Each May, we celebrate Asian Heritage Month. Throughout the month, Hockey Alberta reflects on the many achievements and contributions of Albertans of Asian heritage who, throughout our history, have done so much to make hockey the game we know and love.
To celebrate this year’s theme, “Continuing a legacy of greatness,” we first must look back at the legacies of those before us, including Larry Kwong. Born in Vernon, B.C., Kwong quickly became an offensive phenom for the Vernon Hyrdophones at 16 years old. As his skills heightened, so did the impact of World War II. Kwong put his dreams on hold to enlist in the army. His basic training stationed him in Red Deer, where he played for the army’s Red Deer Wheelers. As his comrades were sent overseas, Kwong was instructed to stay in Red Deer to play hockey to entertain the troops. During this time, he found himself facing off against NHL’ers and holding his own. Little did he know, his dreams were in motion. Kwong, a trailblazer for Chinese-Canadian players became the first player of Asian heritage and the first person of colour to play in the NHL. Kwong played his first and last shift in the league on March 13, 1948, but he opened the gate for many to follow, like Steve Tsujiura of Coaldale.
Though he never played in the NHL, Tsujiura put up impressive numbers and received several WHL awards to catch the eyes of the professional scouts. In 1981, he was chosen in the 10th round of the 1981 NHL draft by the Philadelphia Flyers. Tsujiura’s professional career spanned over 14 seasons in the AHL and in leagues overseas in Switzerland and Italy. Prior to the 1998 Winter Olympic Games, he was extended an invitation to represent Japan on the national stage. Following the Games, Tsujiura retired from playing to take on the role of head coach of the Japanese National Team. Tsujiura saw the coaching position as an opportunity to stay in the game, something he took advantage of for four seasons before retiring from the game completely.
Similar to Tsujiura, Kassy Betinol’s Olympic debut came in 2022 with the Chinese Women’s National Team. The Okotoks native received an invitation to centralize with Team China because of her Chinese heritage. Betinol became a fixture on Team Alberta growing up and played in the Okanagan in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League before earning a scholarship to Minnesota-Duluth University. After a rookie NCAA season cut short due to COVID-19, Betinol received an invitation to Canada’s National Women’s Development Team 2020 Summer Camp. After spending her 2021-22 season with the Chinese National Team, Betinol will return for another season at Minnesota-Duluth before looking for professional opportunities. She credits her Team Alberta experience for aiding in her development in a organized and professional environment to set her up in the success she has achieved thus far in her career.
The Team Alberta program is constructed to develop not only the players, but support staff as well, which is what trainer Alex Le was looking for when he volunteered. Le, of Calgary, has volunteered with Hockey Alberta on several occasions, including as the U16 Equipment Manager and Trainer in 2015 and 2016. Joining the Northwest Calgary Athletics Association as the trainer for the Midget A Bruins in 2007, Le was looking to learn and grow when he began volunteering with Hockey Alberta. Also an employee of Hockey Alberta’s long-time partner and supporter, ATB Financial, Le concludes that ATB is here to support Albertans through everything, just like Hockey Alberta.
Kwong, Tsujiura, Betinol and Le have stamped their mark on the game in their own way. Reflecting on their legacies, we will look to the next generations of Asian-Canadians to continue the legacy of greatness on the sport of hockey.
Hockey Alberta has created new pages detailing the tryout process for players wishing to pursue Male AAA/AA hockey. Updates to the process have been made to simplify the tryout process for players, including the removal of the Male Elite Notification of Tryout form. Players will only need to register with their Elite Draw Zone association/AA Recruitment Area association.
Pages outlining the tryout process are available for review here:
RED DEER – Hockey Alberta is inviting you to Dr. Jody Carrington! Her message, “Kids These Days – Reconnecting our Hockey Community,” embraces Hockey Alberta’s values and can be heard on Friday, June 10, at the Hockey Alberta Summit presented by Sprung Arenas, Stantec and CANA.
The evening is open to the public and will feature Dr. Carrington, appetizers and a social with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. and the festivities beginning at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 each plus fees and are available on hockeyalberta.ca. Deadline to purchase tickets is June 5 and you must be 18 years of age or older to attend. Tickets will not be available at the door.
Dr. Carrington is a renowned psychologist, hockey Mom, coach and resident Albertan. Her work focuses on reconnection as the key to healthy relationships and productive teams and the importance of acknowledging each other as a starting point.
