The inaugural Innisfail Eagles Sportsman Dinner and fourth annual Golf Tournament was an unqualified success.
A capacity crowd of close to 240 people attended the first soon-to-be-annual Innisfail Sportsman Dinner held at the Innisfail Royal Canadian Legion on July 23 to celebrate the Innisfail Eagles with head coach Brian Sutter and his NHL alumni friends.
“The sportsman night was an awesome evening,” said Sutter, who will in September be inducted in the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame. “We had Brian ‘Burkie' Burke, Rich (Rico) Preston, Craig Button, Kelly Kisio, and my brother Duane come out in support of the Eagles' hockey program, and Innisfail showed up as well.”
Event co-organizer Vern Loughlen called the event a “huge success” which was echoed by audience members and golfers throughout the two-day celebration. The other co-organizers, Danny and Dusty Daines, were exuberant at the turnout.
“We had an incredible evening of hockey entertainment, and a great day for golf as well,” said Danny. “The weather was perfect, and the 39 foursomes enjoyed the Innisfail Golf Club course.”
The Sportsman Dinner evening gala featured a silent auction on several treasured items, from NHL greats like Patrick Sharp and Vladislav Tretiak, to items honouring Team Canada 2007, Gordie Howe, the Broadstreet Bullies, Jordan Eberle, and the Los Angeles Kings. Prices ranged from under $100 and up to $5,600 for a hockey/basketball/football trip to Chicago, with some items being sold multiple times.
Initially, bidding on the Calgary Flames items was subdued until team president Burke tossed in four personal tickets to Flames games to up the ante, pushing the prices up to $2,200 per jersey. He refused to do so, amidst much laughter, on the Edmonton Oilers' Jordan Eberle sweater when asked by the crowd.
Sutter introduced each item and the story behind the jersey or photo before auctioneers from the Innisfail Auction Mart took over and plied their trade to the amusement of the crowd.
“Do I hear $2,100?,” auctioneer Duane Daines asked until his spotters found the extra bidders in the crowd.
The Flames president of hockey operations spoke on his career, being careful to thank Button for mentioning all the “jobs he lost in his career”, before speaking on the three pillars of Burke hockey success; playing an entertaining style of hockey, running your team like a business, and being a community-based team.
“You don't say ‘no' to Brian Sutter,” said Burke of his appearance at the fundraising dinner. “He called me and asked if I would come out to the night and I said yes. Brian is so respected in the league. Guys will do almost anything for him. There have only been a handful of guys who have played as hard and as smart as he did. I think there was one season in St. Louis when he had 39 goals and 35 fighting majors. When he became a coach, he carried that work ethic and expectation along with him.”
Ex-Chicago Blackhawk Preston described him as a “heart and soul player,” and a natural team leader.
“There was one year when his brother Darryl, and myself played against him and Bernie Federko in the old Norris division and it was always a good, hard physical game,” said Preston. “He showed up every night and was as tough as nails.”
Kisio, a former New York Ranger captain, was pleased to be in Innisfail to support the Eagles.
“Brian wanted me to come out tonight, so I did,” said Kisio. “It is outstanding that a player/coach of his caliber came out to Innisfail to help build the Innisfail Eagles. He brings so much with him. “
Button added Sutter brought something beyond character to the league, and now to the Innisfail senior mens' hockey team.
“He brings a sense of community wherever he coaches and Innisfail is no exception,” said Button. “The Eagles will thrive.”
During the evening, hockey fans were regaled with stories from behind the benches and had an opportunity to speak with their hockey heroes while collecting autographs.
Sutter was appreciative of the support of the community for the Eagles organization, adding the ‘atmosphere' at the Sportsman Dinner was perfect for the silent auction and the buzz was ‘all hockey' which fit with all the special guests.
“Everything came together perfectly, from the Boston Pizza servers who came out to help, to the catering, to the citizens who came to listen and soak up ‘hockey talk', to the special guests,” added Sutter, who was serving burgers and snapping photo ops with golfers on the burger-and-beer hole. “It was a success.”
During the morning pre-golf breakfast, Loughlen noted there are plans for next year's dinner and that this year's guests have already said they will come again.
“Maybe we'll manage to get Pete Rose next year,” said Louglen. “We almost had him for this year.”
As of this writing, the amount raised for the Innisfail Eagles organization was not known.
“We could never have put this together without the support of our sponsors, volunteers, and the community who came out to the banquet and golf tournament,” said Sutter. “Without Danny and Dusty Daines, and Vern Loughlen, this would not have happened. This was a success because we are surrounded with good people.”
