CHL to Honor Doug Lawrence and HOF Members at Tonight's Game
November 2, 2013 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Tulsa Oilers News Release
TULSA, OK - Prior to the start of Saturday night's game against the Allen Americans, the Tulsa Oilers will hold a ceremony to honor the five member of the Central Hockey Leauge Hall of Fame Class of 2013. Oilers legend Doug Lawrence will be recognized along with Doug Sauter, Hardy Sauter, Brad Lund, and N. Thomas Berry.
Arguably, the most popular and most recognizable player to ever put on an Oilers jersey, Lawrence spent nine seasons in Tulsa from 1992-2002. Known for his toughness, loved by fans for his tenacity, and revered around the league for his skill, the Richmond, British Columbia native played a key role in leading the Oilers to the 1992-93 CHL Championship. In Tulsa's run to a title, Lawrence recorded 61 points (14 goals, 47 assists) in 38 regular season games. He posted 18 points in the postseason which culminated with Tulsa's 4-1 series victory over the rival Oklahoma City Blazers.
Over the next decade, the man who became known simply as "Dougie" would be the face of the Oilers franchise. Lawrence played 428 games in a Tulsa uniform and also spent brief period of time with the Memphis Riverkings (1992), the Oklahoma City Blazers (1995-96), and the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs (1999-00). Lawrence ranks number one all-time in the CHL with 684 career assists and tops the league charts with 2,109 penalty minutes. His 875 career points put him in fourth place on the CHL's all-time points list and he still holds the CHL single season assist record with 100 helpers during the 1996-97 campaign.
A three-time CHL All-Star (1998, 1999, and 2000), Lawrence tallied 127 points in 1996-97, tying him with former teammate Luc Beausoleil for the Oilers single season record. Four times as an Oiler, Lawrence reached the 100-point plateau in a regular season and he helped lead Tulsa to seven playoff appearances.
On January 23, 2009, the Oilers retired Lawrence's jersey. A #9 banner hangs high in the rafters at the BOK Center as a constant reminder of Lawrence's contributions to the Oilers organization.
Today, Lawrence makes his home in Tulsa and remains a favorite son of all those who call themselves hockey fans in Northeast Oklahoma.
Hardy Sauter, who played all 590 games of his CHL career with the Oklahoma City Blazers, appeared in eight CHL All-Star games, more than any other player in league history. The Saskatchewan native is the first CHL defenseman to record 100 points in a single season and hit the 100-point plateau in three consecutive seasons. Sauter is a two-time CHL Defenseman of the Year and helped lead the Blazers to the 2001 CHL Championship. He ranks eighth on the league's all-time points list with 669 and stands fifth all-time with 527 assists.
Doug Sauter, head coach of the Oklahoma City Blazers for 14 years and known to hockey fans across Oklahoma for his iconic mustache, is the CHL's all-time leader with 544 wins and 918 games coached. Sauter guided the Blazers to four regular season titles and two CHL Championships (1996 and 2001). He helped Oklahoma City reach the postseason in 11 of his 14 seasons behind the bench and was named CHL Coach of the Year in 1996. Sauter holds an all-time record of 544-291-83, a .683 winning percentage.
Brad Lund is a four-time CHL Executive of the Year and served as the President and CEO of the Oklahoma City Blazers for 16 years. Lund played a pivotal role in the 2001 merger between the CHL and the Western Professional Hockey League. He served on the CHL Board of Directors for eight years and was a key contributor to the Missouri Mavericks as well as the Denver Cutthroats.
N. Thomas Berry, has been involved in minor league hockey for more than 50 years. He has served as an off-ice official, team owner, and league Commissioner. In 2010, the CHL's Berry Conference was dedicated in his name.
The Oilers and the Americans drop the puck tonight at the BOK Center at 7:35 p.m. Tulsa is still searching for its first victory of the season while Allen looks to remain undefeated.
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