Local hockey standout, Clarke Caswell, has been invited to participate in the 2017 Belfry Hockey Network Training-to-Game Festival taking place in Richmond, BC from March 16-19, 2017. The camp is for the top 2006 North American born players focusing on “transfer to-game-skills that will become a part of the player’s core habits.” The invite only camp is run by Darryl Belfry, who is currently a Player Development Consultant with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Belfry has a long list of clients including Sidney Crosby, Patrick Kane, and John Tavares that he has worked with in the past. Clarke was hand selected to participate in this year’s event, which is being held at the Richmond Ice Center, along with 59 other participants. He is currently a member of the Brandon Wheat Kings Pee Wee AA team where he leads his league in scoring with 34 points, in 18 games played. This past July, Clarke was named the MVP of the prestigious Brick Hockey Tournament held annually in Edmonton each summer. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

A huge wrestling convention featuring the Legends Of Wrestling, and other professional sports athletes, is set to take place in Winnipeg on Saturday, February the 18th inside the Holy Cross Gymnasium Hall (290 Dubuc St.). The event is being promoted by CWE Wrestling and is the first of it's kind to be held in Western Canada. The convention is a great way to allow fans a special once in a life time opportunity to meet some of their long time favorites in both professional wrestling, and professional sports athletes, under one roof. The guest list is loaded with many of the top wrestling superstars of the past including: Ricky Steamboat, Paul Orndorff, Bobby “The Brain” Hennan, Arn Anderson & Tully Blanchard. Former WWE ring announcer Howard Finkel will also be on-hand, and for only $20 you can provide him, your weight, hometown, and name and he will perform an introduction for you as a video clip on your personal device. Trevor Jahns, a huge wrestling fan from Rivers, is excited or the opportunity to meet Ricky “the Dragon” Steamboat. “I grew up watching wrestling on TV like practically every other Canadian kid” Trevor told bdnmb.ca. “Ricky Steamboat has to be considered one of the greatest of all time...and he is known for having some of the most amazing matches ever on PPV” said Trevor. Sports stars participating in the days activities include one-time NHL goaltender Trevor Kidd and former Winnipeg Blue Bombers Chris Walby, Troy Westwood, and Brett MacNeil. Event information is as follows, Saturday February 18th- Winnipeg, MB Location: Holy Cross Gymnasium Hall (290 Dubuc St.) Time: 10am-8pm Tickets: $10 in advance, $13 at the door. Advance Tickets Available at: Rudy's Video (668 Sheppard St.), Blade Hair Design (3-1341 Henderson Hwy), Video 1001 (576 Mountain Ave) Purchase tickets online at cwetickets.com   (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});  

Winners of the previous three Dakota Nation Winterfest Senior Hockey Tournaments, the Norway House Bruins are returning for 2017 looking to add another trophy to their ever expanding trophy case. Goaltender Edward Sonny Albert tells bdnmb.ca that in order to defend the Bruins will have to do the little things right...things that they as a team communicate about each year year. This year they plan on returning a majority of the same roster that they have iced in previous Winterfest tournaments. While some teams load up, or rely heavily on imports to fill their respective rosters, the Bruins roster is comprised primarily of Norway House Band Members (80%). Offensively the Bruins are lead each year by forwards Skyler Tait-Reaume, Myles Stevens and Kevin Braun. Roy Ettawacappo and Brent Wilson anchor a stingy Bruins defense, while Sonny Albert is as solid a goaltender you will find in the tournament. Veteran referee Ernest Elder said that he appreciates the style of play the Norway House Bruins bring to the rink each game. “They're a fast team, their power-play is really dangerous and they play a hard-nosed brand of hockey” said Ernest from his home in Gladstone. Depending on the availability of players the Bruins try to play in at least 5 tournaments each season, focusing primarily on the larger tournaments. Hopefully, if the timing is right, they would like to find time get into a few more tournaments this season. First up will be defending their title, and taking home the $15,000 first place prize money, during the 2017 Dakota Nation Winter Fest. This years tournament will be held January 27-29 inside Westman Communications Group Place.   Members of the Norway House Bruins celebrate their 2016 win.