RED DEER - Eight Albertans registered in Hockey Alberta/Hockey Canada sanctioned programs heard their names called during the first round of the 2022 WHL Draft on Thursday, with Calgarian Jackson Smith going second overall.
Smith was selected by the Tri-City Americans with the second pick, and is the highest-drafted Albertan since Matthew Savoie went first overall to the Winnipeg Ice in 2019.
Braeden Cootes (Sherwood Park) was next off the board, going 10th overall to the Kamloops Blazers, followed by Connor Schmidt (Sturgeon County), Hayden Harsanyi (Calgary), Luke Vlooswyk (Calgary), Aaron Obobaifo (Calgary) and Julien Maze (Edmonton).
A full list of Albertans registered in Hockey Alberta/Hockey Canada sanctioned programs drafted can be found below:
RED DEER - Exactly five years to the day since he won the 2017 Prospects Cup with South Black, Blackfalds Bulldogs defenceman Kaiden Ellertson looked back on the tournament with nothing but fond memories.
RED DEER - The 2022 Prospects Cup came to a close on Sunday with North Grey overcoming North Blue to win the championship with a score of 5-3.
North Grey went undefeated at the tournament as Osten Strickland opened the scoring early for North Grey in the final game. Gavin Harrison stood on the back door to tap in goal number two and Connor Nickle capitalized on the powerplay to make it 3-0 after the first. In the second period, Domonic Neville struck again for North Grey to add another. Nearly five minutes into the third period, Adam Cutting scored on the powerplay to get North Blue on the board. Looking for the comeback, Landan Horiachka posted two back-to-back to make it a one goal game. But it was Neville who added the insurance goal to seal North Grey the championship.
Championship Sunday’s schedule shook out to be a battle of the regions at the Prospects Cup, as each region faced-off in their final games of the tournament.
To start the day, Capital Royal got their first win over Capital Green with a score of 5-2 to finish seventh overall. Following, South Black overcame South Gold in a 8-4 decision to finish in fifth place. In a battle for third place, Calgary Red and Calgary White were back and forth until the third where White scored three unanswered goals. At the end of 60 minutes of play, Calgary White came out on top in a 5-2 win to claim third.
The Prospects Cup marks the end of Hockey Alberta’s 2022 Spring showcase events. Prior to the Prospects Cup, the three-week stretch featured the Alberta Cup and the Alberta Challenge.
The Alberta Built player of the day is the athlete who best exemplifies the qualities of an "Alberta Built" player. Alberta Built is defined as:
1 - Good person - Know who you are. 2 - Character player - Believe in yourself. 3 - Grit player - Thrive on adversity 4 - Leadership - Treat yourself & people right 5 - Standard of performance - Focused approach on process - ALWAYS COMPETE - EVERY-DAYERS
RED DEER - Calgary Red Assistant Coach Matt Hanak is no stranger to the Team Alberta Program, but the 2022 Prospects Cup is a completely different experience for the longtime Director of Operations, as he’s stepping behind the bench at the tournament for the first time.
Hockey Alberta’s new Recreational Hockey Model is entering its second year of ensuring that families have access to affordable, fun, and safe opportunities to participate in youth hockey with a low time commitment.
Hockey Alberta’s Recreational Hockey Model provides participants with a moderately structured stream of hockey with modified playing rules, limited registration rules and no residency requirements.
As a sanctioned organization/ program within Hockey Alberta, a group has the flexibility to create and maintain its own internal processes to ensure their programming meets the needs of the participants.
And as an incentive for the 2022-2023 season, any program not previously registered with Hockey Alberta that wishes to register a Recreational Hockey Program will be eligible for a reduced rate per participant (players & team officials) for their first season.
Hockey Alberta will be hosting a Recreational Hockey Model Open House on Wednesday, May 18 at 7:30 pm via Zoom. If you have questions, or want to know more about how the Recreational Hockey Model could work for your organization, make sure you attend this session.
The Recreational Hockey Model consists of three (3) streams of hockey, and organizations can choose the stream that makes the most sense for their participants. Each stream offers a varied competitive structure and level of commitment appropriate to the level(s) and age(s) of the participant(s).
