Preparing to say good-bye
(Sports) Monday, 03 March 2008, 23:54 PST
JIM SWANSON, Citizen Sports Editor
The three overagers on the roster of the Prince George Cougars are nearing the end of their junior careers -- from left, goaltender Real Cyr, centre Greg Gardner, and defenceman Kalvin Sagert. (Brent Braaten, Photographer) Related Articles Cariboo Cougars home for playoffs
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When the season ends in less than two weeks, they’ll have been on the Prince George Cougars roster at the same time for 189 consecutive regular-season games -- another 20 in the playoffs.
Five years of their lives nearly complete, the three 20-year-olds are bracing for an emotional exit.
Greg Gardner, Real Cyr and Kalvin Sagert have been teammates for what qualifies, in the world of junior hockey at least, as an eternity. Because the Cougars have already been eliminated from the playoffs, the three are aware of the exact date their junior hockey careers will come to an end. That’s March 16 in Kamloops, an ironic location for Sagert because it’s where he started his junior days as a first-round pick of the Blazers.
It’s also a place Real Cyr has had so much success in his four years tending goal for the Cats, including a playoff sweep of the Blazers just last spring.
For Gardner, that last game will be a chance to push the team’s all-time games-played record to 338. Given the limitations of junior hockey, it’s a number that may never be matched.
“I’ve been thinking about this for awhile, but what sucks is that I know which game is going to be my last one -- that doesn’t happen if you make the playoffs,” said Gardner, the team captain who is slated to pass Chris Falloon’s mark for games played in Kelowna on March 15, the second-last day of the season.
“It’s going to be tough, but it’s time to move on. I’ve had the time of my life here, living with the Drazenovic family for five years and they’ve treated me like their own son. It’s good to be going out with Real and Kalvin, they’re great guys and we’ve played a lot of games together.”
Their final home game will be this Saturday, with the Blazers in town.
Gardner was a second-round draft pick who made the team as a 16-year-old, breaking in with Nick Drazenovic and defenceman Mike Fogolin. It’s at times like these Gardner thinks about Fogolin, who died in his sleep at the age of 17.
“I always think about him -- me, him and Nick spent a lot of time together, and there’s a picture up in the dressing room so I see his face,” said Gardner. “He’s always in my heart. That was a tough time, to lose a guy like him who was so great on the ice and off the ice. Life isn’t fair.”
The end of the WHL season doesn’t mean the end of Sagert’s playing time. He’s already agreed to join the ECHL’s Stockton Thunder, an affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers, for that team’s stretch run.
“I don’t think it’s going to hit me that my WHL career is over until it’s the last game,” said Sagert, a native of Abbotsford who is keeping his educational options open in case pro hockey doesn’t work out. Enrolling at Lakehead University, located in Thunder Bay, is his fallback position.
“Going to Stockton is exciting, they’re going to give me a shot that’s kind of like a one-month or two-month tryout that could lead to getting a shot at going to camp with Edmonton. If not, I can go to school.”
Like Gardner, Cyr is proud to say he spent his entire WHL tenure with the Cougars. And like Gardner, last year’s three-round playoff run is the easy choice as the highlight of his career.
“The career has really flown by,” said Cyr, who will leave the WHL with an 8-4 win-loss record in the post-season, and has the team record for regular season shutouts with 14.
“I take a lot of pride in staying with one team. A lot of guys get shipped around a bit, and that’s no knock on them, but I’m glad I stayed. The records are nice, but the big thing for me was the playoff run. I really poured my heart into things every day I came to the rink, every year I was here, and that’s something I can be proud of.”
Cyr said he’s likely to end up playing college hockey close to his home in northern Saskatchewan next winter, taking advantage of the WHL education program. Taking a shot at pro hockey in Europe has also entered his mind.
Gardner was approached by general manager Dallas Thompson before the trade deadline and asked if he wanted a chance to move to another team. He declined.
“He made it my choice, but I wanted to finish where I started,” said Gardner. “It showed the respect they had for me, to talk to me about that. The organization has been great for me right from the start, and if I wanted out I could’ve asked for a trade.”
Saying Good-Bye
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