Ed McKinley will have a spring in his step during St. Albert’s version of the Olympic torch relay to officially open the Rogers Hometown Hockey Tour.
McKinley, 75, is among 10 runners/walkers selected for the hockey stick relay, starting today at 11:20 a.m. from Akinsdale Arena and ending with Larry Mitchell, St. Albert’s hockey historian, receiving the specially-made baton for the ceremonial face-off with former NHLer Rob Brown of St. Albert, as Mayor Nolan Crouse drops the puck at noon on the main stage on St. Anne Street.
“I’m really excited about the whole thing. It’s quite a surprise I’m going to be doing what I’m doing,” said McKinley, who was nominated for the relay by a “so-called friend.”
“I’m really looking forward to it, especially having my family out with me, and I’m looking forward in general to the whole weekend,” added McKinley, who plans to walk his short leg “slowly” along Sir Winston Churchill Avenue.
McKinley will be joined by his sons, Mark and Ian, and four hockey-playing grandchildren: Logan and Ethan of the bantam AAA Sabres, Breck of the peewee AA Stars and Sophie of the peewee A girls.
“They sort of readily said that yes, we’ll do that. Hopefully they all show up. It’s Saturday morning, you know,” McKinley said of his grandchildren.
He never misses any of their games.
“Every day pretty much I’m at the rink,” said the St. Albert resident since 1969. “The thing about it is my boys all played in the ’80s and now I’m watching those people who they played with back in the ’80s, their kids as well as my own grandkids, so it’s kind of interesting to see the next generation.”
McKinley attended his first game in St. Albert in the fall of 1975 to watch his son, David, as a seven-year-old.
He also remembers the beams for the Ducky Dome being transported to the site where the arena was built across from St. Albert Place.
“I watched the beams come here and watched the beams get knocked down.”
The relay participants vary in age and were selected through the Tell Us Your Story letter-writing campaign for parents, coaches, players and fans to share their greatest hockey story, or by nominations of individuals connected through hockey and the community.
The First Shift – a learn-to-play hockey program for youths aged six to 10 through Bauer Hockey and Hockey Canada – will also be represented by more than 45 St. Albert players, with parents and sibling accompanying them on two legs on Cunningham Road after Mayor Crouse kicks off the relay.
St. Albert minor hockey product Kurtis Drummond is also one of the relay participants chosen from the letter campaign and his submission is as follows:
“My hockey story is about the great opportunity I was given of being raised in the community of St. Albert, growing as a hockey player and person through the St. Albert Minor Hockey Association via the great coaches and parents involved who taught me invaluable great life and sporting skills,” Drummond wrote.
“My early days as a young fellow was spent most of the time at outdoor rinks on Larose, Liberton, Woodlands and as well the Akinsdale and Kinex arenas. We had great coaches and parents to teach us the basics and set us kids up for future success in sport and life. These individuals volunteered countless hours of their time with the St. Albert minor hockey schools, which had, and continue to have, a very large impact on our lives. Such early coaches include Cy Klassen, Denny Nicholson, Terry Burns, Jack Halverson and Bob Drummond to name a few that started us out on our journey.
“During minor hockey days in St. Albert with the Edmonton Oilers nearby we always had exciting cameo coaches. During one young season our team sponsor, Ron Hodgson organized a few practices with Jari Kurri and Esa Tikkanen lending a helping hand – what a thrill!
“Growing older and getting into the more competitive age, the peewee and bantam days, we were able to enjoy a winning attitude and work ethic taught by some great coaches I feel lucky to have played for. John Thompson, a real motivator, and John Reid guided the way to some very successful but more importantly fun hockey campaigns.
“These great experiences as a member of SAMHA helped prepare me for my next opportunity of playing for the Swift Current Broncos in Western Hockey League and the privilege of playing for current Edmonton Oilers’ coach Todd McLellan, who continued to add to the great sporting and life skills and values my previous coaches engrained.
“With all of the great coaches’ assistance from my young days I was able to then have the opportunity to play pro hockey and attend the Pittsburgh Penguins and Edmonton Oilers training camps and respectively play for their AHL affiliate teams for a season each. My hockey travels also took me to other minor hockey league teams throughout North America and also a fun season overseas in Germany. There is no question that my hockey career would not have been possible but for the contributions of the SAMHA and all the hard-working individuals associated with the organization. It also goes without saying, watching the Oilers growing up inspired me to work, train and play hard and follow my dreams as a young boy.
“My hockey story was possible only as a result of the different coaches and hockey volunteers who passed on their knowledge and time to me. I look forward to one day being able to reciprocate their efforts and inspire other young minds to follow their dreams.”
