Photo credit: RocketFAN
Tory's degree and Cristall's sore ear
Things that make me go hmm….
Nov 8, 2023 | 8:00 AM
- Bob Tory is a smart hockey man. The long-time general manager of the Tri-City Americans is also academically inclined. RocketFAN spent a few minutes interviewing the 66-year-old before Tuesday night’s game. We discussed many things, including earning his teaching degree from the University of Alberta before eventually gravitating to the game of hockey in a management role. “I started as a part-time scout with the Prince Albert Raiders while I was teaching high school in Edmonton,” Tory recalled, pointing to his framed degree on his office wall. “I then got an opportunity in Portland to be a head scout. I took a leave of absence [from teaching] and I never went back.” Tory will celebrate his 25th anniversary next season as Tri-City Americans GM, following his passion for building a championship team. “There was a time I thought about possibly scouting in the NHL, but when I became a general manager and got to be more hands-on, and deal with the kids, and being a teacher this age group is similar to high school, I really enjoy this age group.”
- While on the road on a game day, you will find me either at a Starbucks or local coffee shop enjoying an overpriced latte while doing game prep for that night’s radio broadcast. In Tri-City Tuesday morning, I was minding my own business when a woman walked through the door that looked familiar. It was Annie Fowler, the long-time sports writer for the Tri-City Herald newspaper. Fowler spent years covering the Americans as a beat writer before eventually being relieved of her duties with the newspaper businesses tanking across North America. Fowler was best know for putting together the ‘Best of the West’ poll, which was a must read for any junior hockey nerd in the Western Conference. Fowler would sent out ballot forms to every team in the Western Conference, asking them to fill out their responses on who they thought was the fastest skater, best coach, roughest player, most improved, best pro prospect and who had the best fans. It was always a great read and provided great debate. I know for a fact many hockey fans couldn’t wait until the results were tabulated and then published in mid to late February.
- If you don’t think Andrew Cristall is a tough player, think again. The Kelowna Rockets leading scorer was struck by a puck in the second period of Tuesday night’s loss in Tri-City. Cristall left the ice and beelined to the dressing room with Athletic Therapist Scott Hoyer quickly behind him. At first glance it looked extremely bad, as it appeared the puck hit him in the jaw. Cristall, miraculously, returned to the lineup in the third period after receiving 17 stitches to his left ear. In today’s day and age, many players would have called it a day and wouldn’t have returned to game action. You have to give Cristall credit for going old school and playing through pain.
- Cristall managed to hit the 200 point mark for his WHL career. The 18-year-old did it in a mindboggling 145 games. By comparison, Nick Merkley (2013-2017), a prolific point producer for the Rockets, earned his 200th career point in his 191st career game.
- I can’t honestly remember making a phone call to a player from the opposition team, who was injured, and couldn’t play against the Kelowna Rockets that evening. That all changed when I reached out to Red Deer Rebels forward Kalan Lind for an interview last Friday. Lind, the younger brother of former Kelowna Rockets forward Kole Lind is sidelined with an injury and didn’t make the BC Division Road trip. “When I was a kid, around 11 or 12, I would always come up to Kelowna with my parents and watch Kole play,” Lind told RocketFAN. “I remember watching training camp in Kelowna and staying with him at his billet house.” Lind is a second-round pick of the NHL’s Nashville Predators, while brother Kole is a second-round selection of the Vancouver Canucks and is now in the Seattle Kraken organization. If the two brothers eventually meet in the NHL, would they get into a fight if tempers started to flair? “Who knows,” Lind said with a chuckle. “We get into it quite a bit at home. We’ve thrown a bunch or two at each other in the past.”
- It was nice to see Bill Barnes make an appearance in the media and scouts’ room at Prospera Place over the weekend. Barnes is the long-time public address announcer at Kelowna Rockets home games, but his dulcet tones have been missed this season as he negotiates through a few health issues. Barnes has been a staple at home games for over 25 years. He assures RocketFAN he will return shortly to his post at the far end of our 104.7 The Lizard broadcast location.
