Stanley Keg Showcases Local Talent
Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Posted by MAC@GSH

Its primary intention was fun-oriented, but stripped down to its barest bones, last year's Stanley Keg hockey tournament at the Sportsplexe 4 Glaces in Pierrefonds offered observers far more. The talent on display was enough to make any National Hockey League scout drool. All of which made the fact eight teams competed for the chance to skate around the ice with a mock Stanley Cup made out of cake pans, a salad bowl and a beer keg almost secondary. For three days, many of the finest provincial and local Quebec major junior prospects, Canadian and United States university players and several professionals showed their wares in front of appreciative audiences. Presented in an all-star format — no body contact was allowed — the inaugural event, organized by Beaconsfield resident Derek McCann, began year and is again this year to crown a new winner. Players included Minnesota Wild defenceman Brent Burns, Pittsburgh Penguins forward Maxime Talbot, swift-skating defenceman Mario Scalzo Jr., a recent participant in the Memorial Cup as a member of the Rimouski Océanic, Luc Bourdon, a blue-chip NHL prospect currently toiling for the Val d'Or Foreurs, Torrey Mitchell, a San Jose Shark draft pick now playing for the University of Vermont Catamounts and former midget AAA West Island Lions forward Marc-André Gragnani, a member of the Prince Edward Island Rocket and an invitee to this summer's Canadian world junior team's evaluation camp. "Perhaps those NHL scouts should have come down," said Kirkland resident Herb Madill, a former head coach of the McGill Redmen hockey team during the 1970s, who spent the weekend enjoying the action while perched in his familiar spot high above the net, in the front-corner of the rink. "Even though there was no hitting, they could have got a good gauge on these guys' skating, puck-handling and shooting abilities."

In the end, the age and experience of a university and professional-laden Bar Stars squad proved too much for a youthful major junior-filled Blues Brothers team to handle. Sparked by Lakeshore Hockey Association product and former midget AAA Lac St. Louis Lions defenceman Lucas Madill's overtime winner, the Stars won 5-4 to earn the right to carry the Keg around the ice.
"Everyone rushed on the ice after the puck went in, just like we won a major title," said a laughing Madill who plans to play for the Redmen this fall. "It was nice to win some kind of a championship. Most of all, though, it was great to play with a bunch of guys I have known since we were kids."
Those included Beaconsfield native Nick Kuiper, a member of the Chicago Blackhawks organization who played last year for the American Hockey League Norfolk Admirals, goaltender Dustin Traylen, a Kirkland resident who played last year for the NCAA Clarkson University Golden Knights and forward Joey D'Amico, captain of the Concordia Stingers.
Madill's shot snuck by goaltender Josh Tordjman, a Beaconsfield resident who has come into his own as a major junior backstopper for the Victoriaville Tigers.
"It was disappointing to lose, especially since they tied it up with 18 seconds left in the game," said Tordjman, who put on an amazing performance during the Tigers' 3-2 overtime victory in game four of their quarter-final series last spring against the Quebec Remparts. The Tigers were outshot 63-23 in the contest, with Tordjman standing on his head throughout. "As a goalie it was enjoyable, though. The percentage of shots compared to scoring chances, were a lot higher than in regular games."
Tordjman's teammates included West Island native Rosario Ruggeri, a former midget AAA Lion. Now a member of the Philadelphia Flyers organization, Ruggeri hopes to crack the AHL Philadelphia Phantoms lineup this fall.
Note: The tournament also included a B division, featuring players from top men's league teams along with a few high-level players who couldn't find spots with A teams.

This year the tournament is back featuring players like Minnesota Wilds JF Boucher and a handfulof other NHL'ers, supported by over 20 AHL players with the rest being mostly ECHL, NCAA, and major junior standouts. For some great hockey and even bettter times after the game, check out www.stanleykeg.com for more info. Gongshow Hockey is a title sponsor each year of this great tournament and will be once again submitting a team to compete for the ultimate summer trophy....the Stanley Keg!