Latest news with #TurnerCup
Edmonton Journal
2 days ago
- Sport
- Edmonton Journal
Is Brett Sutter a rising star in the coaching ranks? The Calgary Flames believe so
Article content A hat-trick of Brett's uncles — Brent, Brian and Duane — have also been big-league bosses, while Ron was previously Calgary's director of player development. Article content Forced to hang up his gear due to injuries, Darryl was still in his late 20s when he switched to a suit and tie. His coaching climb included two campaigns of calling the shots in the minors. Article content Brett had just turned three when Darryl led the Indianapolis Ice to the IHL's Turner Cup in 1990. Article content He grew up around the rink as his dad was guiding Ed Belfour, Chris Chelios and Jeremy Roenick in Chicago, then Patrick Marleau, Owen Nolan and Teemu Selanne in San Jose. Article content Flames fans don't need any sort of refresher on what happened in 2004, when 'The Jolly Rancher' spurred Jarome Iginla, Miikka Kiprusoff, Conroy and the rest of a hard-hatted squad on an improbable run to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final. If only replay technology was a little more advanced back then … Article content Article content Article content 'Even though Brett only has the one year of coaching experience, I just think the whole career part of it and the blue-collar work ethic that he has, quite honest, I think it leads up to a long career for him,' Darryl told Postmedia. 'He was raised in a locker room, so he understands the team part of it. I remember taking him into the locker room in Chicago when he was a little boy. You learn a lot being in the locker room, and he has basically done that his whole life. He's lucky in that sense. Article content 'Brett, his leadership skills are off the charts. He was captain of, what, three or four teams? And his hockey IQ is really high. He knows the game. I think he understands what it takes and the roles, that sort of thing. Article content 'And he's obviously familiar with the whole organization, from ownership right down to the trainers. So I think it's perfect for him and it's great for the Flames to develop a young coach like that.' Article content Article content The pipeline has been a positive story for the Flames over the past few seasons, with Matt Coronato, Dustin Wolf and Connor Zary among the graduates from farmhand to fixture. Article content As Conroy seeks to build a contender, that trend must continue. Brett Sutter now plays a vital role. Article content The Wranglers' roster for this upcoming season should be stocked with youngsters. It's possible that more than half the guys in their lineup on any given night will be in their early 20s — among them, forwards Andrew Basha, Matvei Gridin, Sam Honzek, Rory Kerins, William Stromgren and Aydar Suniev, defencemen Hunter Brzustewicz, Artem Grushnikov, Yan Kuznetsov and Etienne Morin and goaltender Arsenii Sergeev. (The oldest dude on this list is 23.)
New York Post
16-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Wayne Thomas, former Rangers goalie, dead at 77
Access the Rangers beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mollie Walker about the inside buzz on the Rangers. tRY IT NOW Wayne Thomas, a former goaltender who spent his last four years in the NHL with the Rangers, died Monday after a battle with cancer, the Sharks said in a statement on Wednesday. He was 77. An undrafted netminder out of Ottawa, Ontario, Thomas enjoyed an eight-year career in the league before he made the jump into management. He played for the Canadiens, Maple Leafs and the Rangers, who claimed him in the 1977 Waiver Draft to serve as a tandem with John Davidson. Advertisement When he hung up the skates in 1981, Thomas finished with a 103-93-34 record, a 3.34 goals-against average and 10 shutouts. 3 Wayne Thomas, a former Rangers goalie and longtime Sharks executive, has died at the age of 77. NHLI via Getty Images He posted a 34-43-11 record over four years with the Blueshirts. Advertisement The Rangers hired Thomas as a goaltending coach after he retired, making him one of the first of his kind in professional hockey. He remained in that post through the 1984-85 season. Read the expert take on the Blueshirts Sign up for Larry Brooks' Inside the Rangers, a weekly Sports+ exclusive. Thank you Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Check out more newsletters Thomas later became the head coach of the Salt Lake Golden Eagles in the International Hockey League. The Golden Eagles won the Turner Cup, the league's championship trophy, in just his second year at the helm – a feat he earned the Commissioner's Trophy for as the IHL's Coach of the Year. After serving as an assistant coach with the Blackhawks and Blues, Thomas joined the Sharks as assistant to the general manager and assistant coach. Advertisement 3 Wayne Thomas playing goalie for the Rangers. NHLI via Getty Images 3 Wayne Thomas wearing an 'Appleface' mask for the Rangers. Getty Images The Canadian made his mark on the organization over the next 21 years, rising from a day-to-day goalie coach to assistant general manager. Advertisement Thomas capped 45 years in hockey when he retired from his post as the Sharks' vice president and assistant general manager in 2015. According to the Sharks, Thomas passed peacefully at home surrounded by his family.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lane Lambert - A Look Back on the New Kraken Head Coach's Playing Career
