BEER LEAGUES
Fun and Fundraising Highlight Keane Celebrity Classic
It was one of those tournaments in which nobody cared who won . It was Beer League hockey at its finest – a bunch of old guys who love the game , representing their businesses with passion and pride while trying to do their best to outplay some of the greatest former NHL stars in the game ’ s history . It was the Mike Keane Celebrity Classic and it was , indeed , a fundraising classic .
JOHN LECLAIR AND DAVE CAMERON
104 GAME ON 2017 PLAYOFF EDITION
WINNIPEG JETS PRESIDENT
AND GOVERNOR , MARK CHIPMAN , LEADS
THE RUSH
By Scott Taylor Photos by Bruce Fedyck
Somebody actually won the 2017 Mike Keane Celebrity Hockey Classic , but nobody really wanted to talk about it . After all , this annual Beer League tournament wasn ’ t about winning and losing . It was about raising money for Continuity Care Inc . and the True North Youth Foundation . In fact , according to Dwayne Green , the executive director of the True North Youth Foundation , the tournament was the big winner , raising $ 470,000 before expenses . And really , that ’ s what the event was all about . And , man , what an event . Every year , three-time Stanley Cup champion and former Manitoba Moose star , Mike Keane , brings 15 other former NHL stars to the MTS Iceplex and with 16 corporate and Beer League teams , raises money to support local charity efforts . This year , Keane ’ s former NHL pals included : Hall of Famers Ray Bourque , Paul Coffey and Joe Nieuwendyk , along with Kelly Chase , Ron Duguay , Shane Hnidy , Al Iafrate , John LeClair , Brad May , Brendan Morrison , Brenden Morrow , Adam oates , Brian Skrudland , PJ Stock and goaltender Marty Turco . Although , to be fair , Turco played forward because that ’ s what old goalies like to do . For the local Beer League stars who took part in the event back on Feb . 23 , at the Iceplex , it could not have been more fun . “ It was great to see a lot of the local hockey guys in a real good hockey environment with a lot of old NHL players ,” said Dave Cameron , a former pro and now on-ice hockey instructor with True North Sports and Entertainment . “ It ’ s been a really great experience . It ’ s been fun to talk with all the pros . John LeClair has been with our team ( PCL / Pelleurs ) and he ’ s been incredible . Talking to him about his days in the game and listening to him tell some stories and just watching the way he plays the game and moves the puck , it ’ s been a really satisfying experience .”