The Colorado Avalanche coach was keen to start out his day with the Cup and jumped into motion when Hockey Corridor of Famer Phil Pritchard and Mike Bolt pulled up of their white minivan, lifted the trophy from its field within the trunk and took it to the monitor.
“I used to be trying ahead to seeing him once more,” Bednar stated.
The 50-year-old celebrated with the Cup with the Avalanche after they defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning within the Stanley Cup Closing in Tampa on June 26 and within the parade in Denver 4 days later. However Tuesday was his probability to take pleasure in it with household and associates in Charleston, the town he grew to become dwelling to after 15 seasons as a participant and coach with the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays from 1995 to 2009.
The Carolina Ice Palace, South Carolina’s follow rink, is the place Bednar’s teaching journey started in 2002.
“We follow right here and also you’re clearly concerned in minor hockey making an attempt to develop the sport right here in Charleston,” Bednar stated. “So my first thought was to try to carry it right here and share it with the minor hockey neighborhood right here in Charleston a bit of bit.”
Bednar spent almost three hours posing for pictures with youth gamers, their households and space followers, who patiently waited in line to get an up-close have a look at the Cup. He took time to speak with every group, asking some which NHL workforce supported and stating the place these groups had their names engraved on the Cup rings.
Duane Jones, an Avalanche fan stationed at Joint Base Charleston with the US Navy, got here together with his spouse Jenna and their three youngsters utilizing his Cala Makar sweater.
“To be stationed right here in Charleston with my household, we’re fortunate to have this distinctive alternative to be right here,” Jones stated. “The Cup is essentially the most prestigious award on the market and for the individuals right here to get this once-in-a-lifetime alternative, it is an incredible factor that Jared is doing for everybody. It is a once-in-a-lifetime alternative.”
The Cup was additionally right here in 2018 after Jason Fitzsimmons, one other former Stingrays participant and coach, gained it as an expert scout and director of minor league operations with the Washington Capitals. Fitzsimmons gave Bednar his begin as assistant coach for South Carolina in 2002 when he satisfied his former teammate to retire after taking part in 9 skilled seasons as a troublesome stay-at-home defenseman, together with Cup championships. Kelly with South Carolina in 1997 and 2001.
When Fitzsimmons joined the Capitals scouting employees in 2007, Bednar succeeded him as coach and led South Carolina to a different Kelly Cup championship in 2009 earlier than leaping to the American Hockey League with Abbotsford (assistant), Peoria. (coach), Springfield (assistant, head coach), and Lake Erie (coach).
A 2016 Calder Cup championship with Lake Erie, the Columbus Blue Jackets’ AHL affiliate, led to Bednar’s alternative with Colorado after Patrick Roy unexpectedly resigned as his coach in August 2016.
However successful the Cup made Bednar mirror on his days with South Carolina.
“I give it some thought lots,” he stated. “It is a lengthy journey to attempt to get to the NHL and an excellent tougher journey to attempt to win the Cup. We have been in a position to try this in Colorado, and it has been an unbelievable journey. That does not occur to me with out my time right here in Charleston.”
Bednar estimated that 20 to 30 of his former South Carolina teammates and gamers he coached would attend a reception on the Isle of Palms, off the coast of Charleston, on Tuesday evening. That group included Fitzsimmons and Rob Concannon, a former South Carolina ahead who’s now workforce president.
“We have simply at all times stayed very, very shut through the years and it is fairly particular,” Concannon stated. “I believe hockey is a novel neighborhood, and there is numerous totally different guys who did and did not play for the Stingrays who now name Charleston dwelling … We’re all very, very excited as little youngsters, 52-year-old, 51-year-old, who Stanley Cup is coming.”
Fitzsimmons stated the one factor he regretted about his day with the Cup was not spending extra quiet time along with her and household and associates to take pictures along with her and simply have a look at her. So, Bednar did simply that at her Isle of Palms seashore home on Tuesday afternoon and likewise took the Cup out on her boat to take some pictures on the water.
Bednar stated he deliberate to spend high quality time with the Cup together with his spouse Susan, son Kruz, 22, and daughter Savega, 17. For Bednar, at the present time was as a lot about them because it was about him. When he left South Carolina for Abbotsford 13 years in the past, they stayed in Charleston.
“We have been seven or eight years aside,” Bednar stated, his voice cracking and his tear-filled eyes betraying his feelings. “I moved up from an assistant coach with the purpose of being a head coach, so we did not need to transfer everybody. I had been transferring my complete life and the children had taken root and had actions and sports activities… My spouse did all of the work heavy on elevating youngsters with the assistance of their mother and father.
“They see one another on holidays and highway journeys which might be close by, however they spend numerous time away and this makes all of it worthwhile.”
The Cup heads to Europe subsequent to go to the Czech Republic, Germany, Sweden and Finland, however Bednar could have one other day for the Humboldt Broncos Memorial Golf Match in Humboldt, Saskatchewan on August 6. The 2018 bus accident that killed 16 gamers and employees members and injured 13 others for the Humboldt Broncos of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League was a hit for Bednar, who spent most of his elementary and highschool years in Humboldt whereas his father, Wally, was a Royal Canadian Mounted officer. Policeman.
This shall be Bednar’s fifth 12 months as co-host of the charity golf event. He stated having the Cup there’ll make it extra particular and likewise give him an opportunity to benefit from the Cup together with his mother and father, brother and sister, and different household and associates within the Humboldt space.
“We began the charity golf event to assist in giving again to the neighborhood together with the Broncos and that is been rising and it has been an incredible weekend for households to get out,” Bednar stated. “So, I will spend a while with my household. We’ll spend a while with the neighborhood on the golf event after which these households will get to spend a while with him and the Broncos gamers…
“So the Corridor of Fame Banquet for the SJHL is that evening as properly, so it is an ideal day to host it in Western Canada for everybody in the neighborhood and the Humboldt space to take pleasure in.”