This Saturday a number of local hockey greats, including Glendon-born ex-Canucks captain Stan Smyl, will take to the ice at the Clancy Richard Arena for Xtreme Hockey Night in St. Paul.
The event will start at 11:30 a.m. with a minor hockey shootout and skills competition followed by the big game at 2 p.m. Tickets for adults are $5 while kids 17-and-under get in for free.
“I think this is a great way to do an event in our community," said Westlock-St. Paul MP Brian Storseth, who will be hosting the event. “We're a hockey community and this goes back and touches on the hockey history and culture that we have in our community."
Smyl played for 13 years in the NHL, and spent eight seasons as captain of the Vancouver Canucks. Smyl, whose number will be ceremonially raised to the rafters, will play as captain of the Black Team, while Storseth will captain the White Team.
“It's going to be a lot of fun and they're recognizing somebody that really is a top three or four player from northern Alberta all-time in the NHL," said Storseth. “The things Stan Smyl has done are amazing, and it's pretty special that he's able to come back and be part of it, and we're happy to team up with minor hockey in this as well."
St. Paul and District Minor Hockey will be taking charge in raising Smyl's now infamous number 12 to the rafters of the Clancy Richard Arena prior to puck drop.
Other notable names taking to the ice include Tyson LaFrance, Corey De Moissac, Shawn Germain, Jean-Marc Beaudoin, and Storseth says the local-star-studded rosters will provide a great spectacle for the fans while showing off some of this region's hockey history.
“We want this game to demonstrate how far you can go and how successful you can be playing hockey in St. Paul, and all these guys have played minor hockey in St. Paul," Storseth said.
“Some of them are (Canadian Inter-University Sports) champions with the Golden Bears, some of them like Shawn Germain played East Coast professional hockey, some of them played WHL, some of them played for the Pontiacs and went on to college, and a couple like Stan ended up making the NHL."
Recently added to the Black Team roster is ex-Canuck Geoff Courtnall, a member of the 1994 Canucks team that made a run to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals before falling to the New York Rangers.
The game will be followed by a dinner banquet, which will feature a unique treat, as Storseth says there will be a 'roast of Stan Smyl'.
All funds raised at the event will be donated to a number of local charities, including local Ag. Societies, the Kids Sports Fund, Haying in the 30s, the Columbus House of Hope and the CAP, Mallaig and Elk Point Arenas.
“One of the ones that is very close to my heart is the women's' shelter, the Columbus House of Hope, and the amazing work they do," Storseth said.
Storseth added a thank you to his committee who he says did amazing work in compiling such incredible rosters for the game.
“We've got an amazing committee that has always been involved on the community side," he said. “They just understand our community, they've been a part of it for a long time and they really did a great job."
Storseth says that while there are still tickets available for the banquet, they are selling out very fast. Remaining tickets can be purchased for $50 each.
For more information about the event, or to take a look at the full rosters, visit www.xtremehockeynight.ca
