Local Hockey Legends: 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs edition

The full six-page Local Hockey Legends 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs edition can be found in this week’s issue of the Journal.

While the Edmonton Oilers missed out on the playoffs for the seventh straight season, being a member of the Lakeland community gives hockey fans a number of reasons to cheer in the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

While watching the Oilers hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup would bring a great deal of satisfaction to a number of northern Alberta living rooms, it more than likely won’t bring the Cup to the Lakeland.

However, given the wealth of hockey talent that has developed in the Lakeland area over the past few decades, the Cup may end up in near St. Paul this summer. While it may not be in the hands of an Oiler, it would be in the hands of one of the Lakeland’s own.

St. Paul born Kyle Brodziak got his first taste of the post season last week, and while his Minnesota Wild sit in an underdog spot, it’s safe to say that he and his teammates will stop at nothing to pull off the first round upset against the Chicago Blackhawks and carry that momentum over into the next round.

Glendon’s Stan “Steamer&” Smyl may have stepped off the ice, but he’s still a vital member of the Vancouver Canucks organization on the business end of things, and would see a Stanley Cup ring put on his finger if the Canucks can manage 16 playoff wins for the first time in franchise history.

Fishing Lake’s Sheldon Souray is poised to make a deep push this post season in his first playoff appearance in seven years. In his 15th NHL season, now with the Anaheim Ducks, the 36-year-old Lakeland native is hungry for a chance to lift hockey’s holy grail.

You may ask yourself, why does this all matter? The answer is simple, because it’s the Cup.

Elk Point native and Anaheim Duck Sheldon Souray is back in the post season for the first time since he was a Montreal Canadien in 2006, and the 14-season NHL veteran is hoping the Ducks can make a deep push in pursuit of his first Stanley Cup.

“Well it’s obviously a tremendous opportunity to do something special. It’s not easy to make the playoffs and obviously it’s even harder with the league being so strong. It’s a fun time of year, the funnest time of year,&” he said.

“Once you get to the playoffs, things change. So it’s been exciting to be back and be a part of it . . . I think we can make a strong run for ourselves.&”

On April 30, the day finally arrived for Kyle Brodziak.

After eight regular seasons in the National Hockey League, four with the Edmonton Oilers and four with the Minnesota Wild, the St. Paul born center finally reached the post season.

The 28-year-old has been a key factor in the Wild’s success this season, and he’s carried that over into the team’s underdog series against the President’s Trophy winning Chicago Blackhawks, down in the series, 2-1, as of the Journal’s press deadline.

“I was nervous but excited all at the same time. The stakes are so high. It’s fun,&” Brodziak said following Game 3, adding that he loves knowing friends and family from the Lakeland are watching him play. “It feels great. I hope I can make everyone proud.&”

Glendon born Stan “Steamer&” Smyl spent his entire 13-season playing career with the Vancouver Canucks, and the same day that he stepped off the ice, the organization offered him a job behind the bench as an assistant coach.

“I’ve been very lucky. I played my junior hockey there just right next door to Vancouver, and then retiring and getting into the business and being able to work in the business and staying within the community that I love so much,&” Smyl said. “I’m very lucky, very fortunate to be a part of this organization for 30-plus years now.&”

When Smyl stepped off the ice, he led the Canucks organization in career goals with 262, assists with 411 in a franchise-leading 896 games played.

Smyl carried on his role with the Canucks in a variety of responsibilities, and currently sits as the senior advisor to Canucks General Manager Mike Gillis.

The Columbus Blue Jackets narrowly missed out on the team’s first post season appearance since 2009, but Elk Point’s Mark Letestu used the short season to truly establish himself as a strong player in the National Hockey League, finishing second on the team in scoring with 13 goals and 14 assists.

The point production is the highest that Letestu has managed in terms of points per game since he joined the National Hockey League in 2009-10 with the Pittsburgh Penguins. In 2010-11 he managed 14 goals and 13 assists through 64 games, 18 more than this season.

“Mostly it was an increase in opportunity. My coach put me in all situations this year whether it was five-on-five or special teams, when your coach or anyone puts that kind of responsibility on you it gives you confidence,&” said Letestu. “With opportunity, confidence and obviously some luck comes better production.&”

A Local Hockey Legends section in the St. Paul Journal would not be complete without mentioning St. Paul’s own Clancy Richard.

Richard, who died on Oct. 29, 2012 at the age of 84, gave life to the St. Paul Junior B Canadiens in 1956 and led the team as coach and manager for 20 years. In his two decades in charge of the Canadiens, Richard led the team to eight league championships and seven provincial championships.

Richard made his transition into the National Hockey League as a scout in the 1960s, and managed to get the Junior B Habs affiliated with the Montreal Canadiens.

Richard’s fellow scout, friend and former player and co-coach Pat O’Neil, remembers Richard as “a competitor,&” whose ultimate goal was to develop young hockey talent in northern Alberta.

“He was certainly dedicated to what he was doing. It was unbelievable how passionate he was, not only about the game but about his team, and he didn’t like to lose,&” O’Neil said. “That was one thing about him. If you talk to any of his ex-players, and I’m one of them, they’ll all tell you the same thing.&”