Category: 2017 Inductees

Those inducted in 2017 to the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame

  • Prince Albert Mintos 2005/2006 & 2006/2007 – Team

    Developmental hockey in Prince Albert has featured the Mintos of the Saskatchewan Midget AAA League as the top minor hockey-associated team. In the mid-2000’s, the Mintos reach a new level of excellence, winning back to back national Telus Cup Championships in 2005-06 and 2006-07, the first time in the 29-year history this had happened. The Mintos would finish 2nd in the SMAAHL during the regular season in 2005-06 with a 31-9-1 record. They then won the league playoffs, including sweeping regular season champion Saskatoon Blazers 3 games to 0 in the final to advance to the Western Regionals in Tisdale. The Mintos then went undefeated at Regionals, including a 5-2 win over the Winnipeg Thrashers in the final to qualify for the 2006 Telus Cup National Midget Championships in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. At the 2006 Telus Cup, the Mintos breezed through the round robin with a 5-0 record. In the semis they rolled over Chateaguay, Quebec 8-0 to advance to the final against the Calgary Buffaloes. Captain Ron Meyers scored in the third overtime period to give the Mintos a 5-4 victory over the Buffaloes, whose roster included Jordan Eberle. Prince Albert Minor Hockey product Matthew Robertson, who won the league scoring title that year, was named the top forward at the Telus Cup after scoring 12 goals, to break a record previously held by Sidney Crosby. With four players returning (Tommy Brown, Curtis Kulchar, Jadon Potter and Owen Roschuk), the 2006-07 Mintos had a new look on the ice. But off the ice lead by President Zenon Markowsky, Manager Mike Mazurek, Coach Tim Leonard, Assistant Coaches Maurice Lemire and Wally Lynds, Trainer Quentin Halcro, Equipment Manager Dan (Cobra) Taylor and Executive member Rick Willie, the expectation remained high. And the team delivered. The Mintos cruised through the SMAAAHL regular season with a record of 35-7-1-1 to win the title. The playoffs saw the Mintos defeat the Notre Dame Hounds in the final to advance to the Western Regionals in Brandon, Manitoba. Once again the Mintos went through the Regionals unscathed, including a 4-3 win over the Brandon Wheat Kings in the final to advance to their second straight Telus Cup, this time in Red Deer, Alberta. Minto Magic at the Telus Cup continued as they would run their winning streak to 14 games in 2007, sweeping the round robin, defeating St-Francois Blizzard of Quebec 4-2 in the Semi Final, then defeated the host Red Deer Optimist Rebels 3-2 in double overtime in the final. Ryan Fox scored the OT winner for the Mintos to stun the home crowd, who saw Prince Albert end a 29 game home-ice winning streak in the round robin of the tournament. Tyler Fiddler was awarded the top forward, Lewis Laczko the top defenceman and Carson Chubak the top goalie at the Telus Cup. Inducted in the Team Category in the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame, please welcome both the 2005/06 and the 2006/07 Prince Albert Mintos.

    Prince Albert Mintos 2005/2006 & 2006/2007 – Team

  • Douglas Primeau – Athlete

    The late Doug Primeau was a highly successful participant in bowling, fastball and baseball through the 1970’s and 80’s. A successful athlete, Doug also gave back to the sports he was involved with as a coach and mentor. Bowling saw Primeau excel on lanes across Canada based out of Minto Bowl in Prince Albert. His prowess started in 1965 when he won the Senior Boys Singles Saskatchewan title, representing the province at Nationals in Agincourt, Ontario followed by the same feat in 1966 and a trip to Vancouver, BC. That would start a string of 13 Provincial titles for Primeau in singles bowling. He also won 4 provincial crowns on teams: 1978, 1979 and 1981 on the PA Men’s team and in 1983 as part of the PA Mixed team. The ’78 Men’s team went on to win the National championship with a 12-6 won/loss record at the Nationals in Thunder Bay, Ontario. The 1983 PA Mixed team also won the Canadian Title, again hosted in Thunder Bay. Primeau has previously been inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame as a member of the ‘78 Canadian Men’s team and also is in the PA Sports Hall of Fame as a member of the ’78 team and the ‘83 Canadian Champion Mixed team. His legacy at Minto Bowl was being called “Mr. Quick Fix”. He would study bowlers and be able to give them advice on how to improve their game. These tips more often than not, improved the bowlers’ games. In fastball, Doug Primeau was the king of the Hot Corner, playing 3rd base for decades. In 1972 he led the Social Services team to the Sportsman League title and was named league MVP and all-star 3rd baseman. 7 times Primeau played in Canadian Native Fastball championship tournaments for the PA Tribesmen (1978), SMDC Native Sons (1980, 1981, 1983), and as a playing coach for the Friendship Centre (1983, 1984, 1985). The British Columbia Arrows were the team Primeau-led teams couldn’t get by, twice losing to them in finals of big tournaments: in 1983 they lost 12-6 to the Arrows in an International tournament in Norman, Oklahoma, and in 1985 they lost 3-2 to the Arrows in the final of the Canadian finals hosting in PA. In 1976 Primeau was named the 2nd team all-star 3rd baseman at the North American Native Championship in Gallup, New Mexico. Primeau also was a mainstay on the 1978 and 1979 Prince Albert Bohs Baseball team. They won the Provincial championship both years. In 1978 they went on to win the Western Canadian title in Thompson, Manitoba. In 1979 they represented the province at the Westerns in Edmonton, Alberta. Doug Primeau also was involved with football and basketball during his high school days at PACI, going on to play in the PA Senior Mens Basketball League. He also was an avid golfer at Kachurs. Doug Primeau passed away in 2003 at the age of 55. Inducted as an athlete into the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame: Douglas Primeau.

    Douglas Primeau – Athlete

  • Ken Morrison – Athlete/Builder

    Ken Morrison’s outstanding hockey career set him up to become an exceptional coach and mentor not only in the sport of hockey, but also in senior high school basketball. As a result, he is inducted both as an athlete and a builder. As an athlete Morrison played right wing for the Prince Albert Raiders from 1982 to 1985. He was a key contributor to the organization’s development to win the Memorial Cup in 1985, a season in which Morrison scored 51 goals and 108 points in the regular season. He was one of 6 players who was with the Raiders from the beginning of their inaugural season in the WHL through 3 seasons to the Memorial Cup Championship in ‘85. In the following 1985-86 season, Morrison was traded to the Kamloops Blazers where he put up 150 points including 83 goals (1st in goals scored, 3rd in the league in points), then another 37 playoff points (2nd in the league), leading the Blazers to the WHL Championship Title- his 2nd straight trip to the Memorial Cup. Morrison won the WHL’s Most Gentlemanly-Like Player Award and was named a WHL 1st Team All-Star for the West Division in ’85-86. Morrison would finish his WHL career with 179 goals, 212 assists for 391 points in 268 games played. Morrison would take his scoring prowess to the University of Saskatchewan Huskies Men’s Hockey team for the next 4 seasons. In his first season, in 1987, he helped lead the Huskies to a Canada West Championship and to the National Championship final game. He has the Huskie record for most points in a season – 69 on 40 goals and 29 assists in 1988. He holds the Huskie record for most goals in a season at 40 and most career goals at 116. He is 1 point shy of holding the Huskie all-time leading scorer record, however, he played one full season less than the player who holds it. Morrison was a 2 time Canada West All- Star and 2 time All-Canadian while playing with the Huskies. He was also named to the Huskie’s All- Millennium Team in 2000. Hockey Canada took notice of Morrison and he was on Team Canada in 1987 that won the gold medal at the Spengler Cup Tournament in Davos, Switzerland. Canada beat Russia in the final in a shootout and Morrison scored one of the shoot-out goals for Canada. Morrison completed his Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry at the U of S and began a 3 year professional hockey career overseas. He played two seasons of professional hockey for Aalborg and one with Herning in the Danish Elite League from 1990-93. Morrison worked on his second degree, a Bachelor of Education degree, while home between hockey seasons and completed it in ’93. After his playing career concluded, Morrison became an educator and taught the senior sciences at Birch Hills School for 10 years and 1 year at Carlton before becoming an administrator at Carlton. As part of his first teaching job in Birch Hills, Morrison was asked to coach the Senior Girls Basketball team and developed a passion for a game that he never played. He led his team, 8 out of 10 seasons, to the provincial final fours (HOOPLA) where they won provincial gold in 2001, and numerous silver and bronze medals. Morrison then went on to coach the Carlton Crusaders Senior Girls basketball teams for 7 seasons, qualifying for the Provincial Hoopla tournament in all 7 and winning the Small Cities Championship in 2005 and a 4A Provincial Championship in 2010 along with some silver and bronze finishes. He also was recognized as SHSAA Male Coach of the year in 2009. After 17 years of coaching basketball, hockey remained a strong passion and he got the opportunity to coach with the Prince Albert Mintos in 2011 as an assistant. Morrison had also coached IP, Atom and Novice hockey teams in Prince Albert for 7 years while coaching basketball. After just one year as head coach, Morrison led the Prince Albert Mintos to the 2014 Telus Cup Championship with an historic 4-3 overtime win over the Chateauguay Grenadiers of Quebec in a game that went into the third overtime in Moose Jaw. Inducted as both an athlete and builder into the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame: Ken Morrison.

    Ken Morrison – Athlete/Builder

  • Deanna (Hemstad) Rindal – Builder

    A life-long love of the sport of curling has given Deanna (Hemstad) Rindal the opportunity to travel the world and be a part of many national and international events. She has become one of Canada’s top on-ice officials in the sport. It started at an early age for Deanna as her mother Muriel, father Knute and older siblings all were active curlers. Deanna took up the sport in high school making it to the provincial Junior finals in 1983. From there she has become a fixture at the Prince Albert Golf & Curling Club as not only a player, but an organizer and administrator for many leagues and committees. She completed her Level II Coaching in 1990 and became a Level III Official in 1994, and her proficiency as an official has been rewarded. Deanna has been the Head Official/Alternate Head Official at numerous Northern and Provincial Championships since 1990. From this, Curl Canada and the World Curling Federation has recognized Deanna as she has officiated at 8 National and 6 International Events, including the Women’s Worlds in Japan and the Continental Cup in Las Vegas twice. On the ice, Deanna has a professional approach that has made her a top official in the country for the sport of curling. This, mixed with her personable nature off the ice, makes Deanna Rindal a person Prince Albert can be proud of. Please welcome as an inductee as a Building into the Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame: Deanna Rindal.

    Deanna (Hemstad) Rindal – Builder

  • Chris Lair – Meritorious Service

    Karate is a sport of discipline, strength and skill that has been nurtured in Prince Albert since 1983 by Chris Lair. Lair is a 5th degree black belt (5th dan) and is a licensed instructor, judge and examiner with numerous black belt students. Lair also has started up dojos (training centres) in LaRonge, Saskatoon and Onion Lake. Lair has developed the Prince Albert Budokai Karate Club to include over 50 students ranging in age from 6 to 60. He is an International Class B referee and International Class D instructor and rank examiner (he can grade up to Brown Belt). Lair has served as the Vice-President of the Saskatchewan International Karate College, which holds 3 events annually. As a competitor in the sport, Lair won numerous medals at the International Shotokan Karate Federation and International Karate Daikaiku for individual sparring, individual kata and team kata. He also serves as the Saskatchewan provincial coach for Naitonal competitions. Sensai Lair graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with high honours in Psychology. While at the U of S, in cooperation with the Western Hockey League, Sensei Lair conducted original research in attributional theory of achievement motivation in elite athletes. Sensei Lair continues to study all aspects of karate with the International Karate Daigaku instructor training program. His special interests include physics validation of karate techniques and applications of traditional karate techniques to modern self-defense requirements. For his Meritorious Service, please welcome Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame inductee Chris Lair.

    Chris Lair – Meritorious Service