Memorial Cup Mania Comes to Vancouver

Originally published in Prospects Hockey in 2007

By Lucas Aykroyd

For Vancouverites, the lyrics of the famous soccer anthem “You’ll Never Walk Alone” rang true this winter: “Walk on through the wind, walk on through the rain, though your dreams be tossed and blown.” Heavy storms toppled Stanley Park’s trees, deflated the roof of BC Place Stadium, and spawned the largest boil-water advisory in Canadian history. But better times lie ahead at the 89th MasterCard Memorial Cup, where dreams will come true at the Pacific Coliseum from May 18 to 27.

The 2007 battle for major junior hockey supremacy is the latest in a string of exciting sporting events that British Columbia’s biggest city has hosted recently. The 2005 CHL Top Prospects Game and the 2006 IIHF World Junior Championship entranced fans, and hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics will cap this remarkable run.

As chairman of the Memorial Cup Organizing Committee and owner of the Vancouver Giants, Ron Toigo is determined to make this year’s four-team extravaganza the best ever. “Bringing the Memorial Cup to Vancouver has been one of our goals since we got the franchise [in January 2000],” said Toigo.

The Tsawwassen entrepreneur first bid to host the 2004 tournament, but the WHL Board of Governors awarded it to the eventual champion Kelowna Rockets. “The bid process we went through with Kelowna was pretty intense, and a lot of behind-the-scenes lobbying went on there,” Toigo said. “Retrospectively, it was the right thing for Kelowna to win the bid. They did a great job, and taught us many things that will help us with our event.”

He learned so much from the process that in July 2005, Vancouver became the unanimous choice for 2007. That gratified Toigo’s competitive nature. “If there was one parking spot and I was vying for it with Ron, my car would be crashed before I got there,” quipped tournament general manager Stuart Ballantyne.

Successfully organizing the World Juniors was another huge boost. Like the organizing committee itself, the 500-odd volunteers staffing this Memorial Cup are mostly returnees. And much like the World Juniors, tickets have sold in unprecedented numbers. Nearly all 124,000 available seats should be filled, outpacing 2003’s attendance of 84,675 in Quebec City. The Giants will aim to deliver a tournament-record profit of at least $1.5 million, to be divided among the WHL clubs.

Ballantyne’s current focus is to ensure that all the logistics are in place, from team hotels and transportation to game pucks and practice times. As he learned from a humorous World Junior experience, it never hurts to be too prepared. “On the final night in Kamloops, the Russians had finished their game, and we knew teenaged players eat a lot at post-game meals,” Ballantyne recalled. “Our food services people had produced two steaks and a piece of chicken for every single player. But just four or five guys into the buffet lineup, there was nothing left! Our Russian team host took the rest of them to McDonald’s.” The OHL and QMJHL champs will have no worries about being well-fed.

This will be the first time fans have feasted on Memorial Cup hockey at the Pacific Coliseum since 1977, when the New Westminster Bruins captured their first national title in their third of four straight tournament appearances.

Stan Smyl, who captained the Bruins and later the Canucks, cherishes his memories of defeating Ottawa 6-5 in the final before 12,000 spectators, and he’s amazed by how this event has grown: “Back then, the highlight was the last game appearing on TV. A lot of players had never played in a televised game. Now all the Memorial Cup games are broadcast live on Sportsnet.”

“For some of this year’s participants, it may be their only chance to go to the Memorial Cup,” Ballantyne said. “We want them to remember Vancouver for a long time.”

“The energy that the players bring is outstanding,” added Smyl. “You’ll see some highly skilled players come in here, but also players that have really battled to make it. You never forget those memories, and that’s what the Memorial Cup is about. The fans will be entertained on and off the ice.”

With the who’s who of the CHL on hand and a supremely festive atmosphere, the 2007 Memorial Cup will be remembered fondly from coast to coast.