Happy Anniversary

Today is the 20th anniversary of the Broncos Memorial Cup Championship won May 13th, 1989 in Saskatoon.

The Broncos Memorial Cup victory marks the last time a Saskatchewan team has won the Memorial Cup.

The more I research it and talk to players from the 1988-89 team, the more I'm impressed with the calibre of this dominating team. Not only the calibre but the attitude and confidence they played with.

A "we can't lose" attitude developed with this group. They knew they were better than any junior team in the country and they went out and did it.

Some of the stories from this team are legendary. To think they accomplished this goal just two and a half years removed from a devastating bus crash which shook the foundations of the franchise and junior hockey as we know it.

Former players like Bob Wilkie, Darren and Trevor Kruger, Tim Tisdale, Peter Kasowski, Pete Soberlak, Danny Lambert, Lorne Frey and others I've talked to have a done a great job in relaying some of the stories and feelings around the hockey club from 20 years ago.

"It wasn't just the team, it was a community thing. Everyone was involved, everyone around Swift Current remembers that game. They can tell you where they were and what they were doing. It was nice to have that support," commented Tim Tisdale who deflected home the overtime winner.

Defenseman Bob Wilkie remembers the championship like it was yesterday. Wilkie says the group of veterans who were involved in the bus crash just two and half years prior to winning the championship drew strength from the tragic event.

"We just knew what we had to do. As the group of older guys - Trevor and Darren (Kruger), myself and Peter (Soberlak), Sheldon (Kennedy),Danny (Lambert), and Tizzy, we knew what we had gone through to get to that point the prior two and half years. We weren't going to let that slide away, we were going to do whatever it took."

The Broncos organization has a special announcement set for later today. I'll post the details once they are official.

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Speaking of Bob Wilkie. The former Bronco defenseman is involved with an online radio show with Dave Shultz back in Pennsylvania called the Bubba and Hammer Hockey Radio Show. See below:

Here's the link: www.modavox.com/voiceamerica/vshow.aspx?sid=1539

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Medicine Hat Tigers Head Coach / GM Will Desjardins is about to be named the Head Coach for the 2010 World Junior Championships in Saskatoon. Great pick Hockey Canada.

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What's going on in Lethbridge?

I'm not going to take sides in what sounds like a pretty intertwined problem but I will say both Michael Dyck and Roy Stasiuk have been great to me and very accommodating in my dealings with them.

They will both be back in the league.... probably as soon as next season.

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Kelowna Rockets Broadcaster Regan Bartel departs for his 4th Memorial Cup in the last decade. A bit spoiled perhaps?

The Rockets leave bright an early this morning for Rimouski. They will take on the host team Friday night in their first game.

Before I'm done, I would like to go with a team just once.

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I wish Ryan Switzer would update his blog more. Don't you? So should Speedycreekgal. I Haven't heard nor seen from the blogger in ages.

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Donovan Fehr is running away with the station hockey pool. He was one of the two newsroom employees who no longer works for us. Should we still pay him his prize?

Just kidding Dono.

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With all these coaching rumours and job openings around the WHL why isn't Broncos Assistant Coach Tim Kehler being mentioned?

Maybe because the latest trend is to hire a decorated coach with NHL/pro experience. But if you want a coach who hasn't missed a rung on the ladder and has worked himself from the bottom floor up - it's him.

Note to WHL General Managers:

Put him on your radar. The well-spoken eloquent Assistant Coach from North Vancouver will impress you if given the opportunity.

Tim is too smart to be in this profession. He could be the CEO for some major financial institution yet like many of us, he's decided to chase the dream.

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How is it that Rockets goaltender Mark Guggenberger doesn't have an agent? True story. Maybe somebody should offer up their services.

Disagree with me if you want, but he's pro ready as early as next season.

Watch him put on a show in Rimouski.

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Ryan Huska has done a great job in Kelowna. I've gained a ton of respect for what he's done and how he's handled himself in some high pressure situations.

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Note to the Buffalo Sabres. What's taking you so long to sign Medicine Hat Tigers F Tyler Ennis?

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Got a call yesterday from NHL Radio producer Howie Sylvester in Boston. The NHL wants play-by-play clips featuring some of the top prospects heading into the NHL draft in Montreal. The plan is to introduce the top prospects with a little montage. I sent him the "best of Cody Eakin". I'm excited to hear the finished product.

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Local businesses that deserve a plug for good customer service:

Deb and crew at the downtown Subway. They all make the "Breakfast Boys" breakfast run enjoyable.

Elmwood Grocery. The small corner grocery store should be recognized for some sort of Swift Current Business Excellence Award.

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Media shop-talk warning!

Who calls Saturday morning news conferences? Cypress Hills - Grasslands Conservative Member of Parliament David Anderson does.

Sorry we couldn't make it.

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I've taken on some newsroom duties lately with the departure of two staff members in the last month. It's been fine so far. I covered local news a few years back. Not much has changed.

Brad Wall is still kicking political ass in Swift Current and Mayor Sandy Larson still hasn't figured out the difference between "horrendous" and "tremendous" on certain days.

But, we still love her.

Who is running for mayor in the next election? Sandy? Jerrod Schafer? Stacey Ellertson? Tim Bugera?

That's enough for a day.

Jon