Big Z won't be swinging his clubs this year in the Prince George Cougars seventh annual Alumni Hospital Charity golf tournament but he's well aware of what's going on this weekend at the Prince George Golf and Curling Cub.
Ever since the tournament began in 2012, Zdeno Chara has been near the top of the list of invited players but has never played.
The lure of watching the six-foot-nine giant using those long limbs to bash a golf ball would be an obvious draw.
It's been a tough sell convincing the Boston Bruins captain to give up his summer to come back to the city where he first made a name for himself playing defence for the Cougars in the 1996-97 season.
Chara is back in his native Slovakia and won't be playing in Saturday's tournament but has sent a personalized video which will be played tonight when the golfers and sponsors gather at CN Centre for the dinner, player draft and live/silent auction.
"He's a bit of gym rat and it's video of him sweating in the gym sweating, just acknowledging his time with the Cougars and wishing everybody a good time at the tournament," said tournament chairman Gary Samis.
"He said to me one time, "I shoot a puck better than I hit a golf ball.'"
Samis says it's tough to get active NHL players to commit to returning to Cougarville for the tournament, just because their time is so limited, even in the off-season.
"We've tried Buff (Dustin Byfuglien), we've tried Chara and we thought we had Chris Mason this year but couldn't get him, and we couldn't get (Devin) Setoguchi," said Samis. "All the big names we try every year but summer is their golden time and it's tough to get them out."
The alumni lineup this year features 32 former Cougar players. Ten of them are first-time participants, including Tate Olson, Shane Collins, Alex Forsberg, Jesse Forsberg, Jordan Tkatch, Nick Buonassisi, Jake Mykitiuk, Shaun Dosanjh, Josh Anderson and Brogan O'Brien. O'Brien is playing for the second time but it's his first as an alumni member.
"We're dedicating the tournament to honour the memory of Brock Hirsche, a Cougar captain who passed away in February, and Brian Brownridge (a former Prince George city counsellor and well-known businessman who died July 5), who was a strong supporter of our tournament," said Samis.
"A lot of the newbies are coming to this year's tournament for Brock Hirsche. Probably five of six of them played with Brock."
Quinn Hancock, who still owns the Cougar season records for most goals (54) and points (112) in a season, set in 1997-98, is back for the tournament. Brett Connolly wont be making the trip back for the tournament but his brother Josh, a former Cougar defenceman, will be there.
Chris Petersen, 42, an original Prince George Cougars centre when the franchise was moved from Victoria in 1994, will be one of the most coveted golfers in the draft. Petersen, 42, is a scratch golfer and teaching pro based in Edmonton.
This will be the first Cougars tournament for newly-hired goalie coach Taylor Dakers.
Head coach Richard Matvichuk will be the kingpin of the "beat the coach" 50/50 fundraiser trying to get closest to the pin on a Par 3 hole.
The tournament is annually one of the city's most popular golf events. In six years the tournament has raised close to $400,000 for the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation to pay for equipment at University Hospital of Northern B.C.
Last year's event raised $105,000 to equip a hospital room with four ECHO ultrasound units used for emergency diagnosis of cardiac patients. At least $80,000 is expected to be raised this weekend, which should be enough to complete the foundation's Regional Cardiac Strategy for UHNBC. Proceeds will fund two cardiac treadmills and monitoring equipment used for cardiac patients.
"That's $400,000 in net donations that have gone towards local health care, that's what was left over (after expenses) to donate, that's a profoundly awesome amount of money from a golf tournament," said Andy Beesley, the Cougars vice-president, business.
"It sold out months ago and that's a sign that we have an unbelievable community with generous supporters and that the Cougars are still a really important part of this community. People look to this tournament as being one of the premier tournaments as of the year and a really great cause with a great team."
Fans are invited to an autograph session with the players today from 4-5 p.m. at the CN Centre concourse, where a new wall sign will be unveiled to commemorate Cougars who have gone on to play in the NHL.
The sign was paid for by the Cougars Alumni Association.
