Hockey Legends

The fabric of hockey in Grande Prairie today is stitched to the warp and woof of hockey in the past by numerous threads representing individuals who have been identified as Grande Prairie Hockey Legends. Since the early days of hockey in Grande Prairie dating back to the 1920s, Grande Prairie Hockey teams such as the Red devils, D-Company, the Grande Prairie Legion and more recently the Athletics have enjoyed widespread community and fan support. An important element in Grande Prairie’s present hockey fabric is the Grande Prairie Storm. The success of this franchise and the community support it commands is intimately stitched to Grande Prairie’s hockey history.

In recognition of this rich history Don Moon, long-time Business Manager of the Grande Prairie Storm .along with John Lehners, Co-Chair of Special Events for the 2004 Royal Bank Cup, determined that steps should be taken to capture this hockey history by identifying and acknowledging contributors from the past to Grande Prairie’s current hockey programs. To implement and provide leadership for this concept they approached Stan Neufeld.

The trio of Don, John and Stan are long time Grande Prairie citizens and all have strong ties to Grande Prairie’s hockey past. Each of them played in Grande Prairie’s minor hockey program in their youth. In addition to playing hockey for five years that included a Provincial title, John was a coach in the system for five years. He continues to be highly regarded as a referee. Both Don and Stan are former sports writers and both played for the Athletics. Stan played hockey at every level and upon graduating from the University of Alberta returned to Grande Prairie as a physical education teacher where he has had a profound influence on countless young people including hockey protégées while Don also coached at the minor hockey level and played for the local college team as well as in the South Peace Hockey League with both the Athletics and Beaverlodge 77s.

Under Stan’s leadership a Legends Committee was formed and at its first meeting in 2003 it was proposed “To enhance and publicize Grande Prairie’s rich hockey history by selecting and paying tribute to individuals who have been instrumental in the development of the game of hockey in our community.

A significant stable of “Hockey Legends” have been honored and inducted into Grande Prairie’s Hockey Hall of Fame since that first meeting. Tributes to these inductees may be seen at the Crystal Centre. Legends include not only elite players of the game who have brought recognition to Grande Prairie but builders, referees, and persons from the media. Within these categories, the selection committee under Stan’s leadership, looks for candidates who are exemplary role models and who embody qualities of sportsmanship, unselfishness, praiseworthy citizenship and generosity. More valued than skill in hockey is the manner in which they approach the game and the willingness to “give back” to the community that nurtured them.

Research by the authors of Grande Prairie Hockey Legends has brought to light interesting and inspiring stories, humor, high drama both on and off the ice, poignant incidents, and examples of dedication and sacrifice. Of equal importance, the Legend chronicles provide a window into Grande Prairie’s social, cultural and economic history.

The following biographies of Hockey Legends members were researched and written by Ron and Stan Neufeld: