THREE MEMORIAL CUPS IN FOUR YEARS will never be accomplished again.
In fact, it was entirely unlikely that it could happen even once.
There are 60 teams from across Canada and parts of the United States vying for that cup, making the odds very long that a team could win it even one single time.
Every year, a good chunk of a team’s roster is forced to turn over, graduating to the pros or other amateur hockey avenues, making a repeat even more improbable.
So it’s entirely right and appropriate that we celebrate the accomplishments of the Kamloops Blazers in the 1990s – even with the strange and unfortunate inclusion of country music.
If anything put Kamloops on the map Canada-wide, it was our teenaged hockey glory from 25 years ago.
Those teams bore legends that captured the imaginations of plenty of other hockey markets — names like Niedermayer and Tucker and Iginla and Doan.
The excitement of those days could come back, if we want it to.
Could names like Zary and Centazzo and Garand be remembered like those names 25 years from now?
The Blazers are very strong again this year and, for the first time in recent memory, there is hope for a long playoff run.
Chances, as we mentioned, are very slim. But we still buy lottery tickets, don’t we? And we still dream about what we would do with the jackpot.
Winning again this year would be so sweet — especially on that Okanagan lakeshore.
The only thing sweeter would be winning at home, something arguably we should have had the chance to do this year.
Our closest rivals from Kelowna are struggling, just fired the NHL legend who was standing behind the bench and may have a long layoff before they host this year’s tournament.
So as much as it’s worth getting excited about the Blazers legends of the 1990s coming back – it’s worth getting excited about this year’s team and its possibilities, too.
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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.
