It's one of the best weekends of the summer, and it has nothing to do with the beach or the sunny weather outside.
The Kelowna Rockets alumni weekend is set for this weekend, and includes a round of golf (ok, the weather plays a bit of a factor) Friday, and an alumni hockey game Sunday.
The game will feature former Rockets like Shea Weber, Josh Gorges, Scott Hannan and Tyler Mosienko.
The alumni weekend is into it's 8th year, and originated with the good work of Anne-Marie Hamilton.
Anny is the Kelowna Rockets Director of Marketing and Game Operations, and along with former Rocket Ryan Wade, were the masterminds behind the event back in 1999.
"I remember the first year we had it, we had like 24 players golfing", laughed Hamilton reflecting on the inaugural event. "But despite some struggles in our first year, we are now up to over 100 players golfing, and the event is a sellout."
Finding Rockets alumni to invite to the tournament is never easy.
"Thank goodness for word of mouth. I have found that if you find one guy, you find ten. What we make sure we do is involve both the young players and the older players that may be playing in the NHL".
The Rocket alumni weekend begins Friday, and concludes Sunday at 5:30 with an alumni hockey game at the C and C.
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You won't see two NHL players that are former Rockets alumni, at this weekend's activities.
Vernon Fiddler, who is playing with the Nashville Predators, will be with his wife who is giving birth to the couples first child.
Brett McLean, the newest member of the Florida Panthers, won't be around as he does some house hunting down South.
Kelly Guard also isn't expected to attend, after stating earlier he'd likely be headed to the Okanagan and was wanting to play in the alumni game. Guard suffered a groin injury while training, so won't be in K-Town. Funny...that was his same excuse last year!
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How busy has Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton been this week when it comes to interviewing perspective coaches to take over from Jeff Truitt?
Not at all. Hamilton is on vacation. He hasn't conducted one interview this week.
The Kelowna Rockets alumni weekend is set for this weekend, and includes a round of golf (ok, the weather plays a bit of a factor) Friday, and an alumni hockey game Sunday.
The game will feature former Rockets like Shea Weber, Josh Gorges, Scott Hannan and Tyler Mosienko.
The alumni weekend is into it's 8th year, and originated with the good work of Anne-Marie Hamilton.
Anny is the Kelowna Rockets Director of Marketing and Game Operations, and along with former Rocket Ryan Wade, were the masterminds behind the event back in 1999.
"I remember the first year we had it, we had like 24 players golfing", laughed Hamilton reflecting on the inaugural event. "But despite some struggles in our first year, we are now up to over 100 players golfing, and the event is a sellout."
Finding Rockets alumni to invite to the tournament is never easy.
"Thank goodness for word of mouth. I have found that if you find one guy, you find ten. What we make sure we do is involve both the young players and the older players that may be playing in the NHL".
The Rocket alumni weekend begins Friday, and concludes Sunday at 5:30 with an alumni hockey game at the C and C.
______________________________________
You won't see two NHL players that are former Rockets alumni, at this weekend's activities.
Vernon Fiddler, who is playing with the Nashville Predators, will be with his wife who is giving birth to the couples first child.
Brett McLean, the newest member of the Florida Panthers, won't be around as he does some house hunting down South.
Kelly Guard also isn't expected to attend, after stating earlier he'd likely be headed to the Okanagan and was wanting to play in the alumni game. Guard suffered a groin injury while training, so won't be in K-Town. Funny...that was his same excuse last year!
_______________________________________
How busy has Rockets GM Bruce Hamilton been this week when it comes to interviewing perspective coaches to take over from Jeff Truitt?
Not at all. Hamilton is on vacation. He hasn't conducted one interview this week.
Hamilton had a month of June he'd like to forget. His head coach resigns, he attended WHL meetings in Calgary, CHL meetings in Toronto, flew to Columbus for the NHL draft (breath) and then returned to Kelowna only to select two players from the Canadian Hockey League European draft.
Hamilton loves to keep busy, but the month of June is one he is likely glad to see behind him.
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Dining at Earl's restaurant can be an interesting experience during the summer months in the Okanagan.
Why?
Saturday night I was at Earl's, and who did I run into? At one of the tables sat Jarome Iginla and Chuck Kobasew.
Former teammates in Calgary, the two spend the summer months in the Okanagan, as do no less than 30 NHL players and coaches.
Who do you think paid for that meal between Kobasew and Iginla? I am thinking Iginla, considering he was just days away from signing a contract extension with the Flames worth 35 million dollars.
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James Gallo has to be feeling pretty good about himself, after seeing his name in the Edmonton Journal this week being mentioned as the possible play-by-play voice of the expansion Edmonton Oil Kings.
Gallo has just one year of calling play-by-play at the WHL level, and would arguably be one of the younger - up and coming broadcasters in the league.
If a veteran broadcaster in the WHL /or with more games under his belt at another level is applying for that job, seeing Gallo's name mentioned must have felt like a kick to the stomach.
Good on Gallo for being mentioned as one of the candidates, but what would his current employer think?
Gallo is likely keeping quiet, hoping that his current boss has no interest in reading the Edmonton Journal on-line.
Hamilton loves to keep busy, but the month of June is one he is likely glad to see behind him.
________________________________________
Dining at Earl's restaurant can be an interesting experience during the summer months in the Okanagan.Why?
Saturday night I was at Earl's, and who did I run into? At one of the tables sat Jarome Iginla and Chuck Kobasew.
Former teammates in Calgary, the two spend the summer months in the Okanagan, as do no less than 30 NHL players and coaches.
Who do you think paid for that meal between Kobasew and Iginla? I am thinking Iginla, considering he was just days away from signing a contract extension with the Flames worth 35 million dollars.
________________________________________
James Gallo has to be feeling pretty good about himself, after seeing his name in the Edmonton Journal this week being mentioned as the possible play-by-play voice of the expansion Edmonton Oil Kings.
Gallo has just one year of calling play-by-play at the WHL level, and would arguably be one of the younger - up and coming broadcasters in the league.
If a veteran broadcaster in the WHL /or with more games under his belt at another level is applying for that job, seeing Gallo's name mentioned must have felt like a kick to the stomach.
Good on Gallo for being mentioned as one of the candidates, but what would his current employer think?
Gallo is likely keeping quiet, hoping that his current boss has no interest in reading the Edmonton Journal on-line.
Even if Gallo doesn't get the job in Edmontonchuck, he'll probably be headed to Naniamo or Victoria in a couple of years anyway, considering the state of the Warrior franchise!
I can see it now - the Victoria Salmon Warriors or how about the Nanaimo Moose Clippers?
3 comments:
Thanks for the alumni game info. Thats not something the Rockets would wanna put on their website or anything. They are terrible with making their site useful or informative.
I've been informed that the Rockets will have a new website for the upcoming season. I have see ads in the Courier newspaper about the game, but agree that nothing has been mentioned on the website.
Don't they have a new look each season? Heh
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