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And this is before officially takes over as the new head coach of the Edmonton Oilers. The “Big Irishman” was in town Thursday along with three-time Canadian women‘s curling champion Jennifer Jones as guests at the TBayTel Sports Celebrity Dinner. The dinner, which raised funds for Camp Quality for Kids, also honoured the late Jim Johnson with the Chris Ferguson Sr. Memorial Award for his role as a hockey builder. A supposed retirement from the game of hockey has been anything but for Quinn, who turned 66 earlier this year – a year in which he guided Canada to the world junior hockey title and became the oldest active coach in the NHL. He‘ll begin the process of preparing for the new season in Edmonton next month. “That‘s alright. When I got let go in Toronto (in 2006), I thought it would be time for a rest,” Quinn said in an empty banquet hall at the Valhalla Inn before dinner. “I turned pro in ‘64 and I‘ve been going pretty much since then. . . . I found out I had no plan and I really missed the day-to-day aspect of being in hockey. I was wishing for an opportunity to get back in. A couple of years went by and it didn‘t happen.” Quinn agreed to come to Thunder Bay for the first time (“I‘ve driven through 10 times going west or east and never really spent any time here.”) before getting the call from the Oilers. The influx of current NHLers from Thunder Bay is no surprise to Quinn, who‘s crossed paths with many players over the years. “I‘ve had the privilege of playing with guys from this community – guys from my generation like Lou Marcon, Kenny Campbell, Gary Veneruzzo, Pete Goegan and Connie Madigan,” he said. “That‘s a great legacy to have for any city is those great athletes. Many come back to make their homes when they‘re finished playing.” Quinn and members of last year‘s Canadian junior team will be honoured at the Hockey Canada Gala in Montreal at the end of the month and will receive their championship rings. After that, Quinn and the team will visit the Canadian Forces Base in Petawawa. “It‘s something I‘m excited about,” he said. “We took those kids to Petawawa as part of our training camp. I promised when we won the gold medal, I‘d bring it back. We‘re going in there next Monday to be there in front of the soldiers where we trained.” As Quinn prepares to return to the spotlight, Jones is already eyeing a big start to next season when she, third Dawn Askin, Jill Officer and Cathy Overton-Clapham enter as favourites at the Canadian Olympic Trials in December. On the line is a chance to represent the country at the 2010 Vancouver Games. “We‘ve been working hard for the last few years together,” said Jones, who was making her first visit back to Thunder Bay since the days of the Grand Prix cashspiel. “We‘ve been figuring out a way to be playing our best at the Trials and hopefully we‘ve got a good plan and we come out and play well.” Jones could only laugh to herself when asked if Thunder Bay‘s Krista McCarville – a three-time Ontario women‘s champion and a rival of Jones on the world tour – would be challenging her to a shootout this week. “I don‘t think I‘d do well if it wasn‘t on ice,” said Jones, a 34-year-old lawyer from Winnipeg. “Krista‘s a great girl and I‘m sure they‘re going to do well at the Pre-Trials and hopefully make it to the Trials.” Top of Page |
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September 2, 2010, 9:18 am |