Duncan's day with Lord Stanley

Duncan Keith and his fiancee sitting on the stage as they and other family members were introduced. Keith had the Stanley Cup with him and of course that gold medal around his neck.

Close to 5 thousand people fill the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton Saturday to celebrate the Stanley Cup victory with Keith. July 17th was declared "Duncan Keith Day" in Penticton. The Chicago Blackhawks defenseman was given a key to the city.

Move over Sydney Crosby. Keith's a popular guy around these parts. Keith is now a favourite of the young Okanagan hockey fan. Keith won even more fans over Saturday when he made a surprise visit to the Penticton Regional Hospital where he visited those unable to attend the celebration. He then pulled out his wallet and made a 10 thousand dollar donation.

Rockets colour analyst taking in British Open

Here is a pic of Rockets colour analyst Gord McGarva with the Claret Jug Trophy Tout at St Andrews.
McGarva is spending the summer over in Scotland, but assures me he will return before the puck drops on the 2010-2011 season.

Hay staying with Giants

One of the elite coaches in the Western Hockey League has said no to an assistant coaching position with the NHL's Edmonton Oilers.
Don Hay has told Vancouver Giants’ owner Ron Toigo that he will remain with the team.
“I talked to Don tonight and he said he really likes it here,” explained Toigo to the Windsor Star. “He said it would take something special to get him to leave. We’re very excited and happy he’s staying.”
Earlier Wednesday, Toigo had confirmed his head coach had been contacted about the Edmonton job.

Cap'n Kirk calls it quits

And then there were four.
A fourth opening for a play-by-play position has been created in the Western Hockey League after Kirk Fraser of the Kamloops Blazers officially announced that he is stepping aside after 11 years of calling games.
Jobs calling play-by-play are now available in Kamloops, Vancouver, Edmonton and Regina.
Prepared and passionate.
That may best describe what I witnessed from Kirk Fraser during his time in the Kamloops Blazers broadcast booth.
Let me point out that while the Blazers and Rockets were fierce rivals, the same couldn't be said for the relationship between the teams broadcasters.
Sure we waved our teams respective flags with pride, but once the game was over so were the battle lines.
I will always remember a game in Kamloops between the two teams with fight after fight, causing numerous stoppages. I looked over at Fraser after the sixth fight had concluded only to see him looking back at me jokingly with his fists clenched. It was like he was saying we were next in-line to get into a scrap.
Fraser will be missed.
He was responsible - or took the responsibility - for providing all 21 other broadcasters across the WHL with a player pronunciation guide at the start of each season. I, like many others, often twisted the names of some players and didn't follow the script, but Fraser was like a choir director wanting all of us (broadcasters) to sing from the same song sheet. Some of us, me included, just sang off key sometimes.
Fraser never called a winner. During his time in the Blazers broadcast booth, first round exits were par for the course. But despite the struggles, Fraser was ever the optimist before the puck was dropped.
Isn't that what you want from your radio broadcaster? The belief that the home team can win every night?
Fraser was that type of broadcaster, a radio voice the Kamloops Blazers organization can be proud of.

Things that make me go hmm...

• Here's an update on Kyle St Denis. St. Denis, like any other veteran, has an open invitation to Kelowna Rockets training camp this fall. St. Denis will battle for one of three overage spots along with Tyler Matheson, Evan Bloodoff and Geordie Wudrick. It's up to St. Denis to make sure he is medically cleared to play by doctors - outside of the Rockets personnel - after spending the majority of last season on the sidelines with concussion like symptoms. The Rockets would love nothing more than to have the 20 year-old in the lineup this season but it's St. Denis - with the help of specialized doctors - that have the final say on if he is healthy enough to play. Right now, St. Denis is symptom free.
• When you've been in the game as long as Newell Brown has, you don't find employment. Employment finds you. The father of Kelowna Rockets goaltender Adam Brown may land a position with the NHL's Vancouver Canucks as either an assistant coach or scout. Brown's contract as an assistant coach with the Anaheim Ducks was not renewed at seasons end.
• The summer months are often the time a couple elects to get married. In the hockey world, the summer is the only time to tie the knot. Congratulations to former Kelowna Rockets forward Josiah Anderson who got married last month. Former Rockets Troy Bodie and Blake Comeau were among the best men. Also congrats to Medicine Hat Tigers marketing magician Dave Andjelic', who also entered married bliss.
• When one of the 22 Western Hockey League broadcasters is dismissed of his duties, it's never a good day. As the hockey season rolls along you build friendships with your fellow broadcasters and often times gravitate closer to some than others. AJ Jakubec and I go back to my first year in Kelowna when he was my colour commentator on Rockets broadcasts. Over the years we've kept in touch and I was pleased when he landed the Edmonton Oil Kings gig two years ago. The surprising dismissal of AJ caught me by surprise. I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that AJ brought passion and energy to the rink when the Oil Kings took the ice. AJ was likely more upset after an Oil Kings loss than some of the players. He was also never afraid to express his dislike for a WHL official. Oh ya, that got him in hot water with the league, but you can't but appreciate the passion he brought to the game. While Jakubec's termination is disappointing, you can't keep a good man down. Jakubec will bounce back. Unfortunately for us, we likely won't see his smiling face around a WHL rink anytime soon.
• I picked up the Kelowna Daily Courier on Tuesday. After reading it I blew my nose in it. It was that thin! For a minute I thought I was reading an old edition of the Swift Current Sun.
• Spending a week of holiday time at home with my twin boys gave me a chance to take them to the driving range. Let me just say they are no Tiger Woods. Yet in saying that, would I want them too be? I wouldn't have said that two years ago.

