McSweeney’s WHL Community Collective: Kamloops Blazers

Kamloops, B.C.- The Keller clan knows exactly how much Blazers hockey matters to Kamloops.

Team Director of Player Personnel and Kamloops native Aaron Keller was a two-time Memorial Cup champion with the squad, and his son, Jordan, is fresh off of his second season with the team, finishing third on the Blazers in points (65) and tying for second in goals (31).

“As a kid growing up, obviously I was a big Blazers fan,” Keller recalled. “One day I was hoping to play for my hometown- and to be living that right now, it’s been pretty awesome.”

Keller was among the current Kamloops skaters who got to spark that dream in a new wave of youth athletes at the team’s 40th annual Blueliner Breakfast Club in January.

The event saw more than 30 kids under the age of 12 join the team for breakfast, trivia, a question-and-answer session and a tour of the team’s dressing room the morning after attending a January 11 match between Kamloops and the Prince George Cougars, which saw the Blazers double up their rivals 6-3 (Keller scored Kamloop’s second goal of the night).

“There are lots of kids coming into the rink with their families, and we just spend time together and get to know each other and just bond with them,” Keller said. “It’s always great to, whenever you get a chance, spend time with little kids and their families. It’s a lot of fun.

Some of them are a little shy. Some of them ask a lot of questions. We all know these kids look up to us, and they want to be playing for the Blazers one day.”

As he prepares for his final season of WHL eligibility, Keller says his goal is to help the team reach the WHL Playoffs for the first time since 2023, when the Blazers loaded up to host the Memorial Cup.

“It’s definitely important for us to make a big step and obviously make the playoffs and make a run for it,” Keller added. ” So it’s going to be a big year for us.

We have a great group of guys, you know, great people, but great players. We should be hungrier than ever.”

The Western Hockey League strives to promote and foster a welcoming environment in communities close to our 22 clubs in Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest. Every team has the creative freedom to allow their players and staff to work with the organizations and groups that they are most passionate about. The end goal is to create and maintain long-lasting relationships and ongoing partnerships within their community.

Through the McSweeney’s WHL Community Collective, we aim to highlight these outstanding initiatives done by each club throughout the season.