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Bednar brings the Stanley Cup to South Carolina after winning with the Avalanche

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 03:07:45 +0000

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.”

Compher hosts a Stanley Cup party at a local track in Illinois

Sat, 16 Jul 2022 07:55:33 +0000

NORTHBROOK, Ailing.. — JT Compher he carried the Stanley Cup by means of the stands, then onto the ice on the Northbrook (Illinois) Sports activities Heart, the place he had performed numerous hockey as a child.

“It is tremendous particular,” the Colorado Avalanche ahead stated as he celebrated his day with the Cup Friday at Northbrook, about 25 miles northwest of Chicago.

“I made numerous my finest mates on the earth on this observe proper right here, so many recollections, nice recollections, coaches and gamers. Essentially the most enjoyable half is having the ability to share with all of the folks locally, the individuals who helped get so far. With out Northbrook, my household and my mates, I would not be the participant I’m right this moment or the particular person I’m right this moment.”

Compher gained the Cup for the primary time in his NHL profession when the Avalanche defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning in sport six within the Stanley Cup Ultimate in June.

A second-round choose (No. 35) out of the Buffalo Sabers within the 2013 NHL Draft, Compher was traded to the Avalanche together with ahead Mikhail Grigorenko and defenseman. Nikita Zadorov within the 2015 draft. He has 142 factors (71 targets, 71 assists) in 341 regular-season video games and 27 factors (13 targets, 14 assists) in 63 Stanley Cup Playoff video games, all with the Avalanche.

His Cup day started on the household dwelling, the place he, mother and father Bob and Valerie, sisters Jesse and Morgan, and his girlfriend Sydney, obtained the Cup round 8:30 am Simply in time to serve breakfast on it.

“My mother has been making chocolate chip pancakes since I used to be a child,” JT stated. “That was the very first thing, including some syrup in there.”

Valerie, who ready JT’s itinerary for the day, stated her son took some nice pictures at dwelling, together with one together with his Joe Sakic doll. Sakic was promoted to Avalanche president of hockey operations on Monday after being its common supervisor since September 2014. Sakic gained the Cup with Colorado as a participant in 1996 and 2001.

“He is simply having fun with the day,” Valerie stated of JT. “I imply, I’ve a giant household and I like spending time with them, so I feel it is a mom’s secret dream: your grown youngsters come dwelling and also you get to spend all this additional time with them.”

The Comphers have had a couple of causes to rejoice hockey this yr. In February, Jesse Compher, JT’s sister, gained silver with the US girls’s workforce on the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

“Now you’ve got bragging rights, and I will give it to you for some time,” stated Jesse, who had her silver medal together with her. “I used to be somewhat extra nervous to see him than I used to be to play my very own video games. However to see him do what he does and after all of the work, to see the success come to fruition, I am unable to even describe it. It has been an excellent yr.”

On the Sports activities Heart, an estimated 500 folks attended the festivities. JT gave a brief speech after which spent virtually two hours taking pictures with the followers and the Cup.

“Somewhat nerve-racking with the rain right this moment, however with folks popping out into city and going to the hearth division, it has been an excellent day,” stated Bob. “It has been loopy, beginning with the Olympics. It hasn’t stopped and it is nonetheless happening right this moment.”

After that, the Comphers took the Cup to Village Inexperienced Park, the place JT performed baseball as a baby.

The following cease was the Landmark Inn, a Northbrook tavern. A home stuffed with patrons celebrated the Cup look as blink 182’s “All of the Small Issues,” which the Avalanche play throughout the third interval of their video games at Ball Enviornment, performed within the background.

JT Compher He was having fun with his day as Cup champion, even when he needed to remind himself occasionally that it was actuality.

“It type of comes and goes,” he stated. “Typically I feel, how loopy. Then the subsequent second I’ve to pinch myself. I simply wish to contact the Cup and have a look at it as a lot as doable as a result of so long as I am a hockey participant, it is taboo. You are not supposed to the touch it or interested by it and now it is sitting in my room that I grew up on this morning. It is loopy. It is unbelievable.”