THUNDER BAY – Sports – If you follow junior hockey here in Thunder Bay, then watching the Stanley Cup finals might have more of a connection for you. As the 2013 Stanley Cup final gets set to begin Wednesday evening in Chicago, there are 15 Canadian Junior Hockey League alumnus who will be part of the NHL championship series either as a player, in one form or another, or in team management.
Canadian Junior Hockey Rules
Among those is former Superior International Junior Hockey League goaltender of the year recipient Carter Hutton (Fort William North Stars) who has served as the Chicago Blackhawks third netminder during their playoff run after spending time during the regular season with the Hawks, including making his NHL debut earlier this year, along with time with the club’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs.
Others with local connections and CJHL roots include Blackhawks forward and assistant captain Patrick Sharp who played his Jr. A hockey with the Thunder Bay Flyers.
You also have Chicago defenceman Duncan Keith, who spent part of early days in Fort Frances where he played minor hockey.
Then there is Blackhawks assistant general manager Norm Maciver is also a CJHL alumnus playing Jr. A for his hometown of Thunder Bay before going on to star at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and a solid 12-year career in the NHL on defence.
Meanwhile, another Lakehead native in Scott Bradley, is the director of player personnel with the Boston Bruins.
The following is the list of CJHL alumni who are part of the Stanley Cup final:
Chicago Blackhawks
Norm Maciver, Thunder Bay (Blackhawks assistant GM)
Patrick Sharp, Thunder Bay (USHL)
Duncan Keith, Penticton (BCHL)
Sheldon Brookbank, Humboldt (SJHL)
Jamal Mayers, Thornhill (MTJHL)
Extra players with Chicago in the postseason include:
Carter Hutton, Fort William (SIJHL)
Brandon Pirri, Streetsville/Georgetown (OJHL)
Steve Montador, St. Michael’s (OPJHL)
Dylan Olson, Camrose (AJHL)
Boston Bruins
Peter Chairelli, Ottawa (CCHL) (Bruins GM)
Scott Bradley, Abbotsford/Langley (BCJHL) (Bruins director of player personnel)
Milan Lucic, Coquitlam (BCHL)
Wade Redden, Lloydminster (AJHL)
Rich Peverley, Milton (OPJHL)
Chris Kelly, Aurora (MTJHL) – Vaughan (OPJHL)
Meanwhile Boston general manager Peter Chiarelli is an alumnus of the Ottawa Senators in the CCHL while Bradley tended goal with Abbotsford and Langley in the BCJHL in the early 1980s.
Related articles
