On the front page of our newspaper this week, there's a story about a local hockey player who was tragically killed two years ago whose jersey has now been placed behind glass and put on display at the Outlook rink.
Diving into that story regarding the late Brad Barton has made me think about the impact that not only he made on the people of this area, but it's just reminded me of exactly how deep the sport of hockey has its roots in our everyday lives here in rural Saskatchewan. You may not particularly be a fan of the sport, but it's difficult to ignore in a small town when so many other people love it so much. To deny its place in our culture would not only be impossible, but downright wrong.
There's so much about the immediate aftermath of Brad's passing that I remember, especially the day of his celebration of life service at the rink in Outlook. My God, what a turnout! More than 1000 people packed the bleachers, comprised of family, friends, fellow hockey players, fellow truckers, and those who in one way or another, were touched by Brad's easy-going nature and light-hearted spirit.
Man, over 1000 people, huh? Just weeks before COVID gripped the world? Good luck trying to get that to fly these days!
After leaving the service at the rink, my brother and mom met me for a late lunch downtown. I remember getting out of my SUV, walking to the door of the Modern, and Mom telling me to take a look behind me. I turned, and down the street was a line of semi trucks making their way west on Saskatchewan Avenue. A convoy of trucks roaring their way through Outlook in Brad's honour. I took video of it, and that clip has been played more than 12,000 times on our Facebook page. Moments like that are what I love to show our readers. They just have a way of piercing straight through to the heart, where they leave their mark in one way or another.
My remembrance of that entire day is engrained in my memory because it seemed as though hockey decided to dominate my entire day and night.
I left Outlook later that afternoon, heading south down to the village of Beechy, where there was set to be a special hockey game to be played between a visiting team comprised of Montreal Canadiens alumni and a team of local players, the Coteau Valley Bombers. That's all well and good, but there was a problem in the mere days leading up to the game - the Canadiens team had travel issues that would prevent them from getting to Beechy. Thinking ultra quick, the organizers played a furious game of phone tag and managed to put together a team of former NHL alumni that ran the gamut as far as what teams they all played for; kind of a 'superstar mix', when you think about it.
The game was an absolute blast. Everyone seemed to have fun, not taking the game all that seriously and just enjoying 小蓝视频 all together under one roof and living in the moment. The night was purely focused on entertainment and having fun with the sport of hockey 小蓝视频 the focus. For the record though, the NHL guys DID take the win at 17-12. Hey, I'm a reporter! Just stating the facts here, folks!
When I think of Brad Barton, of his funeral service, or of the fact that I had to go and cover another hockey game later that night, I can't help but also think of another departed local hockey legend, the late Dean Blenkinsop. Dean was visibly suffering from cancer in late October of 2017 when his team, the Kenaston Blizzards, decided to honour him with a special jersey retirement 小蓝视频 on a Saturday night just before a game against Loreburn.
Blenkinsop, who had lived with cancer for nearly a decade, was right there in person as the team retired his #10 jersey number and thanked him for his leadership, friendship, and his many contributions to the team.
On that night, I could see that Dean was visibly humbled by the gesture, but also in great spirits, as he took the time to speak with me before the 小蓝视频 about his condition, his experiences on the ice, and his love for the game of hockey. Our conversation wasn’t long, but it was easy to see what people liked about him.
Hockey defines us as a people. It really does. You see the impact that it makes and the resulting enjoyment that it creates in so many facets of life. The sport brings joy to the youngest of players that are looking to make their mark, it brings communities together when the local senior team is doing well, and it can even bring people together from all walks of life when a celebrated player passes away.
Yes, it's stereotypically Canadian of this writer to dedicate a whole editorial column to the sport of hockey, but dammit, it's just plain TRUE!
He shoots, he scores.
For this week, that's been the Ruttle Report.
