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WHL Western Hockey League

Roster Changes Announced for WHL's 50th Season Pro Am Alumni Game

February 3, 2016 - Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release


Kamloops, BC - The Western Hockey League (WHL) announced today roster changes and additions for the WHL's 50th Season Pro Am Alumni Game on Thursday as part of the Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada celebrations in Kamloops, BC.

Glen Goodall, a former Seattle Thunderbird, will draw into the lineup for Team Recchi on Thursday. Goodall's 399 career regular season games played from 1984-90 are the most in WHL history. Goodall also holds the regular season WHL record with 262 goals and sits second in the record books with 573 career regular season points.

Another former Thunderbird in Thomas Vicars will also suit up for Team Recchi, as will Gord Cutler. Rod Branch, a former Blazer and two-time WHL and Memorial Cup Champion, will draw in for Team Tucker. Branch was part of Kamloops' 1994 and 1995 championship-winning teams before splitting the 1995-96 season between the Calgary Hitmen and Prince Albert Raiders.

Former Regina Pat Garth Butcher is unable to participate in the game.

Cassie Campbell-Pascall will coach Team Tucker while Blazers' Majority Owner Tom Gaglardi will run the bench for Team Recchi. WHL Commissioner Ron Robison will serve as an assistant coach for Team Recchi and Scotiabank's Lisa Ferkul will assist Campbell-Pascall on Team Tucker's bench.

The puck will drop on the WHL's 50th Season Pro Am Alumni Game at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 4, at the Sandman Centre in Kamloops. The event will feature former Kamloops Blazers greats Mark Recchi and Darcy Tucker captaining teams made up of NHL and WHL alumni as well as celebrity guests in a fun, family-oriented game.

Team Recchi

Team Recchi will be captained by former Kamloops Blazer Mark Recchi and boasts a roster with over 8,000 NHL games played. Recchi played 1,652 of those games himself and is a three-time Stanley Cup champion. Former New Westminster Bruin Cliff Ronning will also suit up for Team Recchi and still sits second all-time in the WHL record books with his 197-point campaign in 1984-85.

Ajay Baines

WHL: Kamloops Blazers

Chris Showler

Cliff Ronning

WHL: New Westminster Bruins

NHL: St. Louis, Vancouver, Phoenix, Nashville, Los Angeles, Minnesota, New York Islanders

Dave Babych

WHL: Portland Winter Hawks

NHL: Winnipeg, Hartford, Vancouver, Philadelphia, Los Angeles

Dave Chyzowski

WHL: Kamloops Blazers

NHL: New York Islanders, Chicago

Dennis Holland

WHL: Portland Winter Hawks

Garth Butcher

WHL: Regina Pats

NHL: Vancouver, St. Louis, Quebec, Toronto

Geoff Smith

WHL: Kamloops Blazers

NHL: Edmonton, Florida, New York Rangers

Glen Goodall

WHL: Seattle Thunderbirds

Gord Bamford

22-time CCMA award winner

Gord Cutler

Greg Hawgood

WHL: Kamloops Blazers

NHL: Boston, Edmonton, Philadelphia, San Jose, Vancouver, Dallas

Kirk McLean

NHL: New Jersey, Vancouver, Carolina, Florida, New York Rangers

Kirt Hill

WHL: Regina Pats, Kelowna Rockets

WHL Senior Manager, Player Development

Mark Recchi

WHL: Kamloops Blazers, New Westminster Bruins

NHL: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Montreal, Carolina, Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Boston

Marty Recchi

Rich Pilon

WHL: Prince Albert Raiders

NHL: New York Islanders, New York Rangers, St. Louis

Steve Gainey

WHL: Kamloops Blazers

NHL: Dallas, Phoenix

Thomas Vicars

WHL: Seattle Thunderbirds, Prince Albert Raiders

Wendel Clark

WHL: Saskatoon Blades

NHL: Toronto, Quebec, New York Islanders, Tampa Bay, Detroit, Chicago

Team Tucker

Team Tucker will be led by former Kamloops Blazers great Darcy Tucker. Part of each of the Blazers' record three Memorial Cups in four years in the mid-90s, Tucker went on to an NHL career that spanned 947 games. In total, Team Tucker has played in over 7,500 NHL games and includes Hockey Hall of Famer, and former Medicine Hat Tiger, Lanny McDonald. McDonald won a Stanley Cup with Calgary in 1989 and owns 1006 of Team Tucker's 3,784 career NHL points. Former Blazer Rob Brown will also suit up for Team Recchi and sits fourth in WHL history with 522 career points. Brown also still holds a WHL record with 212 points recorded during the 1986-87 season.

