THUNDER BAY – Doug Gilmour’s playing days are behind him.
The aches and pains of lacing up his skates and playing pick-up hockey were just too much to continue on-ice activities. But that didn’t stop the hockey hall-of-famer from taking part in this week’s Easter Seals Celebrity Hockey Challenge event at the Tournament Centre, helping the organization raise a record $205,000 to send children with accessibility needs to camp.
Now 59, the 1989 Stanley Cup winner on Friday jumped behind the bench to guide Team RBC through an early morning game, each team featuring a former NHLer, including the likes of Mike Krushelnyski, Andre Roy, Rick Vaive and John LeClair.
It’s a great cause, said Gilmour, whose NHL playing days included stops in St. Louis, Calgary, Toronto, New Jersey, Chicago, Buffalo and Montreal, putting up 450 goals and 1,414 points in 1,474 career games.
“It’s a great charity and congratulations to Thunder Bay for raising over $200,000,” Gilmour said.
“That’s pretty amazing for a small group.”
He may bear the title of coach, but Gilmour said he basically lets the players do their own thing. He’s just there for emotional support and camaraderie.
“I’m pretty much just having some sodas with them and telling stories with them. I don’t play anymore, my body doesn’t like it,” said Gilmour, who was last in Thunder Bay nine years ago to take part in Patrick Sharp’s golf tournament.
Long-time participant Krushelnyski, famously part of the deal that sent Wayne Gretzky from Edmonton to Los Angeles, said he can’t praise the organizers enough for making the event such a great success.
“They do all the work behind the scenes,” he said. “It’s a piece of cake to just walk in and (smile). Last night the group was told there were sheets of paper on the table and if you just sign up we can send so many kids to camp. Everyone at the table filled out a form and I was like, ‘This is awesome. You guys are great.’
“Anything you can do for the kids, help out in any way and put a smile on someone’s face, I think that’s what it’s all about.”
To take part in the Easter Seals Celebrity Classic, teams must fundraise a minimum amount of money, and then bid for the right to add an ex-NHLer to their roster.
Former QMJHLer and Lakehead Thunderwolves star Daniel Del Paggio played for Gilmour on Friday as part of Team RBC, and said it was incredible being in the room with the former Maple Leafs icon.
“How many years of NHL experience does he have? He’s an all-star and a hall of famer. It’s incredible. And more so than being a good coach, he’s a good person,” Del Paggio said.
The event is what it’s about, he said.
“It’s obviously an amazing cause helping kids with disabilities and just something that RBC has always done.”
Rhonda Harrison, community engagement manager for the northern region with Easter Seals Canada, said this year’s tournament went beyond anything she could have imagined.
“We raised more than $200,000 last night for Easter Seals kids, which is double what we did in the past, and we’re just extremely grateful for the community and all the supporters. We had some new faces at the dinner last night and we had a lot of fun,” said Harrison, noting they added a dinner to the Easter Seals Celebrity Challenge that immensely helped their bottom line.
Harrison said there’s no doubt the tournament will return in 2023.