Weber named captain

There's a new captain in Nashville, as talented young defenseman Shea Weber will wear the "C" on his jersey this coming season, the Predators announced Thursday night.
Weber, 24, led Nashville defensemen in scoring and finished sixth overall on the team with 16 goals and 43 points. He was also a valuable member of the Canadian Olympic Team that won the gold medal in the Vancouver Olympics.
"In addition to being one of the top young defenseman in the League today, Shea is a natural leader, and we are confident he has the respect of his teammates, opponents, the Predators organization and its fans," Nashville GM David Poile said. "He becomes the first Predators draft pick to be named captain, and has been part of the culture and belief system we have worked hard to create."

It's a boy!

Congratulations to Ryan and Denise Huska.
The two are proud parents of a bouncing baby boy.
Luke Huska was born last night at Kelowna General Hospital weighing in at 8 pounds, 12 ounces. Luke Huska is eligible for the Western Hockey League bantam draft in 2025.

Wudrick going to Coyote Country

Kelowna Rockets forward Geordie Wudrick failed to sign a NHL contract with the LA Kings on June 1st, but he is now moving on to another team in the hope of making a positive impression.

Wudrick has been given a tryout with the Phoenix Coyotes.
Wudrick will attend training camp with fellow teammate Evan Bloodoff this fall.

Wudrick was acquired from the Swift Current Broncos last season, scoring 28 goals in 50 games in a Rockets uniform (regular season/playoffs combined). Wudrick led the Rockets in playoff goal scoring with nine goals.

Date for Duncan Keith bringing Stanley Cup announced

Duncan Keith will be bringing the Stanley Cup with him to the Okanagan on Saturday July 17th.
The Chicago Blackhawks defenseman will be honoured by the city of Penticton at a ceremony beginning at noon at the South Okanagan Events Centre...and yes the holy grail of hockey will be with him.
The public will be invited to honour Keith, who this past season won the cup, an Olympic gold medal and the Norris trophy.

Cody Chikie Update

Cody Chikie should be even better than he was in his rookie season when he opens his sophomore campaign with the Kelowna Rockets in 2010-2011.
Chikie tells me he is skating at Eric Morissette's Paragon Hockey Camp once a week.
Morissette has trained players like Fernando Pisani, Kyle Brodziak, Jason Strudwick and Tyler Spurgeon.
Chikie also tells me he is working out at Athletes Nation Sports Performance Centre twice a day seven days a week.
Outside of extensive training, Chikie is enjoying a new boat his family bought this summer and is using it at a lake just outside St. Albert.
Chikie had the 6th most goals on the Rockets roster last season, scoring 18 times in 58 games.

McMillan headed to Anaheim

Kelowna Rockets forward Brandon McMillan is off to Anaheim next week.
McMillan is one of 31 prospects taking part in the Anaheim Ducks conditioning camp July 5th to the 11th.

Kelowna resident Curtis Hamilton ( Saskatoon Blades) will attend similar camp in Edmonton a day later.

Huska getting older/Jobke graduates

• Happy birthday to Rockets head coach Ryan Huska. Huska was born July 2, 1975. That would make Huska 35 years-old today.


• Rockets forward Mitchell Callahan tells me he is skating twice a week these days. Callahan, who signed a contract with the Detroit Redwings in May, has also been hanging out with teammate Adam Brown. I guess it only makes sense considering Brown lives in Yorba Linda, California while Callahan is 30 minutes away in Whittier, California.


• It's not often I make contact with a former Rockets player still playing in the league, but Curt Gogol sent me a message the other day. Gogol was passed over in this summers NHL draft, but considering he was injured and traded all in the same season, scouts thought they would pass on the gritty forward. Lets hope Gogol can get a tryout with some NHL team this fall and show what he can do when he laces it up with the pro's. There appears to be interest from several teams to bring him into camp as a free agent.


• Here's an update on defenseman Colton Jobke. Jobke is enjoying his summer like never before. Why? Jobke has just graduated from high school. Jobke has been busy skating twice and week and training six days a week. I found it interesting that following the hockey season he spent a couple of months detailing boats that would then be shipped down to California where they would be auctioned off.

Happy Canada Day