Many Seattle Kraken fans are excited to get to know Lane Lambert, the coach, for this upcoming NHL season, but did you know that Lambert had a lengthy career as a right-handed center in his playing days? Let's take a look at Lane Lambert, the player, before we get a chance to see Lane Lambert, the coach, in the next few months. Lambert was born in Melfort, Saskatchewan in Canada in 1964. He began his junior career in 1980 with the Swift Current Broncos of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, scoring 97 points in 55 games. After that standout season, he signed to play in the Western Hockey League with the Saskatoon Blades notching an impressive 237 points in 136 games between two seasons. Lambert was also was very familiar with the penalty box, serving a total of 237 penalty minutes in those two years. Advertisement The Detroit Red Wings selected Lambert in the 2nd round of the 1983 NHL Draft. The 25th overall pick shared the draft stage with Hall-of-Famers such as Pat LaFontaine, Cam Neely, and Steve Yzerman. In addition, fellow head coach Bruce Cassidy, who is currently the head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights, was also drafted in 1983, by the Chicago Blackhawks. Lambert Immediately started playing for the Red Wings in the fall of 1983, where he spent two full and one partial seasons. In his Red Wings tenure, he scored 65 points (36 goals and 29 assists). Lambert also racked up 349 penalty minutes in 176 games, mostly due to fighting. In his first three NHL seasons, he dropped the gloves a total of 37 times. Lane Lambert (Detroit Red Wings) fights Randy Cunnyworth (Pittsburgh Penguins) in 1985 Advertisement The 1986-87 season saw Lambert start on the New York Rangers roster, playing only 18 games, before being traded to the Quebec Nordiques where he played the remainder of the season and until 1989. In his time with the Nordiques, he recorded 55 points and 139 penalty minutes in 89 total games. 1989 would be the last season that Lambert would play in the NHL. Between 1989 and 1996, Lambert played overseas primarily in Germany for Duesseldorf EG and Switzerland for Ajoie HC and Langnau SC, with an additional 58 games for the Canadian National Team. From 1996 and 2001, Lambert played the remainder of his pro career in the International Hockey League, splitting time with the Cleveland Lumberjacks and Houston Aeros. In 1999, he helped the Aeros win the Turner Cup which was the IHL championship trophy at the time. Once he was done playing, he quickly turned to coaching, starting as an assistant coach with the WHL's Moose Jaw Warriors in 2002. Even though Lambert is well past his playing days, he still has quite a bit in the tank as a coach. We look forward to seeing the energy and competitiveness he brings to the bench this upcoming season as the Kraken look to rebound from last year. Related Video: Lane Lambert Officially Introduced As Kraken Head Coach — 'Felt Like Joining a Family' Video: Lane Lambert Officially Introduced As Kraken Head Coach — 'Felt Like Joining a Family' Lambert featured photo by - via Lambert hero photo by - via Detroit Free Press
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
K-Wings Mourn Loss Of Key Visionary And Original Head Coach
It's with great sadness that the Kalamazoo Wings mourn the loss of Bob Lemieux, one of the franchise's key visionary members and the team's first Head Coach (1974-77) and General Manager (1974-79). Lemieux passed away late last week in Kalamazoo, surrounded by family at the age of 80. Lemieux was instrumental in the creation of the Kalamazoo Wings and the building of Wings Stadium (now Wings Event Center) in 1974. Lemieux not only coached the team for their first three seasons, but stayed on as the team's GM for five. Lemieux also delivered on his promise of a Kalamazoo Wings championship in his final season with the K-Wings as General Manager in 1978-79 (IHL/Turner Cup). Lemieux is currently No. 5 on the K-Wings all-time games coached list and was inducted into the inaugural class of the Kalamazoo Wings Wall of Honor as a 'Builder' in October 2024. 'We are deeply saddened by the passing of Bob Lemieux,' Kalamazoo Wings General Manager and Governor Toni Will said in a statement. 