When programs are sanctioned under the Recreational Hockey Model, organizers and participants also enjoy an extensive list of benefits, which include:
Medical and Dental Insurance Coverage for registered participants (players, officials, team officials)
Directors and Officers Liability Insurance coverage for your Executives and Volunteers.
Administration and Operational Support from Hockey Alberta staff.
Player and Coach Development support from Hockey Alberta Regional Managers.
Support and policy guidance regarding Risk and Conduct Management protocols and processes (screening, complaint handling, Maltreatment, Abuse and Harassment, etc.)
RED DEER - The 2022 Alberta Challenge wrapped up on Sunday with South Black defeating North Yellow 3-1 to win the championship.
After starting off the tournament 0-2-0, South Black won their last two round-robin games to earn a spot in the final against undefeated North Yellow. Kara Mitenko scored both goals for South Black before Paige Zinger added an empty netter to seal the victory. Paige Smith scored the lone goal for North Yellow.
Earlier in the day, North Grey cruised to a 3-0 victory over North Blue in the fifth place game, while South White and South Green needed overtime to decide the third place winner. Keira Grant would bury the OT winner for South White.
Through two successful Hockey Alberta Spring Showcase events, the three-week stretch of tournaments will wrap up next week with the 2022 Prospects Cup. The tournament will feature 16 games among eight teams from all around the province. Gameplay at the Prospects Cup will begin on Thursday, May 12 at 11:30am with a matchup between Calgary Red and South Black.
The Alberta Built player of the day is the athlete who best exemplifies the qualities of an "Alberta Built" player. Alberta Built is defined as:
1 - Good person - Know who you are. 2 - Character player - Believe in yourself. 3 - Grit player - Thrive on adversity 4 - Leadership - Treat yourself & people right 5 - Standard of performance - Focused approach on process - ALWAYS COMPETE - EVERY-DAYERS
After watching her daughters play in the Alberta Challenge and go through the Team Alberta program, Teri Baumgardt continues to give back as a volunteer, and is now in her third tournament as a Director of Operations.
RED DEER - The 2022 Alberta Challenge provides a unique development opportunity for females from across the province, and a chance for best friends Reagan Houweling and Haley Brand to take in the experience together.
RED DEER - NHL Central Scouting has released its final rankings for the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, with 16 Albertans making an appearance - 14 skaters, and two goaltenders.
Team Alberta alumnus, Matthew Savoie leads the way for Albertans at number four among the North American Skaters. While Ty Young cracks the North American Goaltender rankings at number six.
Two more team Alberta alumni are among the top 20 North American skaters: forwards, Jagger Firkus, and Rieger Lorenz.
The full list of Albertans named to NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings can be found below:
RED DEER - Former Montreal Canadiens draft pick Duncan Milroy left his mark on the Alberta Cup as a player back in 1998, and is hoping to do the same as a coach over two decades later.
Milroy set the (then) all-time Alberta Cup record for goals in a single tournament with Team Northeast in 1998 with 10, and still sits in second behind Devin Setoguchi, who notched 11 in 2002 with Team South.
After being selected in the second round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft by the Montreal Canadiens, the Edmonton native went on to enjoy a 10 year professional career with in the American Hockey League, and in Europe.
Now, he’s turned his focus to coaching, and made his Alberta Cup coaching debut in 2022 as an Assistant Coach with Team Alberta Yellow, where he hopes to pass on the knowledge of his past experiences to the next generation of athletes.
RED DEER - Alberta Black won a shootout thriller over Alberta Grey on Sunday to claim the 2022 Alberta Cup in Red Deer.
Down 5-3 with just over two minutes to go, Alberta Grey got within one, and scored again with 30 seconds left to force overtime. After the extra frame solved nothing, Aiden Foster scored the lone goal of the shootout to seal the victory for Alberta Black.
Earlier in the day, Alberta Yellow took third place in the tournament with a 6-1 win over Alberta Green, and Alberta Blue edged Alberta Red 6-5 in a shootout in the fifth place game.
The Alberta Built player of the day is the athlete who best exemplifies the qualities of an "Alberta Built" player. Alberta Built is defined as:
1 - Good person - Know who you are. 2 - Character player - Believe in yourself. 3 - Grit player - Thrive on adversity 4 - Leadership - Treat yourself & people right 5 - Standard of performance - Focused approach on process - ALWAYS COMPETE - EVERY-DAYERS