A former member of the Yellowhead Chiefs, Shaq Merasty, has been named to the roster of Men's Team Canada which will compete for the 2017 ISBHF World Ball Hockey Championship in Pardubice, Czech Republic. Not bad for a player who never played competitive ball hockey until 2014, when he was introduced to the sport by a few buddies that he had played ice hockey with before. Born in Thompson, and raised in Minnedosa. Shaq has always been a gifted ice hockey player, having spent time with both the Yellowhead Chiefs of the MMHL, and with the Portage Terriers of the MJHL. He now has been a member the University of Manitoba Bison's hockey program for the past 3-seasons. His best year in the MJHL came in 2011-12 where he registered 60 points in only 38 games. For Shaq this will mark his first time representing Canada in International competition. He first heard that he had made the team in the middle of October when he received a call from from the GM of Team Canada, Jeff Dzikowicz. Initially, he shared the news with some members of his family, and his girlfriend, before the final roster was named at the beginning of December. Shaq tells bdnmb.ca that the biggest adjustment from ice hockey to ball hockey is the incorporation of a floating blue line: meaning once the attacking team takes the ball over the defending teams blue line they have zone possession, and the blue line moves essentially to the red line creating a much bigger offensive zone When asked what he was most looking forward to about representing his country Shaq said “I'm most looking forward to the atmosphere of the fans playing in the Czech Republic...I have heard from other players who have played at worlds before and they say attendance is very high at these events.... also the chance to play against the best ball hockey players in the world”. Five other Manitobans also were named to the final roster including Dererk Gingera, Dustin Kelly, Remi Laurencelle, Kevin Marchuk and goalie Kyle Mcholm. One of team Canada's assistant coaches is Ray Cook who is also the Team Manitoba ball hockey head coach. The tournament will be held from June 1st – 11th, 2017 in Pardubice, Czech Republic.   Shaq Merasty (right)

I can remember the announcement of the OCN Blizzard, as a new MJHL franchise, like it was yesterday. I was working at IMTV in Dauphin and drove into Winnipeg, where Boh Kubrakovich and Wayne Hawrysh were there representing the team and the community; while Frank McKinnon beamed as he made the official proclamation the Manitoba Junior Hockey League was adding a team. Boh gave me a white Blizzard jersey, which I still have to this day and I’m not even a jersey collector. I can recall wondering if this team would survive even three years. I looked at its northern post as a home base and combined that with clear favoritism towards the south (specifically the Winnipeg clubs) and figured it would only be a matter of time before the odds were stacked against them from icing a competitive team. Was I ever wrong. Leonard Strandberg and Gardiner MacDougall were brought in to be the club’s first General Manager/Head Coach tandem and that was, perhaps, the best decision that franchise ever made over the next 20 years. Leonard, later, brought Kerry Clark to coach once MacDougall moved on to the Canadian college ranks. What ended up happening was a five year reign atop the league with Turnbull Cup after Turnbull Cup. They even went on to a final in the RBC Cup, where they lost to Halifax in the gold medal game of 2002. What also ended up happening is that the OCN Blizzard made the MJHL a better league. Their elevated play caused teams like the Selkirk Steelers, Portage Terriers, and Dauphin Kings to step up their games in order to dethrone the mighty Blizzard. Not to mention the Neepawa Natives, who were coached by Jeff Pister. I’m convinced Neepawa had a title or two in them had it not been for the Blizzard. In fact, Neepawa’s team of 2001 was, exceptionally, good. If I recall, they were the Blizzard’s toughest foe on their way to a fourth straight MJHL title. I was in the rink at the old DMCC in 2006 when the Blizzard completed their 3-games-to-1 series comeback against the Kings. I have to admit while Marlin Murray is a personal friend of mine and I’ve always enjoyed working and chatting with Doug Hedley, I found myself, quietly, rooting for the Blizzard, who were led by Drew Schoneck. As an aside, I also remember Drew’s name being a finalist for the Yorkton Terriers coaching job a few years earlier when Don Chesney was awarded the title. Drew would, also, have been a great choice. I can’t imagine the legendary status some of the alumni have in the community. I know, myself, whenever I see names like Marc-Andre Leclerc, Jordin Tootoo, Konrad McKay, Matt Summers, Jamie Muswagon, Michael Young, Aaron Starr, Justin Williams (heck even when I hear the NHL Justin Williams’ name...I think of the MJHL player), Lem Randall, Mark and Paul Wallmann, and Everett Bear I am instantly taken back to some of the best Junior ‘A’ hockey I’ve ever seen in my life. And, I can’t help but also, occasionally, think of guys like Terence Tootoo, Cliff Duchesne, and Darcy Johnson. Even though I didn’t know them personally, I know their impact on the people of OCN as well as their peers and folks in their hometowns was something beyond what I can write in a story. Stories that players, coaches, parents, and opposing teams’ fans would tell me from whenever they played at the GLMC would blow my mind. While sometimes local home fans would cross a line, there is no denying the love people had for the Blizzard. Looking back, it’s hard to take issue with the passion. A lot of that is missing from our game today. However, they say that all good things must come to an end and Wednesday, December 20th it was announced the OCN Blizzard would cease operations at the end of the 2016-17 season. My understanding is that they aren’t dead yet. There’s another meeting January 5th and I hope something will break in the franchise’s favor. But, these are trying economic times for many communities. The discussion about how Junior ‘A’ hockey can continue to thrive when expenses keep going up while revenue isn’t trending in the same direction at the same rate is a topic for another day. The Blizzard still have life and the aforementioned Doug Hedley is now their coach. Doug’s teams are never bad. In fact, this one is third overall in the league at 22-11-and-3 as I write this and, it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see them end their tenure the same way it began: with an appearance in an MJHL final. Here’s one fan from outside the Manitoba north who is sitting by, watching, and cheering. Good luck