Sockeyes invited to city hall

As the 2012 Stanley Cup champions, the Los Angeles Kings were invited to visit the White House in March. On Monday, the Richmond Sockeyes received the equivalent local honour as the 2013 Keystone Cup winners were invited to city hall.

“All of Richmond is very proud of your accomplishments, not just this season but every year,” Richmond Mayor

Malcolm Brodie told the Sockeyes in attendance.

Then, prior to having his photo taken with representatives of the Junior B hockey team, Brodie joked: “I should remind you that I dropped the first puck this season and I think it’s not the first time I dropped the puck and you ended up with that (Keystone Cup) trophy.”

The Sockeyes were represented at the council meeting by Doug Paterson and Maurice Lambert (two members of the ownership group), general manager Richard Petrowsky, community relations co-ordinator Mas Morimoto and graduating players Matt Wagner, Jeremy Hamaguchi and Rudi Thorsteinson (all of whom played their minor hockey locally).

The 40th anniversary season was indeed a special one for the Sockeyes noted Paterson, who was the Sockeyes’ first-ever captain when the team was formed in 1971-72. After finishing with a Pacific Junior Hockey League-best 68 points (32-8-0-4) in 44 regular-season games, it was in the playoffs the team really caught fire. Paterson pointed to a Game 7 victory over the Delta Ice Hawks in the league’s semifinal series as perhaps the biggest catalyst. From that point forward the Sockeyes won 15 straight games, seemingly getter stronger and more successful in each one culminating in a decisive 5-2 victory over the Saskatoon Royals in the Keystone Cup Western Canadian final April 21 in St. Malo, Man.

Along the way, the Sockeyes also won the Tom Shaw Trophy as Pacific Junior Hockey League playoff champions and the Cyclone Taylor Cup as provincial champions.

As a further testament to their fine play, the Sockeyes were recognized as the most sportsmanlike team at the Western Canadian championship.

Paterson also noted the efforts of the Sockeyes’ organization to assist its graduating players off the ice.

“Eleven years ago we put together a group of guys to oversee a scholarship program,” Paterson said. “We have an annual alumni game and also a golf outing and these two revenue sources raise most of the money. At our upcoming banquet we’ll be giving out 15 scholarships that will take us to $163,000 in 11 years. You can appreciate we’re Junior B and don’t have budget budgets or corporate players, so we’re very proud to be able to assist our players.

“We’re also very proud of our volunteers, some of whom have been with us for 35 years,” he added.

Suggesting the ultimate goal of most young players is to make it to the NHL, Brodie asked Paterson if any of former Sockeyes have made it to the big show. Paterson proudly pointed out that Vancouver Canucks’ defenceman Jason Garrison, who played as an 18-year-old during the 2002-03 season, is one of about “eight or nine” Sockeyes who’ve graduated to the NHL. He also named Karl Alzer of the Washington Capitals, former Dallas Star Raymond Sawada, and ex-Toronto Maple Leaf and current Canucks’ broadcaster Dave Tomlinson.