'During his tenure of leadership, Bob was able to establish a legacy that will never be forgotten by our organization. Our hearts go out to the entire Lemieux family.' Born in Rochester, NY, Lemieux moved to New Brunswick, Canada, at nine months old and later to Montréal. A consummate athlete, Lemieux could have chosen any sport to play, but hockey fulfilled his grandfather's dream. Lemieux's grandfather played for the Montreal Canadiens and left pro hockey to serve in World War I, but was unable to continue playing post-war due to being wounded in action. Lemieux excelled at the game and played four years (1962-65) of Junior Hockey for the Montréal Jr. Canadians (OHA-Jr.), growing to a 6-foot 1-inch, 194 lbs stature. While with the Jr. Canadians, Lemieux earned the team captainship before moving on to the IHL with the Muskegon Mohawks in 1965-66. With the Mohawks, Lemieux amassed 58 points (14g-44a) and 199 penalty minutes in 70 games played in 1965-66, earning two league awards as the IHL's Best Defenseman and an IHL First All-Star Team selection. Lemieux then joined the Seattle Totems (WHL-Sr.) in 1966-67, scoring 23 points (10g-13a) with 117 penalty minutes in 72 games played. For his performance, Lemieux was drafted 59th overall by the California / Oakland Seals in the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft. In 1967-68, Lemieux played 19 NHL games with one assist, before returning to the WHL that season with the Vancouver Canucks. Lemieux then played an integral role in Vancouver winning two consecutive WHL championships in 1968-69 & 1969-70. Lemieux then retired from playing at age 25, following the 1969-70 season. Lemieux immediately moved into a head coaching position with the Fort Worth Wings (CHL) in 1970-71, after being hired by the Detroit Red Wings (NHL) to help manage their farm system. He coached Fort Worth for three seasons, before moving to coach the Virginia Wings (AHL) for the 1973-74 season. Lemieux also allegedly created the 'Hockeytown' moniker in Fort Worth, as a marketing initiative and brought it to Kalamazoo, which has since been adopted and copyrighted by the Detroit Red Wings. Lemieux was then instrumental in the standing up of the Kalamazoo Wings (IHL) franchise and Wings Stadium in 1974, in conjunction with Ted Parfet and the Detroit Red Wings. Lemieux then coached the K-Wings for the next three seasons before stepping down early in the 1977-78 season to manage Wings Stadium, while staying onboard as the General Manager of the team. In 245 games coached, Lemieux (84-130-31) quickly turned the franchise from formative to championship contenders, as the team went from 17 wins in their first season (1974-75) to 38 wins in his third (1976-77) and final full season as coach. After moving on from the Wings following the Turner Cup Championship in 1978-79, Lemieux served as GM for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers (1977-80) and helped assemble the team that finished as the 1980 Soccer Bowl runner-up. The Strikers played the 1980 Soccer Bowl Championship at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., in front of 50,768 in attendance. Lemieux then moved his family back to Kalamazoo upon his daughter's leukemia diagnosis for treatment, assisted by the Parfet family. His daughter survived and is now a teacher in the Portage Public Schools system. Lemieux went on to establish the National Professional Soccer League in Kalamazoo in 1983, later known as the American Indoor Soccer League, as the group's president and commissioner. This brought to life the Kalamazoo Kangaroos (1984-86) and eventually well-known teams like the Detroit Rockers (1990-01). In totality, the league stood up from 1984 to 2001 and welcomed 30 teams across the United States in that span. Upon retirement, Lemieux took on a new role as an avid wildlife photographer until he passed, once quoted as saying, 'I went from one animal kingdom to another.' 'Losing Bob is very tough news for our organization and fans,' Kalamazoo Wings Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Joel Martin said. 'Bob paved the way for this organization and every coach who has had the privilege to stand behind the bench. My thoughts and prayers are with the Lemieux family. We all are mourning his passing.' The Kalamazoo Wings are eternally grateful to the Lemieux family, especially Bob, for his accomplishments and contributions to the organization and the City of Kalamazoo. The Wings will always recognize him as a pillar, contributing to the organization's longevity as the fourth-oldest minor professional hockey franchise in existence across 50 seasons in Kalamazoo. Lemieux spent the remainder of his years living in Kalamazoo, and is survived by his wife, Mariette, two children, Annick 'Nikki' and Daniel, seven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
Winnipeg Free Press
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Jets' Flaherty a humble, one-of-a-kind goalie coach
