Twenty-eight former Prince George Cougar players have gathered this weekend for the fifth annual Northland Auto Group/Cougars alumni golf tournament, set for Saturday at the Prince George Golf and Curling Club.
For some of those former Cats - Mike Bayrack, Ian Walterson, Derek Halldorson and Myles Zimmer - the weekend tournament is giving them a reason to return to Prince George for the first time since their junior hockey careers in the WHL came to an end.
Walterson, a defenceman, joined the Cougars in a trade from Brandon 40 games into the 1994-95 season, the first year of the Cougars' existence in Prince George, when they played at the Coliseum. He went on to play four more seasons with the Cats before moving on to the ECHL.
Bayrack was also a trade acquisition, coming from Medicine Hat early in the 1996-97 season. He capped his junior career as a 20-year-old centre with a 37-goal, 70-point season in '98-99.
Zimmer was a four-year Cougar at left wing from 2002-06 before joining the CIS at the University of Saskatchewan. Halldorson played just one year with the Cougars, after four years with Saskatoon, but made the most of his time in Prince George, conjuring up a magical 40-goal and 69-point season in 2001-02.
Their first official function as alumni players will be meet-and-greet/autograph session with the fans today from 4-5 p.m. at the Cougars' dressing room tour at CN Centre.
Considering all the changes made to the team facilities, with its new weight room and revamped dressing room, the aforementioned alumni won't recognize the place.
Cougars newly-hired head coach Richard Matvichuk, general manager Todd Harkins, president Greg Pocock and equipment manager Ramandeep (Chico) Dhanjal will be on hand to greet the fans and Rowdy Cat will be joined by a selection of prominent city mascots to make it fun for the kids, with free ice cream cones for everybody.
The tournament is sold out, with all 180 spots spoken for. It begins with a shotgun start Saturday at 10 a.m.
Sponsors will have the chance to bid for the Cougar player they would like to have in their foursomes. Dan Hamhuis, a Cougar team owner who recently signed with the Dallas Stars after playing the past six seasons with the Vancouver Canucks, will be one of the most highly sought-after alumni players in the auction from 7-9 p.m. on the floor of CN Centre, which follows a dinner.
Former NHL defenceman Eric Brewer is also in the city for the tournament but he won't be golfing. Brewer, who lives in Vancouver, suffered a separated shoulder last weekend when he crashed on his mountain bike riding trail at Whistler.
"We've got a good lineup of players coming, from Day 1 right through to this year - Joseph Carvalho and Chase Witala (from last year's team)," said tournament co-ordinator Gary Samis, the Cougars corporate sales manager.
The alumni association hopes to equal or exceed last year's $102,000 total raised. All proceeds will be donated to the Sprit of the North Healthcare Foundation to pay for cardiac equipment at the UHNBC. In the four previous years combined the tournament has brought in more than $232,000.
