/battlefordsNOW Staff)

“The big thing about any kind of sport or anything is the ability to talk to other people, be good to other people, meet new people and it’s what it’s all about,” said David George.

“If you can take away that from anything that you do, that’s awesome.”

He, along with his son Michael were inducted together while his father Albert (Jeep) and his Uncle William (Moe) received their honours posthumously for their founding and development of the Beaver Bruins Junior Hockey Club – the first junior club in the community.

“The North Stars as the community – they’re just part of the community – and fortunately, we’ve had some great teams over the past number of years,” he said.

“These kids will all come back here and have memories and that’s what it’s all about. You know, I still have memories when I played major junior hockey when I played in Swift Current, I played with guys that are hall of famers and that’s just the hockey community in general.”

For Blair Atcheynum, who was inducted in the player category for his career with the team that began during the 1984-85 season before eventually joining the National Hockey League where he played for a number of teams before hanging up his skates after two seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2001.

Blair Atcheynum makes a speech during the Hall of Fame banquet on Sat., June. 22. (Julia Lovett-Squires/battlefordsNOW Staff)

“It’s very special,” Atcheynum said.

“You don’t ever play to go into a Hall of Fame, you play to play the game that you love and then to be recognized with group of people is very special to me and it (being) my hometown and to have my family and friends here, it’s a really special night.”

After retiring as a player and coming back to the Battlefords to take up coaching, Atcheynum, a member of Sweetgrass First Nation, helped to expand and develop the team before retiring as assistant coach in 2015.

“This is the real Junior A experience, I think. It’s such a tight knit group of people and everybody’s there for each other,” he said,” taking in the joy and comradery around the rink.

“Nights like this…is finally gets to celebrate some positive things and people’s careers and just to have everybody together, the different generations,” he added referring to the Smith and George families.

Kelly McCrimmon made a video message to be played during the Hall of Fame banquet on Sat., June. 22. (Julia Lovett-Squires/battlefordsNOW Staff)

As the evening progressed, the SJHL also inducted Builder North West Hockey Development Association, who upon acceptance, also presented their annual cheque of $30,000 to the North Stars club. That included the 2016-17 North Stars Team who were able to clinch their second championship, coaches Todd McLellan and Kelly McCrimmon, and players Drew Bagnall, Travis Clayton, Blake Tatchell and Wade Belak – the latter posthumously.

In an emotional acceptance speech on behalf of his son, Barry Belak said it was among the hardest things he’s ever done.

“Wade was always the type of kid, a player that knew where home was,” he said.

Barry Belak accepts the induction on behalf of his late son Wade during the Hall of Fame banquet on Saturday, June. 22. (Julia Lovett-Squires/battlefordsNOW Staff)

“We’d like to accept this induction with exceeding pride.”

Tracy Cook, inducted into the referee category said he too felt honoured to be inducted this year.

“[It] really shows the hockey family here in the Battlefords, where so many great people inducted and involved in our hockey community,” he said.

His career took a different path than the others, after starting as a linesman in 1983, he moved into officiating after one year and never looked back. During his time, he helped develop young referees, many of whom have gone on to devote themselves to the craft overseas or around Canada.

“The game has evolved but when you think back to the early ‘70’s and the way the game was played and officiated, and you look at the speed and the skill level, the way they’ve adjusted the calling of the games to really showcase the talent that’s out there, our game right now is competitive as it’s ever been,” he said.

Commissioner Kyle McIntyre and Head Coach Brayden Klimoscko induct Referee Tracy Cook during the Hall of Fame banquet on Saturday, June 22. (Julia Lovett-Squires/battlefordsNOW Staff)

“It’s extremely fast and demands high skill nowadays.”

It’s that speed and transition game Cook explained will take referees into the next stage of development and officials are already using tools like video replay.

“Really, what that’s about is just making the right call – giving the right call on the ice to allow the two teams to compete,” he said, noting with the advancements, comes a mix of progress and the end of a purer form of the game.

“It’s a needed mix to ensure that the game gets the best officiating possible.”

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julia.lovettsquires@pattisonmedia.com

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