Wade Flaherty is the goalie whisperer. He is a man who prefers to remain in the shadows, calmly going about his business. He's the answer to a trivia question that became even more relevant last month when Alex Ovechkin passed Wayne Gretzky for the all-time goal lead in NHL history. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Wade Flaherty is the only goalie coach in Winnipeg Jets 2.0 history, and has helped starter Connor Hellebuyck to his best regular season and through a wobbly first round post-season performance. He's also one of the few professional hockey players to drink from the Stanley Cup, the Calder Cup, the Turner Cup and the Kelly Cup. Yet, you won't ever see Flaherty flaunting his resumé or seeking the spotlight. As the only goalie coach in Winnipeg Jets 2.0 history, Flaherty has worked closely with one of the best netminders of this generation and forged a strong relationship with Connor Hellebuyck, who is up for both the Vezina Trophy and Hart Trophy after his remarkable regular season. With the Jets preparing for a second-round matchup against the Dallas Stars that opens on Wednesday night at Canada Life Centre, Flaherty's ability to connect with his goalies remains an important storyline. Hellebuyck was able to step up mid-game to backstop his team to a Game 7 victory Sunday after wobbly road losses in a series he admitted put his mental abilities to the test. The Jets netminder now prepares to battle with his Team USA teammate Jake Oettinger. 'When I first met him, I could tell that he believed in me and he really cared a lot about me and my game,' said Hellebuyck. 'That's a lot more than you can say about a lot of guys. For a lot of guys, it's just a game and they're there to improve their goaltender and that's it. He really cared about everything: off-ice, feelings, energy level. He cared about it all.' Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Sign up for The Warm-Up Flaherty was forced to do a lot of self-diagnosis during his playing days and the quest to do things better is something that has continued to serve him well as he advanced to the coaching ranks. 'It's his understanding of the relationship in what a goalie needs,' said Jets backup goalie Eric Comrie. 'He doesn't try to change your game, he tries to add to your game. It's a dialogue here. All three of us are sharing together. Helly, myself and Flats.' A lot of that sharing comes through video sessions. And unlike in many other places, it's not just Flaherty and Hellebuyck bouncing ideas off one another and breaking things down. Because of Comrie's unbridled passion for the sport and the position, he's involved in the process as well. 'It's awesome, listening to them talk about the situations,' said Flaherty, noting the importance of feedback. 'What it does is that it gets the dialogue going. It's a hot stove of three goalie nerds. 'It's such a benefit for Comrie to be learning from Connor Hellebucyk. On the flip side, Eric Comrie's breakdown of plays can benefit Hellebuyck. It's hugely beneficial for all three of us.' 'When I first met him, I could tell that he believed in me and he really cared a lot about me and my game … he really cared about everything: off-ice, feelings, energy level. He cared about it all.' –Connor Hellebuyck Those benefits have been on display all season long, with both Hellebuyck and Comrie enjoying the best individual results of their respective careers on a team that captured both the Presidents' Trophy as the top team in the NHL and the William Jennings Trophy as the team that allowed the fewest goals. 'This whole time, it's not that I have the right answers. We're going to learn together. We've built our game together,' said Hellebuyck. 'He knows the mental side of things as well. He knows the whole 360 of it. 'He's never just jamming it down your throat. He's suggesting things here, suggesting things there. Working things through with me. That's when we both improve. I know I'm not alone. When I see things, he also sees things.' As for his philosophy, Flaherty tries to cater to the strengths of each goalie he works with. 'I don't have hard and fast rules. Not one size fits all. But there are some non-negotiables in some aspects of it,' said Flaherty. 'There are things that we incorporate to make your game more efficient — and better. What it comes down to is doing reps on it until you get comfortable is the idea. I'll never force anything on the goalie, that 'you have to do it this way.' I'll strongly make suggestions, but I'll never force it on anybody.' The ability to see things and dig into them is what has helped each of Hellebuyck, Comrie and Flaherty grow together. 'He's just an easy going guy. We see the game the same way. His understanding of the game is something I'm a big fan of. With how much we help each other. It's a two-way street and it's great,' said Comrie. 