For two weeks in September, Penticton became a professional hockey city when the Vancouver Canucks set up shop for training camp.
The Canucks have a long history moving their camp to other B.C. cities, including Victoria, Courtenay, Powell River, Duncan, Parksville, Kamloops, Vernon and Whistler. They've also gathered their team for the pre-season in Stockholm, Sweden in 2000, and have staged camps in Calgary and Medicine Hat, Alta.
So why not Prince George?
City resident Fred Dettling thinks it's time the city had its turn to prove it's a pro hockey town and he'd like to see it happen to draw national attention to the 2015 Canada Winter Games.
"I think 2014 (to the Canucks) would be a bit of pull because they know the Canada Games are coming here," said Dettling, a longtime Prince George Cougars season-ticket holder.
"It would be nice to get that rookie camp. It draws a lot of people and if you get six teams coming for a rookie tournament, you'll get a helluva draw from people from all over. That's what we need. It would be well supported by hockey fans in Northern B.C. and would focus the Canada-wide media on Prince George and the Canada Winter Games, prior to the Games."
Dettling attended the Canucks training camp a few years ago in Whistler and thinks Prince George is better equipped to host an NHL camp.
"They don't have any facilities there other than golf courses, our arena is 20 times better than that," Dettling said. "It's still a little political. Maybe (Vancouver Olympics CEO and former Prince George resident) John Furlong could put in a word for us."
Dettling addressed an email to Prince George city councilor Brian Skakun and Andy Beesley, CN Centre and community arenas manager, to try and get the political ball rolling.
Skakun needed no convincing. He thinks a plan to bring the Canucks to Prince George is well worth pursuing.
"I think it's a great idea and I've already brought this up with Mayor Rogers," said Skakun. "If the political will is there, and I think it is, we should be able to get them here (before) the 2015 Games.
"That's definitely a possibility, with (former Prince George Cougars defenceman) Dan Hamhuis now on the Canucks and people like (former Canuck) Darcy Rota and Prince George city council and others pulling together.
"If communities like Penticton can do it, I see no reason why Prince George couldn't have a training camp here. It would be incredibly well-attended and it would give great exposure for our city. We have the fans, we have the facilities, and we have the political willingness. Working with businesses and whatever it takes, I think we could get them here and I'll do all I can with the support of the community and people like Fred Dettling to make it happen if possible."
Skakun said a visit by the Canucks could help the Prince George Cougars launch a bid to host big events like the Memorial Cup. At the very least, hockey fans would be in for a treat.
"With the scrimmages and everything else, I think we could pack a lot of people into CN Centre to watch them," Skakun said. "That would generate some revenue to help offset some of the costs to get them here.
"If we could work with the hotel association and Tourism Prince George to come up with some sort of package for them to stay at some really nice facilities I think we could do it but it's going to take a concerted effort."
