Legends, All Star Team

February 1st, 2007 – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BLAZERS SELECT LEGENDS, ALL-TIME TEAM

KAMLOOPS, BC – The Kamloops Blazers are proud to introduce the “Class of ‘07” for the team’s Legends program and unveil the Blazers’ .

Defenseman Doug Bodger and goaltender Corey Hirsch will be inducted as Legends in the Players’ Category in a ceremony prior to the Blazers’ Friday, February 23rd game against the Chilliwack Bruins. Former coach Bill LaForge will be recognized as a builder.

Hirsch is the second goaltender inducted, following Daryl Reaugh, and is the franchise’s all-time wins leader with 120 in 181 games played. Hirsch also spent parts of seven seasons in the NHL with the New York Rangers, Vancouver, Washington, and Dallas. His pro career also took him to the American Hockey League, International Hockey League, and stints in the Swedish and German Elite Leagues before retiring in 2005. Hirsch is currently a goaltending consultant with Hockey Canada.

Bodger is 5th on the team’s all-time scoring list among defensemen – playing 142 games and recording 47 goals and 190 points. Bodger went on to play over one-thousand NHL games with Pittsburgh, Buffalo, San Jose, New Jersey, Los Angeles, and Vancouver – recording 106 goals and 528 points in 16 NHL seasons before retiring in 2000.

LaForge coached the Junior Oilers for two seasons (82-84) and compiled a 94-50-0 record – leading the team to a WHL title in 1984. LaForge would continue to coach at the professional and junior level, in the OHL, until 1997. LaForge, who passed away at the age of 53 in June of 2005, is widely regarded as a man who played a key role in starting the franchise’s winning tradition.

The Blazers are also introducing the franchise’s All-Time Team – the top 25 players as selected by local media and a fan vote. A special ceremony celebrating the All-Time Team will be held on Saturday, February 24th prior to the game against the Prince George Cougars. Special jerseys will be worn by the current Kamloops Blazers for the pre-game warm up that night with those jerseys being auctioned off at various times through to the end of the season.

On the following page is a list of the players selected to the All-Time Team with their corresponding Kamloops Blazers’/Junior Oilers statistics.

On that weekend, the Blazers will also recognize two alumni who have been inducted into the BC Hockey Hall of Fame. Former coach Tom Renney, who is the current Head Coach of the New York Rangers, and defenseman Doug Bodger had their names enshrined in Penticton on January 10th, 2006.

BLAZERS ALL-TIME TEAM

PLAYERS GP G A PTS PIM Seasons
Ajay Baines 282 113 129 242 382 1995-99

Nolan Baumgartner
202 34 98 132 255 1992-96

Doug Bodger
142 47 143 190 188 1982-84

Zac Boyer
247 119 193 312 233 1988-92

Rob Brown
242 179 343 522 447 1983-87

Dave Chyzowski
138 77 67 144 273 1987-90

Jarrett Deuling
254 107 129 236 386 1990-94

Shane Doan
174 68 93 161 249 1992-95

Hnat Domenichelli
248 150 199 349 117 1992-96

Dean Evason
171 141 236 377 238 1981-84

Greg Evtushevski
239 135 232 367 688 1982-86

Greg Hawgood
310 147 326 473 478 1983-88

Ryan Huska 247 71 91 162 229 1991-95

Jarome Iginla
183 102 134 236 264 1993-96

Aaron Keller 269 49 200 249 102 1992-96

Chris Murray 154 21 27 48 695 1991-94

Tyson Nash
225 65 101 166 345 1990-95

Mike Needham
176 115 128 243 223 1986-90

Scott Niedermayer
156 47 143 190 177 1989-92

Mark Recchi
102 87 143 230 138 1986-88

Robyn Regehr
183 20 49 69 346 1996-99

Darryl Sydor
227 77 197 274 346 1988-92

Darcy Tucker
223 150 229 379 434 1991-95

GOALIES
GP MIN GA SV% SO GAA W L T Seasons
CoreyHirsch
181 9826 560 .894 13 3.42 120 42 5 88-92

Daryl Reaugh
104 5497 369 .867 3 4.03 70 18 1 83-85