'The big one is the calmness. He's not riding waves. He's done an amazing job of making sure that he stays even keel. It's a process, not a sprint. He's one of the best in the world at that.' So, how did Flaherty get here, to a point in his career where he's highly respected and widely regarded as one of the best in the game at his position? Let's just say it has been an incredible odyssey — one that includes a slight doctoring of a birth certificate. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Winnipeg Jets backup goalie Eric Comrie (left) works with goalie coach Wade Flaherty at Canada Life Centre. Comrie says Flaherty 'doesn't try to change your game, he tries to add to your game.' Flaherty, now 57, grew up in Terrace, B.C., a relatively small city in the Western part of the province. He started playing goal himself before he even started skating, the byproduct of growing up with two older brothers. 'My dad always built an ice rink in the backyard. I had two older brothers and I always joke, but at the end of the day, they needed a target and I was the youngest by four or five years,' said Flaherty. 'Once I got into organized hockey, it was just something that I was drawn to. 'If you go back to that era, I had the Mike Palmateer mask. I painted it myself with the Toronto Maple Leafs logo and, when he went to the Washington Capitals, I did it that way. I was drawn to the goaltenders, visually. That's where it started. All my friends were a year older than me, so my mom altered my birth certificate so I could start minor hockey a year early.' After playing on a number of provincial championship squads and getting some valuable experience playing in the senior leagues as a teenager, Flaherty eventually worked his way up to the Western Hockey League with the Seattle Thunderbirds. But being in a big city away from home brought its challenges and he bounced around a bit before finding his footing with the Victoria Cougars. 'Everybody wants to play in the NHL,' said Flaherty. 'You thought of it, but it was such a big dream coming from such a small town.' Although Flaherty was chosen by the Buffalo Sabres in the ninth round of the 1988 NHL draft, he never signed with the organization. After completing his overage season with the Cougars, Flaherty signed a minor league deal with the Minnesota North Stars and ended up with the Greensboro Monarchs, who were an expansion team in the ECHL. 'He's done an amazing job of making sure that he stays even keel. It's a process, not a sprint. He's one of the best in the world at that.' –Eric Comrie Coached by Jeff Brubaker, that Monarchs team went on a remarkable run to the Kelly Cup championship in 1990. Flaherty was in a job share with Nick Vitucci that season and started the playoffs as the No. 2 guy on the depth chart. 'He was a great teammate, a great goalie partner,' Vitucci, now a pro scout with the Nashville Predators, recalled. 'It was funny, we went into the playoffs and I got the start in Game 1. We had a big win on the road, we upset the first-place team in the league and then, in Game 2, we lost in overtime and a brawl started. I ended up getting a one-game suspension. 'Wade came in and never gave up the net again. I was his biggest cheerleader the rest of the way, and he was fantastic in that playoffs and brought us a championship.' That ability to raise his level of the play when the games mattered most would become a calling card for Flaherty at the minor league level. 'He made clutch saves, timely saves. A big-moment goalie is what he was at that level. It didn't surprise me the success that he had after that,' said Vitucci. 'He was a great goaltender. He was very dialled in, focused and all of that, so you would think those would be great traits moving forward to get into coaching, for sure. It doesn't surprise me at all. 'At the rink, you could tell early on that he was a pro's pro. The way he went about practising and his preparation, all of that.' Flaherty eventually got to live his NHL dream, making his debut for the San Jose Sharks and turning aside 43 saves in a 6-4 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on April 12 of 1992. His time in the NHL included a total of 120 games with the Sharks, Predators, New York Islanders, Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning. KEN GIGLIOTTI / FREE PRESS FILES Jets goalie coach Wade Flaherty spent three seasons with the Manitoba Moose, helping the club reach the conference final. With the Islanders, Flaherty was between the pipes when Gretzky scored the 894th and final goal of his illustrious career, on March 29 of 1999. In March of 2003, Flaherty was traded to the Predators and appeared in his final NHL game. Flaherty was re-signed by Nashville that summer, partly to serve as a mentor for Brian Finley, who was chosen sixth overall in the 1999 NHL draft. That job share was a successful one, but when it came to the playoffs, Flaherty once again got the starting job and helped lead the Predators affiliate Milwaukee Admirals to the Calder Cup. That summer, Flaherty signed with the Vancouver Canucks, who had the Manitoba Moose as their primary affiliate. Flaherty spent three seasons with the Moose, helping them reach the conference final in the first season before bowing out to the Chicago Wolves, while also aiding in the development of Alex Auld before Auld graduated to the NHL. Sharing the crease with a prized prospect was something Flaherty would do for one more season in 2007-08, when he was signed by the Chicago Blackhawks, who had Corey Crawford beginning his pro hockey journey. 