Kamloops-born Blazers look forward to chance to compete in Memorial Cup at home

“This could be my last few games in a Blazer’s jersey so I want to win the championship and end it on a happy note,” Stankoven says. “I want to do it for the city and my teammates and a lot of these guys that I’ve played with for four or five years now.”

Dylan Sydor is the other Kamloops kid on the Blazers’ roster. His connection to the Blazers runs deep. His Dad, Darryl, who is now part-owner of the club, played on the first Blazers squad to win the Memorial Cup back in ‘92. It’s helpful that Dad has a little insight he can pass along.

“It’s definitely a discussion we’ve had at the house. My Dad has told me how fun it is,” Dylan explains. “The biggest thing is to embrace it all. It’s a really good time in your life, it’s really special. It doesn’t happen too many times.”

Luckily, there’s another Kamloops kid who has some experience in Memorial Cups.

Don Hay has been to a few of them in his day – this year will be his eighth. He knows how special it is to experience one in your hometown.

“When they look up into the crowd, they’re going to know a lot of the people there. A lot of friends, relatives, family members,” Hay says. “People have really watched those players growing up and playing here, so it’s going to be really special for them. I’m sure they’ll be very excited for it.”

Hay won his first Memorial Cup as a head coach in 1994, then defended the title at home in ‘95. He remembers how special that he got to do it in front of his family.

“I know in ‘95, I was looking up into the stands and seeing my kids,” Hay recalls. “Now I’m looking in the stands and seeing my grandkids, so that’s pretty special. My kids grew up watching the Blazers, and now their kids are growing up watching the Blazers. That’s pretty cool.”

That 1995 Memorial Cup was 28 years ago – eight years before Logan and Dylan were born. While they’ve heard the stories and know the history, they want to write their own story in the Kamloops hockey history books.

“A lot of us weren’t born for that, so it’s hard to recreate that,” Stankoven says. “If we can set our own path and our own legacy, that’d be nice.”

“Being able to play in this tournament, at home, with family and friends able to watch, it’s a great feeling,” Sydor says.

by Adam Donnelly

Kamloops-born Blazers look forward to chance to compete in Memorial Cup at home

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