HITMEN RICH IN TOP PROSPECTS GAME HISTORY
The Calgary Hitmen’s wall of champions is an impressive sight to behold.
Although the franchise is just in its 19th season of existence, the franchise alumni have left a mark on those aspiring to follow in their footsteps. The hallway leading to the Hitmen dressing room features pictures of four Stanley Cup champions and Hitmen alumni, providing all the inspiration needed for a young hockey player to chase the dream.
“It’s important for kids that are coming to be part of the Hitmen organization to understand the history that’s being built here to continue the success and keep building young stars,” says Joel Otto, assistant coach of the Hitmen and an assistant coach of Team Orr in the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.
The pictures on the wall feature former Hitmen wearing their NHL uniforms while holding the Stanley Cup. Andrew Ladd captured it twice, in 2006 with Carolina and 2010 with Chicago, while Ryan Getzlaf (Anaheim, 2007), Brad Stuart (Detroit, 2008) and Johnny Boychuk (Boston, 2011) round out the quartet.
“We’ve been fortunate enough to have four guys win the Stanley Cup,” Otto says. “That’s encouraging and nice to see and all our young players enjoy looking at that.”
There may not be a hallway long enough at the Saddledome to commemorate with pictures of Hitmen players who have played in the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. Since the game was adopted 19 years ago, the Calgary Hitmen have been represented in the event by more players than any other team in the Canadian Hockey League.
Among those that have played in the game are all four Stanley Cup champions (Stuart did so as a member of the Regina Pats), scoring sensation Pavel Brendl (1999), Flames first round pick Brent Krahn (2000) and Canadian world junior gold medalist Karl Alzner (2007).
The Hitmen will be well-represented once more at the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game this year. Forward Jake Virtanen and defenceman Ben Thomas will be teammates on Team Orr in this game, becoming the 25th and 26th Hitmen to participate in the event’s history.
“Jake Virtanen and Ben Thomas are very excited to go showcase their talents,” Otto says. “All the boys are both probably nervous and excited about the upcoming draft and this can only enhance and better their chances of being a higher draft pick.”
Otto, who’s been an assistant with the Hitmen for seven seasons, has seen how the event can inspire and motivate players when they come back to their junior teams.
“You hope it continues to build confidence,” he says. “Obviously, they’re going up against their peers who are in the same status in terms of being a high draft pick of their age group. Hopefully they have a good experience and they bring that back and continue to enhance their games.”
The Hitmen have been one of the Western Hockey League’s more successful franchises over the past two decades. Calgary captured WHL championships in 1999 and 2010.
A large part of their success can be attributed to the team’s ability to scout and identify talent for the bantam drafts, a job overseen for many years by former general manager Kelly Kisio, who’s now the team’s President of Hockey Operations and Alternate Governor.
“(The list of Hitmen in this event) is very impressive and I think it just states what a good job Kelly Kisio has done for the organization and getting good players and the coaching staff that he’s assembled,” Otto explains. “(Kisio and the scouting staff) have done their homework and deserve a lot of credit for giving the coaching staff here with the Hitmen over these years very viable players to make it to that next level.”
Having more players in the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game than any other team in the 60-team CHL circuit is certainly a badge of pride to the Hitmen.
“I know there’s a lot of organizations out there that have similar track records,” Otto says, “but I think the Hitmen are very proud of that distinction.”
The CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game will be broadcast live on Sportsnet and TVA Sports beginning at 7:00 pm Mountain time, and is also available on the NHL Network in the United States and on Sportsnet 960 The FAN.
