Former Kelowna Rocket, Leon Draisaitl, will play for Team Europe at the highly anticipated World Cup of Hockey beginning Sept. 17 and running through to Oct. 1.
The 20-year-old Edmonton Oiler has agreed to keep a diary for nhl.com throughout the eight-team tournament, and in the first installment this week, wrote about the opportunity to spend time with one of his hockey idols — Anze Kopitar of Slovenia and the Los Angeles Kings.
“Being part of this team is very special, especially for a young guy from Germany,” notes Draisaitl. “It's never easy to — first of all — get to the NHL from Germany because it's not such a traditional hockey country and, for me personally, being around Anze Kopitar (team Europe captain) is very special.
“He's always been one of my favorite players. I really look up to him and try and model myself and my game after him. Being able to see him practise and being able to see him as a regular guy, be around him, and play on the same team is really cool.
“I met him once in New York, Game 3 for the Stanley Cup Final, 2014; the top five NHL Draft picks always get to do that. So we went in the dressing room and we got to meet him. But that was really quick.”
Draisaitl, a key figure in the Rockets’ run to the 2015 Memorial Cup final, added that Team Europe should be inspirational for kids from non-traditional hockey countries.
“It shows there's always a chance to get to the NHL and there's always an opportunity to be able to play on a big hockey stage like this. Hopefully it will get the kids to put in more work and chase their dreams a little harder.
“If I was a kid and there would have been a tournament like this. I probably would have gotten up at 2 a.m. to watch every game.”
Mike Babcock, head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Team Canada at the World Cup of Hockey, was “close to gushing” about another former Kelowna Rocket, Shea Weber, in an interview with Mike Zeisberger of the Toronto Sun earlier this week.
“Just physically, he’s man-mountain,” said Babcock, who played defence for the Western Hockey League Kelowna Wings during the 1982-83 season. “When he looks at you, you know he means business. He’s as good a human being as I’ve ever been around, period. So he doesn’t have to say much. All he’s got to do is look at you and you snap into shape. He makes you a better coach.
Babcock said the newest Montreal Canadien and Sicamous native “cuts a swath out there.”
“If you haven’t been cross-checked in the ribs by him you find out what that is, too. He shoots it so hard no one wants to stand in his lane.
“But what I like about him best is when he walks in the dressing room you know it’s business. And so he’s a culture-type person. He makes your franchise better when he walks in the door.”
One of the busiest weekend at the CNC begins on Friday with the annual Okanagan Rockets Icebreaker Tournament.
The B.C. Major Midget Hockey League Rockets will play host to 13 other teams during the three-day event that features some of the best 15-17-year-olds in Western Canada and the United States.
The Rockets will begin play at 8:15 a.m. on Friday when they take on the Kelowna-based Pursuit of Excellence midget prep team. The hosts will take on the Edge Midget Preps of Calgary on Saturday beginning at noon and will play the Okanagan Hockey Academy Whites of Penticton at 6:45 p.m. on Saturday. Their final game goes at 2:45 p.m. on Sunday against the OHA Reds.
As well as teams from the BCMMHL, the Canadian Sport School Hockey League and the North American Prospects Hockey League will take part in the pre-season tournament. All 28 games are at the CNC.
The Kelowna-based Rockets open the regular season at the CNC on Sept. 24 against the Fraser Valley Thundebirds.
The Central Okanagan continues to attract the attention of university basketball coaches from throughout Western Canada.
With so many hard-court athletes making their mark on provincial and university teams in recent years, the Kelowna area is considered a hot-spot for post-secondary coaches looking for talent.
Gini Basketball is accommodating both coaches and young players hoping to draw attention by hosting the annual Elite Academy beginning on Sunday. The goal is to give players the opportunity to work with and connect with CIS Canada West coaches.
“The Okanagan continues to become more and more of a force in B.C. and is known for having some of the best basketball players in the province,” says Andrew Gini. “University coaches are noticing this and are more and more intrigued by what is going on here in Kelowna.”
Included in the lineup of coaches during the two months of sessions:
Scott Reeves, head coach at Thompson River, Dani Sinclair (University of Victoria), Katharine Adams (Grant McEwen), Al Turchscherer (University of the Fraser Valley), Claire Meadows (UBC Okanagan) and Aaron Muhic (Trinity Western).
Other coaches attending are Allison and Mike McNeill, former Canadian National Team coaches, and Mark Hogan of Calgary.
Chris Hyppa, a professional NBA, WNBA and college-level trainer, who was in Kelowna in August, will be coming back.
Two Central Okanagan softball umpires received elite level certification on the weekend.
Frank Driedger of West Kelowna and Gord Hynes of Kelowna received positive evaluations at their respective national championship assignments this year resulting in their Level 4 certification.
Driedger represented B.C. at the U18 girls national championship tournament in Charlottetown and Hynes represented B.C. at the U18 men's national championship in Saskatoon.
Within the Softball Canada National Officials Certification Program, Level 4 certification is the entry national level and demands an elite level of knowledge, understanding and ability.
Softball Canada's Umpiring Program is recognized as one of the worldwide leaders in the sport of softball. Only three were handed out in B.C.
Level 4 certification allows umpires to work at all Canadian championships, including the U21 men’s, men’s and women’s fast pitch national events and act as umpire supervisors at minor Canadian Championships.
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