'Chicago calls on July 1. I had a conversation about Dale Tallon and he said 'listen, if there is a call-up, it's not you,'' said Flaherty. 'Your job is to teach him professionalism on and off the ice. I was like '100 per cent.' It was awesome because he threw all of the cards on the table. 'I was there as a mentor.' Flaherty admits this is where the idea of coaching entered his mind. Much like he did with the Admirals, at the end of practices, he's organizing and running some of the extra drills. 'He's very, very competitive. He does not like to get scored on. He wants to get better every day and his standard of his game is above anybody else's.' –Wade Flaherty on Connor Hellebuyck 'I'm already kind of going into that mode a little bit,' said Flaherty. 'Some of the drills I would take, but I'm 38 or 39. I don't need extra reps. That's where I got the coaching bug, I guess you would say.' Flaherty was pondering retirement when an opportunity arose to join the China Sharks in a player/coach capacity on a team that was funded by the San Jose Sharks. 'I was going to retire, but I thought this would be a good way to go out,' said Flaherty. 'Have some fun. See a part of the world.' Near the end of the season in China, Flaherty was contacted by the Blackhawks about a position as a developmental goalie coach to work with Crawford and Antti Niemi. The problem was that the Blackhawks wanted him to rejoin the organization right away, but Flaherty wanted to honour his commitment to the Sharks before accepting the position. Eventually, the Blackhawks relaxed the timeline, allowing Flaherty to finish out the season and transition full-time into coaching in February of 2009. 'Now, everybody does it, but I was one of the first in that role,' said Flaherty. 'I would say I walked into a perfect storm. Corey Crawford and Antti Niemi were the first two goalies I was working with (as a coach officially). Pretty skilled goalies to begin with. 'I did that for two years and got a Stanley Cup ring.' In the summer of 2011, Flaherty was hired by the Jets to be the NHL goalie coach and he's been doing that job ever since. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck (left) reviews footage with goalie coach Wade Flaherty during practice at the Hockey For All Centre. Hellebuyck says one of Flaherty's greatest assets is that 'he knows the mental side of things.' 'It's no different than playing. I played until I was 39 or 40 and I was still learning. I always said that I would retire if I knew everything — and it's no different in coaching,' said Flaherty. 'You're always trying to develop yourself. I'm constantly reading or watching videos and looking for different things to incorporate.' The opportunity to work with a thoroughbred like Hellebuyck is something Flaherty takes great pride in. 'It's amazing. I always knew Connor Hellebuyck was going to be a good goalie,' said Flaherty. 'To do what he's doing and has accomplished to this point in his early career, I'm not being honest if I say to you 'I knew he was going to be the best in the world.' I always knew he was going to be a hell of a goalie. But even with that being said, there are a lot of things you've got to get through when you turn pro. There are a lot of mountains you've got to climb, hills that you're going to slide down and he handled them very well. 'He's very, very competitive. He does not like to get scored on. He wants to get better every day and his standard of his game is above anybody else's. So, watching him grow from a rookie pro coming out of college to being one of the best in the world, but also becoming a man and a father and a husband, is special. It's cool to see the whole thing.' X and Bluesky: @WiebesWorld Ken Wiebe Reporter Ken Wiebe is a sports reporter for the Free Press , with an emphasis on the Winnipeg Jets. He has covered hockey and provided analysis in this market since 2000 for the Winnipeg Sun , The Athletic , and TSN. Ken was a summer intern at the Free Press in 1999 and returned to the Free Press in a full-time capacity in September of 2023. Read more about Ken. Every piece of reporting Ken produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press 's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press 's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
