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WHL Brandon Wheat Kings

Hall of Fame Announcement Includes Wheat King Ties

April 12, 2011 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Brandon Wheat Kings News Release


Winnipeg, MB. -- Three builders with significant ties to the Western Hockey League's Brandon Wheat Kings will be among those inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame in 2011.

Former Wheat King defenceman Don Dietrich, former Brandon general manager and coach Glen Lawson and longtime Wheat King owner Bob Cornell were among the list of four builders named to the Hall at a news conference Tuesday in Winnipeg.

In addition to the four builders, which also includes Winnipeg's Ted Foreman, a total of seven players, two officials and two members of the media will be inducted this year. As well, six championship teams will be entered into the Hall at its induction banquet on October 1st at the Canad Inns Polo Park in Winnipeg.

A former owner of the Wheat Kings, Cornell received the prestigious WHL Governor's Award in 2007, recognizing his more than three decades of service to the Wheat Kings and the WHL. On two occasions, "Plumber" helped a financially troubled franchise and kept the team from moving from western Manitoba.

Lawson was born and raised in Brandon and played junior hockey for the Wheat Kings in 1953-54 after which he played for the Fort William Hurricanes. After returning to Brandon, he coached a talented group of juveniles in the Senior Big Six League and helped to lead them to a provincial championship. Following years of success behind the bench, Glen was instrumental in helping Brandon break into the Western Canada Hockey League in 1967. In addition to coaching, Lawson served as a general manager and part owner of the franchise.

A member of the Wheat Kings 1979 WHL Championship team that came within a goal of winning the Memorial Cup, Dietrich soaked up a lot of knowledge as a player in the American Hockey League, the ECHL, the National Hockey League and Europe. A former draft choice of the Chicago Blackhawks, the Deloraine product has passed this on to players as he continues to work with young people of all ages - from the Deloraine Royals senior team to the Southwest midget Cougars. An active member of Canada's national coach mentorship program, Don has overcome a number of health issues to be insturmental in developing a local Breakfast Club where young players come out twice a week to practice their skill development.

Foreman meanwhile spent eighteen years on the board of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League's Winnipeg South (Fort Garry) Blues, including eight as president. As well, he was a valuable director with the NHL's Winnipeg Jets.

Two forwards with impressive credentials, Mike Keane and Theoren Fleury, headline the list of players to be named to the Hall on Tuesday. During his 16-year NHL career, Keane won Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens, Colorado Rockies and Dallas Stars. The product of Sir John Franklin Community Club in Winnipeg then returned home and captained the Manitoba Moose of the AHL for five seasons.

A Russell product, Fleury scored 455 goals and added 633 assists during his 15 seasons in the NHL primarily with the Calgary Flames. Both Keane and Fleury played their junior hockey with the WHL's Moose Jaw Warriors.

Joining them as players will be four defenceman and one goalkeeper. The blueliners include Terry Ball, George Konik, Neil Wilkinson and Deloraine's Jayson More.

While still junior age, Terry Ball from Fort Garry joined Winnipeg Maroons for the team's Canadian senior championship run in 1964. The small but hard-hitting defenseman played in the NHL with Philadelphia Flyers and Buffalo Sabres plus five seasons in the WHA.

Konik played a major role when his hometown Flin Flon Bombers won the Canadian junior championship in 1957. He was also a member of the University of Denver Pioneers that won two NCAA titles and the US National team that won the World B Championship in 1970.

A former Lethbridge Bronco and Wheat King, More played 406 games in the NHL with six teams and was a first round draft choice of the NHL's New York Rangers.

Selkirk product Neil Wilkinson was a member of the Winnipeg Jets during the 1994-95 and 1995-96 seasons and in total played 460 games in the NHL with five different teams.

Netminder Karl Friesen grew up in the Elmwood area of Winnipeg and played junior for the West Kildonan North Stars of the MJHL. He went to Germany in 1980-81 and played there until 1995-96 with the exception of the 1985-86 season in the AHL. The following year, he played four games with New Jersey Devils of the NHL before returning to Germany. A four-time German goalie and player of the year, he played in three Winter Olympics and six world championships.

Going in as officials are Laura (Vanderhorst) Loeppky and Bud Ulrich while the Media section will welcome Curt Keilback and Bob Picken. Picken covered all sports including hockey during his lengthy career while Keilback served as play-byplay voice of the Jets for several seasons before moving to Phoenix.

When the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame was formed in 1985, 36 championship teams starting with the Winnipeg Victorias that won the Stanley Cup in 1896 were recognized along with a large induction class of individuals. Since then a number of those teams have been honoured at induction ceremonies and this fall three teams will be added to that group. The 1955-56 Winnipeg Warriors won the Western Hockey League championship and then beat the Montreal Royals to win the Edinburgh Cup and the east-west minor professional championship. The nucleus of the first-year team that called the new Winnipeg Arena home was from Manitoba. Two Canadian intermediate championships teams will be honoured. The Warroad Lakers won the Hardy Cup in 1974 with a lineup that included several Manitobans. The North End Flyers primarily comprised of players from Winnipeg's North End, won the cup in 1983.

The Hall of Fame also will induct the Warroad Lakers teams that won a record three consecutive Allan Cups, emblematic of the Canadian senior championship, in 1994, 1995 and 1996. The Laker teams from Warroad, Minn. were registered with Hockey Manitoba.

The Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame is an incorporated, non-profit organization dedicated to Manitoba's hockey heritage, past, present and future. Our Hall of Fame exhibit that includes plaques with photos of our honoured members and a team Wall of Champions is located in the MTS Centre in downtown Winnipeg.

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