It has been over a year, but Kamloops Blazers hockey finally returns to Sandman Centre in downtown Kamloops tonight.
Mayor Ken Christian says the return of the Western Hockey League is important to this community, as it will help briefly distract people from COVID-19.
“It is really weighing on us and people are impatient and they’re short with other people and in some cases, quite belligerent but this will be an opportunity to get some normalcy back into at least our sports psyche,” he said on NL Newsday.
The 24-game Blazers season is set to run until until May 12. No fans will be allowed into Sandman Centre because of COVID-19 restrictions.
“We want the Blazers to succeed as an organization and you know, what’s good for the Blazers is ultimately going to be good for Kamloops and in particular our tourism and hospitality sector,” Christian added.
“Go Blazers Go, and I can hardly wait for Friday night.”
Kamloops-South Thompson MLA Todd Stone too says he cannot wait for the return of Blazers hockey. In fact, he used his member’s statement in the BC Legislature yesterday to talk about the return of the WHL in hub cities of Kamloops and Kelowna.
“This past year has been difficult in so many ways, but as we all look forward to the return of some sense of normalcy, we at long last have something to cheer,” Stone said.
“With the blessing of the provincial health officer, the B.C. division of the Western Hockey League begins…with the mighty Kamloops Blazers hosting the Vancouver Giants. The Victoria Royals, Vancouver Giants, Prince George Cougars — there’s another team from Kelowna, but their name escapes me; the sockets or the pockets, something like that.”
Stone says while it won’t be quite the same as pre-pandemic hockey due to the lack of fans in the stands, it will be ‘sweet’ to discuss the action and the rivalries around the watercooler.”
“We need this: the ability to cheer on our young athletes as they pursue their goal of greatness — even to perhaps play in the NHL one day,” he added. “While we’re still not at the point where fans will be allowed to watch these games in person, fans will be following the play-by-play of their beloved teams on TV, live streams and radio.”
Stone also then proceeded to sing the first verse of The Hockey Song by Stompin’ Tom Connors, which you can hear below.
Blazers majority owner, Tom Gaglardi, told NL Sports its great to have junior hockey back in Kamloops as the city seems to have fallen in love with the team all over again.
“You worry about where the world is going and with all of the entertainment channels available to people, you wonder how junior hockey is going to find a place in the lives of Canadians,” he said. “But when you see the stories like Kamloops and what’s happened in the last three to four years and the renaissance of the club into the community and then coming into this year, the interest is high.”
Head Coach Shaun Clouston says the Blazers are raring to get back at it after winning the BC Division last season before play was suspended by the pandemic.
“It’s hard to really put it into words but that is an understatement. They’ve really missed it,” he told NL Sports. “It was an off season that just wouldn’t end, so it is exciting to get back at it. The whole division is excited and ready to go. It has been tougher for us because we had to watch the other teams start playing.”
Newly minted captain, Connor Zary, echoed his coach’s sentiment.
“We’re playing to win, no matter what is going on. No matter who we’re playing, no matter what night it is, what day of the week it is, and time what were playing,” he said. “We want to win every single time and have the best record in B.C. and go from there.”
Radio NL will be broadcasting all home and away Blazers games. You will find the full 2020-21 Blazers schedule here.
– With files from Jon Keen and Jeff Andreas
He Shoots He Scores! So excited the #Kamloops @blazerhockey resume play tomorrow, I found myself belting out lyrics of the classic Stompin’ Tom Connors song Good Old Hockey Game at the end of my 2 minute statement in the Legislature today. Go Blazers Go! pic.twitter.com/t8lcVjZoxN
— Todd Stone (@toddstonebc) March 25, 2021
Puck drop in six! #kamloops pic.twitter.com/67VclrovT0
— Ken Christian (@ken_kchristian) March 26, 2021
