CRANBROOK -- Last year Cranbrook's junior hockey team left for Winnipeg and created a void for the city, but this weekend, a new team hit the ice.
The Cranbrook Bucks are competing in the British Columbia hockey league. They played their first home game on Friday night, and are back on the ice on Saturday.
“To finally get into game, to see our guys skate on this ice, it’s been very cool this weekend,” said team owner and president Nathan Lieuwen.
Lieuwen is hoping to create some buzz in the community around the Bucks.
The former man behind the mask saw there was a void in the community, and wanted to do something about it.
“The people here are great. They love hockey and they deserve great hockey. We have a big, beautiful building here. I was in a unique position to be able to do this and the BCHL is on such an upswing right now. It seemed like just such a great fit.”
“We noticed a difference when the Ice left,” said Patrick Thom, owner of The Cottage restaurant.
“The teams have to have places to stay when they come here, and places to eat. Lot of the parents travel with them.”
Past Ice players feels the town is deserving of a team
“The rink there is awesome, the people there are awesome. They have great fans,” said former Ice captain Luke Philp.
Philp played in the Memorial Cup for Red Deer, was named the 2019 Upsort Men’s Hockey Player of the Year, and is now a member of the Flames' farm team.
But before all that, he was just a kid from Canmore watching his local junior team. He knows how important the junior players are and how they can inspire the next generation.
“The impact you have on those kids when you’re 16-20. Playing junior, the kids especially in a small town, you’re their stars; you’re their heroes."
Fan attendance is limited, so Bucks games can only be watched online.
The team is playing an exhibition series called the Kootenay Cup with the Trail Smoke Eaters before the regular season kicks off in early December.
