As he did during his NHL career, Trevor Linden did not disappoint Wednesday, confirming the rumours that the Vancouver Canucks would be holding their training camp for three days in Prince George this September, with all on-ice sessions open to the public.
Once at the podium, Linden said the raucous welcome from the adoring crowd he received seconds earlier is typical of the response he gets whenever he and former and current Canucks come to Prince George.
It's that deep love of the teams and players that made the decision to come to this city in the fall an easy one.
Prince George's support for the Canucks goes much deeper than simple hockey fanaticism. As a business, the Vancouver Canucks have benefited for decades from the constant support from area companies. Pacific Western Brewery, Canfor and the BID Group have luxury suites at GM Place. During hockey season, many Prince George residents heading to Vancouver for business and/or pleasure look to catch a Canucks game in person.
Prince George's ties to the Canucks are not just financial and fans, but also personal, both past and present.
Darcy Rota, one of the legendary names in Canucks lore and a driving force behind the team's first Stanley Cup final appearance in 1982, played his minor hockey in Prince George. To this day, Prince George boasts more than a few "Rota Rooters."
Fast forward to today. Dan Hamhuis is easily the most revered alumnus in Prince George Cougars history.
He turned down bigger money from other NHL teams in 2010 to sign with the Canucks and he spent some of that money joining a group of local businessmen, led by Greg Pocock, to buy the Cougars last year.
On a surface level, it could be argued the popularity of the Canucks in Prince George is bad for the Cougars (and the Spruce Kings).
Given the choice on a cold January night between sitting in old-school wooden bleachers at the Coliseum or unforgiving plastic seats at CN Centre or sitting in a recliner at home to watch the Canucks on a 70-inch high-definition TV, more than a few local hockey fans pick Canucks over Cougars or Kings.
Yet both local junior hockey teams know that what's good for the Canucks is ultimately good for their teams, fostering a love for the game, a desire to see live hockey and an ongoing interest in cheering for possible future NHL stars. Linden is clearly aware that the relationship works both ways.
Popular junior hockey teams in Prince George are good for hockey in general and the Canucks in particular.
Hosting the Canucks for three days in September will certainly be good for the broader community as well.
A group of up to 40 professional athletes, along with coaches, team personnel and Vancouver news media will have to eat and sleep somewhere.
Besides the hotels and restaurants, local retailers will see increased traffic from regional hockey fans booking time off to stay in Prince George for several days for this unique opportunity to see NHL talent close up.
But let's not forget Prince George and its hockey fans are not the only winners here.
In his role as Canucks president, Linden is bringing his team to Prince George this September to maintain a love affair.
Last year, Linden took over an NHL organization that was out of the playoffs, whose near and distant future prospects were uncertain and - worst of all from a business standpoint - that was no longer selling out home games.
Revitalizing and building the fan and business support towards the team is the path to continued success for the long-term success of the Canucks as an NHL franchise.
That's Linden's job as president and connecting the Canucks to the rest of the province, making them B.C.'s team, not just Vancouver's, is a smart hockey and business move.
There's no better place than Prince George for Linden and the Canucks to make that connection a reality and start the 2015-2016 campaign on the right foot.
Perhaps most significant of all, Prince George's passion for the Canucks has now reached the divine.
The Lheidli T'enneh elder giving the blessing at Wednesday's announcement also offered a prayer for a Stanley Cup for the Canucks.
Amen to that.
