SPORTS FLASHBACK 1972: Steinbach hosts first minor hockey school

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 12/05/2024 (352 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Although the NHL and the WHA haven’t been getting along too well lately, the Steinbach Hockey Association is happy the disputes have, up to now, been at the head office level. Players from the rival leagues are working together as instructors for Steinbach’s first summer hockey school.

Ken Block, a native of Grunthal, who recently signed with the WHA New York Raiders, is no stranger to the area. Block played junior hockey with the Flin Flon Bombers and in the 1964-65 season was runner-up as rookie of the year with the New York Rangers of the Eastern Hockey League’s northern division. He has played pro hockey in Baltimore, Memphis, Rochester and Vancouver.

Block’s biggest asset has been his durability and stamina. In one game last season, he played 58 minutes when his Rochester team found themselves down to three defensemen because of injuries. He moves the puck extremely well and has been used on left wing several times during his career. His hockey knowledge and experience make Block a perfect instructor for Steinbach’s first summer hockey school.

The second instructor for this year’s summer school is also a seasoned pro. Wayne Chernicki was a junior star with the Winnipeg Jets in the WHL and has just signed with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings.

With two weeks instruction from these professionals, the hockey stars of the future can look forward to a head start on the 1972-73 hockey season.

Arena ice in August will also give the public the opportunity for an early skate. Every day during the hockey school, the arena will be open for pleasure skating from 4:30 to 6 p.m. The hockey school will be using the arena from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. but should anyone want to rent ice time after this, or on weekends, ice time is available.

With the early installation of ice, the Steinbach Arena will open its 1972-73 skating season about two months earlier than usual. The ice won’t only be used by local organizations but provides the Selkirk Steelers with a home for their training camp. The junior team will start training here Sept. 8 and will play at least four exhibition contests at the arena.

Four high school stars from the 1972 provincial championship SCI Sabres have been invited to the MJHL Steelers camp. Ray Mutcheson, Kim Fries, Art Peters and Andy Stoesz have been asked to train with the junior team. Their Sabres teammate, Ken Neufeld, has been offered a tryout with the Brandon Wheat Kings.

The WHL Winnipeg Jets also have had their eye on the high school stars and have invited Mutcheson, Fries and Reg Penner to their camp.

Steinbach’s minor hockey program can only benefit by the extended season for the extra conditioning and added ice time will certainly be evident during regular season play. A decade down the road, Grunthal may not be the only community in the area able to boast having a hockey star in the WHA.