INNISFAIL – It may be the off-season but hockey is never far from mind for many fans.
Especially when Canadian icon and Hockey Night In Canada host Ron MacLean and hockey greats, including Innisfail Eagles head coach Brian Sutter, are involved.
MacLean, who in recent weeks was inducted into the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame, will be making a return to Innisfail, this time as host and MC for the Innisfail Eagles' 5th annual Sportsman’s Dinner on Sept. 19.
The event at the Innisfail Royal Canadian Legion will include a dinner, live and silent auctions and plenty of hockey talk.
MacLean was last here in July 2016, as a special guest for a pro-rodeo sports medicine fundraiser.
“So many things in my history are related to Innisfail,” said MacLean, in a recent phone interview. “The first time I ever did a speech was at the Kinettes Dinner of Diamonds (in Innisfail) and the first television I ever did was a commercial for a menswear shop in Innisfail.”
He pointed to many connections to the town, including close friendships with the Sutter and Daines families.
MacLean also has many sports memories here as well, in both football and hockey.
“I used to referee the (Innisfail) Eagles all through the 1970s and '80s before I left for my career with NHL broadcasting,” he said.
MacLean spoke of the big year ahead for hockey and sports in Central Alberta, with the Canada Winter Games in Red Deer in February and the Allan Cup in Lacombe in March.
One key to success for the Innisfail Eagles this season he said, is the man behind the bench.
“Any team that has Brian Sutter at the helm, that’s like having Scotty Bowman or Vince Lombardi as your head coach,” said MacLean. “You’ve got one of the greatest hockey men ever running a team and you have a chance (at a championship).”
Brian Spiller, president of the Innisfail Eagles, said he and the team are thrilled to have MacLean join them for the annual event Sept. 19.
“For years Ron has expressed a desire to Mr. Sutter that he’d like to help out in any way he can,” said Spiller. “This year fortunately, we’re able to work with his schedule and our schedule and have him (as) our MC for the night.”
Spiller said the event will include other guests and auctions. It is also a good opportunity to meet some of the players from the team and some of the faces behind the organization.
“There will be some silent and live auction items and raffles that we’re doing that night,” said Spiller. “It’s our major fundraiser for the Innisfail Eagles. To help keep our ticket prices affordable at the door we do a major fundraiser this way, to help offset the budget,” he added.
“The community has always supported it well in the past.”
For more information visit the Innisfail Eagles on Facebook.