- One of my most memorable interviews with a former Red Deer Rebels player was with d-man Derek Meech. We spoke when Meech was with the Detroit Red Wings in 2010, as the NHL team made a quick pit stop in Kelowna for a few mid-week practices before playing the nearby Vancouver Canucks. We spoke to Meech about what he remembered about taking on the Kelowna Rockets in the 2003 WHL final. “I remember we [Kelowna and Red Deer] were battling back and forth for the top spot. It was a fun and competitive year,” Meech said. “I remember Josh Gorges and a lot of guys in Kelowna went on to play in the NHL. It is funny what winning and being successful will do.” Meech, now 39, is retired, having played 144 games at the NHL level. “It was heartbreaking to lose [The WHL final], but the Rockets had a great team.”
- I was surprised to learn that the Kelowna Rockets players have no say in the warmup music played at Prospera Place. Nothing against Carly Rae Jepsen, but her remix, played over the loudspeakers as the Rockets and Rebels were warming up Saturday night just seemed odd. I could be corrected, but I thought in the early 2000s the players had full autonomy over what was being played. I guess we are all too busy taking photos with ex-teammates during warmup and throwing pucks over the glass to adoring fans to care what music is being played in the background.
- I am still a big proponent of having a good warmup, and not going through the motions. I remember sitting in Brandon, Manitoba, and watching the Swift Current Broncos and hometown Wheat Kings using the 15 minutes to get themselves game-ready. At the time, then Broncos GM and Head Coach Todd McLellan, sitting beside me, spoke about how the warmup is an extension of how good or how bad that player performs in the first half of the opening period. If you are a great team, you can be a slow starter, but if you are average, you need everyone dialed in at the opening face-off. McLellan, who now coaches the LA Kings, considered warmup significantly more important than a morning skate 9 hours before puck drop.
- There is nothing like picking up your spirits by calling an old friend. Al Lind, the grandfather of former Kelowna Rockets forward Kole Lind, and current Red Deer Rebels forward Kalan Lind would fall into that category. Creating a relationship when Kole was playing in Kelowna, and our unique connection to southwest Saskatchewan, Al and I would often meet up during a busy season as he and his wife made the most of watching their grandchildren play hockey. Al Lind has that awesome Saskatchewan charm to him, and I wanted to reach out after not speaking for a while. With his grandson possibly coming to Kelowna this past weekend, I had to call up Al for a ‘chinwag’. Man, I am glad I did.
- In last week’s column, I spoke about the wish to have an outdoor game either at the Apple Bowl or on the lakefront. I know, I know, wishful thinking and a pipe dream at best. Let’s remember back in 2018, the Regina Pats were expected to face off with the arch-rival Moose Jaw Warriors in an outdoor game at what was formerly known as Taylor Field, the home at the time of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. That game was canceled due to slow ticket sales. That said, in 2011, the Spokane Chiefs hosted the first-ever WHL outdoor game at Avista Field, the home of the Northwest League’s Spokane Chiefs, and the event was a huge success. The opposition was the then Kootenay Ice.
- I’ve been corrected by a listener/WHL webcast watcher after I mentioned Saturday night that Kelowna Rockets Head Coach Kris Mallette avoided being hit by a galvanized piece of rubber, which is a more distinguished way of saying he was almost struck by a puck. The proper terminology is – vulcanized rubber, as opposed to galvanized. Galvanized should be used when mentioning steel. Galvanized is the process of applying a protective zinc coating to steel or iron to prevent rusting. See, the listener, the viewer is often right.
- Did you watch any of the World Series? Neither did I.
- After further review, I have decided this year to participate in Movember. Why the change of heart? My conversation with Vancouver Giants Head Coach Manny Viveiros changed my perspective on the initiative after hearing his battle with prostate cancer. Viveiros believes the campaign has value in drawing awareness to men’s health. If it means something to him, who has literally dealt with the letter ‘C’, I’m all for doing my small part.
- It is the early November debate on when to put up your Christmas tree. Some believe now is a good time. Others suggest after Remembrance Day in Canada, while in the USA, its after Thanksgiving Day. I asked Rockets Head Coach Kris Mallette how it works in his family? “Regan, you know the answer to this, and you are setting me up,” Mallette said with a grin on his face. “The tree has been up for about two weeks. My wife and daughters are holiday oriented. They want that homie feeling, and I don’t mind waking up and having my coffee with the fireplace on while looking at the tree.”
- At 1724 words, it is time to pull the pin on this weeks observations. Hey, one last thing. If you haven’t purchased a Poppy, get one and wear it. Zero excuses.
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