Local novice and bantam-aged players from Yorkton and area were joined on the ice by a former NHL player this past Saturday, as Yorkton was one of three locations chosen to take part in the Hockey Day in Canada festivities, joining main host Kamloops, BC, as well as Saugeen Shores, ON.
Joining the local youth players was Marty McSorley, who spent 17-years in the NHL playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers, San Jose Sharks and Boston Bruins, where he scored 108 goals and added 251 assists in 961 career NHL games to go along with 3381 PIM – the fourth highest total in NHL history. “Last year I was fortunate enough to be in Lloydminster at Hockey Day in Canada there and I really enjoyed the experience and some of the other events that I’ve done with Scotiabank, like the Hometown Hockey events, so when this came up and they asked me if I wanted to go to Yorkton, obviously I played with the Edmonton Oilers and almost grew up as a young man out west here with the Oilers, so I jumped at the opportunity,” offered McSorley, continuing, “Hockey Day in Canada is such a great thing, and for me to come in to an environment like this with the love for the game of hockey these kids have and get a chance to put my skates on and share some ice time with them, it’s amazing.”
McSorley said the greatest thing for him is that being part of Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada allows him a chance to help the next generation of Canadian hockey players improve their skills in much the same way he learned as a child growing up in Cayuga, Ontario, 40 minutes south of Hamilton. “When I was a kid, if we had a rainy day on the farm we’d go in to Hamilton and skate on the same ice at the same time as guys that would be getting ready for the NHL camps or going off to OHL camps,” mentioned McSorley, who won Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers in 1986/87 and 1987/88. “I had a chance to be on the ice with guys like that as a kid, and what great role models and what a great chance to do some goal setting, to get out there and not be able to keep up with them, but see what they were able to do and then try to emulate it.
“That’s why I like to come out with the kids and help them out, too. More than anything I like to just watch these kids and see how they improve. I like to watch the lightbulb come on. These kids come out, they love to play and they have a tremendous love for the game and if I can help that grow then that’s great.”
Throughout the day McSorley spent time posing for photos with the players and signing autographs before running the two separate 40-minute on-ice sessions – one with novice players and the other with bantams. “It was great for the kids to get a chance to learn from an NHL alumnus like Marty,” said Yorkton Minor Hockey Vice President and Bantam Girls head coach Fred Schrader. “I think a lot of the younger kids didn’t really know Marty because he had retired by the time they had started playing, but even just having the chance to practice with him is something that they’ll take on forever.”
In addition to the on-ice sessions, parts of Yorkton’s 20-team Novice Tournament were aired live on national television. The tournament was won by the Clavet Cougars.