Blair Rota

WHL: Kamloops Blazers

Chris Murray

WHL: Kamloops Blazers

NHL: Montreal, Hartford, Carolina, Ottawa, Chicago, Dallas

Corey Hirsch

WHL: Kamloops Blazers

NHL: New York Rangers, Vancouver, Washington, Dallas

Cory Cross

NHL: Tampa Bay, Toronto, New York Rangers, Edmonton, Pittsburgh, Detroit

Darcy Tucker

WHL: Kamloops Blazers

NHL: Montreal, Tampa Bay, Toronto, Colorado

Evan Marble

WHL: Swift Current, Medicine Hat, Moose Jaw, Tri-City

Greg Gardner

WHL: Prince George Cougars

WHL Manager, Education Services

Greg Schell

Jeff Finley

WHL: Portland Winter Hawks

NHL: New York Islanders, Philadelphia, Winnipeg, New York Rangers, Phoenix, St. Louis

Lanny McDonald

WHL: Medicine Hat Tigers, Calgary Centennials

NHL: Toronto, Colorado, Calgary

Les Consenheim

Mark Napier

NHL: Montreal, Minnesota, Edmonton, Buffalo

Rob Brown

WHL: Kamloops Blazers

NHL: Pittsburgh, Hartford, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles

Rod Branch

WHL: Kamloops Blazers, Calgary Hitmen, Prince Albert Raiders

Ron MacLean

Host, Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada, Rogers Hometown Hockey

Scott Ferguson

WHL: Kamloops Blazers

NHL: Edmonton, Anaheim, Minnesota

Steve Passmore

WHL: Tri-City Americans, Victoria Cougars, Kamloops Blazers

NHL: Edmonton, Chicago, Los Angeles

Stu Barnes

WHL: New Westminster Bruins, Tri-City Americans

NHL: Winnipeg, Florida, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, Dallas

Wade Redden

WHL: Brandon Wheat Kings

NHL: Ottawa, New York Rangers, St. Louis, Boston

Zac Boyer

WHL: Kamloops Blazers

NHL: Dallas

Previously, the WHL announced that Canadian country music star Gord Bamford will suit up in the game. Kamloops fans will have a chance to be Gord Bamford's guest at the Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada Celebrity Luncheon on Thursday afternoon, and to receive tickets to cheer Gord on at the Pro Am game, courtesy of Kamloops Country 103. Fans are encouraged to listen to Country 103 for contest details.

Fans will also have an opportunity to bid on all player jerseys and receive them off the players' backs, on-ice at the conclusion of the game. Proceeds from the jersey auction will be donated to KidSport (www.kidsportcanada.ca), a charitable organization that provides financial assistance to kids who want to play organized sports. Both the WHL and Gord Bamford have long been supporters of KidSport. In addition to the jersey fundraiser, the Gord Bamford Foundation has pledged $125,000 to the organization over a five-year commitment.

Tickets for the WHL 50th Season ProAm Game are available now at the Sandman Centre Box Office (250-828-3339) or Sahali TicketMaster (Adults/Seniors/Youth-$10 plus tax; Children 12 and under $5 plus tax).

Fans are encouraged to wear a jersey throughout the week celebrating Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada. Additional Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada events taking place in Kamloops from February 3 to 6, 2016, include:

Celebrity Luncheon

Thursday, February 4, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (doors open 11:15 a.m.) - Tournament Capital Centre

With special guests Ron MacLean, Don Cherry, Trevor Linden, as well as numerous NHL Alumni™, the Stanley Cup and Memorial Cup.

Tickets $50 (taxes included)-Tickets available at the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce, please call 778-257-5900.

The Music of Hockey Presented by Scotiabank, with host Ron MacLean

Friday, February 5, 2016-7:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. - Sandman Centre

Musical guests include hockey legend Bryan Trottier, Dave Bidini & Bidini Band, Tom Wilson, Barney Bentall, Amelia Curran, Craig Northey and Lindy Vopnfjord with numerous special guests making stage appearances throughout the evening.

All tickets $5.00-available at the Sandman Centre Box Office

Kamloops Blazers VS Edmonton Oil Kings

Saturday, February 6, 2016- 5:00 p.m. - Sandman Centre

Special Guests Ron MacLean and Don Cherry will be on-site for the official puck drop

Tickets are available at the Sandman Centre Box Office

A number of other free, local community activities will also take place throughout the community over the multi-day hockey celebration, including an Opening Ceremony at Sun Peaks on Wednesday, February 3, public viewings of the Stanley Cup®, the Memorial Cup, school visits and minor hockey clinics. On Saturday, February 6 at Sandman Centre, hockey fans will enjoy a youth road hockey tournament, Sportsnet's live 13-hour broadcast featuring all seven all seven Canadian NHL® teams in action, NHL Alumni™ autograph sessions, free merchandise, and a Blazers pre-game party. The weekend will also play host to Scotiabank's Community HockeyFest event, where sponsored minor hockey teams can participate in an on-ice clinic with NHL Alumni™.

Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada is a nationally televised event, produced by Sportsnet. Each year a host city is selected from a number of applicants, with the 2016 event to be hosted in Kamloops, BC.

Previous host locations include: Halifax, NS (2015); Lloydminster, AB/SK (2014); Peterborough, ON (2013); Prince Edward Island (2012); Whitehorse, Yukon (2011); Stratford, ON (2010); Campbellton, N.B. (2009); Winkler, MB (2008); Nelson, B.C. (2007); Stephenville, N.L., (2006); Shaunavon, SK (2004); Iqualuit, Nunavut (2003); Windsor, N.S. (2002); Red Deer, AB (2001); and Toronto, ON (2000).

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