B2 ■ SPORTS THE BRANDON SUN ■ MONDAY AUGUST 9 2021 TRY TO BEAT THAT!: THE 1978-79 Chartier overcame injuries to help team

BY PERRY BERGSON and I think it was because of gritty gamer. When he was at his his helter-skelter way of play. best, he was irritating the other was one of He wasn’t going to hold up for team. He was talented, a great Brandon’s two ultra-talented anybody’s money. Sometimes skater, scored big goals, worked 17-year-old forwards in the he ran around likely a little bit hard, was a team player.” 1978-79 , a year he simply out of control and likely deliv- KELLY McCRIMMON: “Dave had a lot of bad luck. ered some hits where he got the turned into a great player. He The St. Lazare product broke worst of it because he was run- was 17 on that team and we his wrist and tore a tendon in ning at somebody and wasn’t in didn’t have many 17-year-olds. his knee, playing in 48 games, proper position but he was the He could play anyway you want- usually in the team’s bottom energizer bunny that every team ed. He was really talented and a six. Still, Chartier was able to needs. Quick to smile, quick to great skater. Once he got to ju- contribute 14 goals in 48 games laugh, he could score.” nior hockey, he became a physi- while fi nding a way to annoy op- TIM LOCKRIDGE: “Charts cal, hard-to-play-against player ponents. was a great hockey player … He who could fi ght. He wore his He blossomed into a WHL su- was the nicest guy in the world, Dave Chartier heart on his sleeve every night perstar in the next two seasons, and a guy I played against a cou- and was a fan favourite. He was scoring 39 and then 64 goals in Dave Chartier, who was one of two 17-year-old rookies the ple of years after that, and we called up the year before and a passionate, talented player.” the following pair of seaons with Wheat Kings had up front, struggled with injuries but still man- would go out and talk. He was (in the dressing room) he was WES COULSON: “Dave was Brandon. aged to score 14 goals in 48 games. (Brandon Sun fi le photo) just happy to be there and along banging and saying ‘Come on, good, he was quick. I didn’t hang The Jets drafted for the ride.” let’s go!’ and I remember Bil- around with him too much be- him in the 10th round, 191st He was a s— disturber on the ice couple of injuries here and there RICK KNICKLE: “You always ly (Derlago) looked at him, ‘Hey, cause I think he was going to overall in 1980, and he played but wouldn’t really fi ght until a but he was fast and he knew his have an agitator but Charts was cut that s— off.’ We all started school at that time, so the only one game with the NHL club little bit later. When he did, he role. I loved him for that. He more than that. He was another laughing … He was a good kid. time you would see him was at during the 1980-81 season, but a learned how to fi ght really good gave an effort every game.” good teammate, a French guy He was a good skater and a good the rink … He was feisty. I can knee injury ultimately derailed and really quick. He had the best GREGG DRINNAN (Brandon from St. Lazare who fi t right player.” remember in Montreal we went his pro career after four seasons. toe drag. He had a real wide- Sun): “Dave had a funny skat- in because he backed up a lot DAVE STEWART: “Charts out for dinner and we took him He worked in a potash mine legged skating style but was real ing style. Lots of times it was like of stuff. You earn your respect. kind of kept to himself. He liked because he could speak French in for decades talented and a tough kid.” he was running on his blades. If I played with Charts too with to chirp. He wasn’t a drinker, so we knew we would get the and lives in Binscarth. : “Dave there was a pest on that team, the Travellers when he was a which was very unusual back right food … He got banged up STEPHEN PATRICK: “Dave was very animated and could it was him. He was the guy who 16-year-old … He was a hard- then for junior hockey players. a few times because there was had a ton of talent, which I don’t skate like the wind and had a be whacking the other guy on nosed guy, a good guy, another He never did much partying nothing he wouldn’t try to run think he knew when he was pretty good .” the back of the legs, not on the guy who wanted to be a good with us. He had a lot of talent. over or go through.” there for the fi rst year, but his : “(Dave Chart- front of the legs, and giving him teammate and fi t in.” He was a good skater.” » [email protected] stats will show you otherwise. ier) worked out hard and had a a little dig. He had injuries a lot, MIKE PEROVICH: “Dave got : “(Dave) was a » Twitter: @PerryBergson Kempthorne joined Brandon’s 20- club Roberts was Brandon’s forgotten man BY PERRY BERGSON BY PERRY BERGSON

Brad Kempthorne split the If there’s a mystery man on the 1977-78 season between the 1978-79 Brandon Wheat Kings, Brandon Wheat Kings and it’s Larry Roberts. their farm club, the The Winnipegger came into Junior Hockey League’s Bran- the as a don Travellers. top prospect after scoring more He was called up for the than 70 goals in his fi nal season 1978 WHL playoffs, contribut- at the under-18 level, and con- ing six points in eight games, tributed 20 goals and 33 assists and graduated to the big club in 70 games with the in time for the 1978-79 season. Wranglers during the 1977-78 The lanky 18-year-old from season. Boissevain provided an injec- In an obscure bit of Wheat tion of skill and scoring ability Kings trivia, he was the only in the bottom six, contribut- player acquired by the team that Larry Roberts was the only player the Brandon Wheat Kings ing 22 goals and 31 assists in season who joined them full traded for who stuck with the club in the 1978-79 season. (Bran- 56 games. He was selected by time. don Sun fi le photo) the Atlanta Flames in the fi fth Brandon picked Roberts up round, 96th overall, in the 1979 on Oct. 18, 1978 from the Bill- but Gordie Howe didn’t always draft. ings Bighorns, who had ac- look like he was going 100 per Kempthorne, who didn’t re- quired him in the summer as cent but he was certainly work- spond to repeated requests to Talented Boissevain product Brad Kempthorne was one of part of a three-team deal with ing hard.” be part of this series, returned nine 20-goal scorers for the Wheat Kings, notching 22 goals the Calgary Wranglers. Brandon STEPHEN PATRICK: “(Larry) for the 1979-80 season, and and 31 assists in 56 games. (Brandon Sun fi le photo) traded the rights to 17-year-old had a lot of talent in minor hock- was traded with Brant Kiessig Regina product Darren Babyck ey. The two best kids at that age to the Tigers. Af- guys and the city guys … He to the Pats, with Regina shipping group in Winnipeg at 15 were ter graduating from the WHL, was a good player.” 18-year-old John Eger to Billings. Dave McDonald and Larry Rob- he embarked on a six-year MIKE PEROVICH: “I played Roberts became a depth play- erts. Larry could score and he professional career. with Kemper in pro. He was a er on Brandon’s championship had great hands but I don’t think He now owns and operates good guy. He was drafted by team with 18 points in 55 games, his skating improved from 15 to Hammer’s Bar & Restaurant in Atlanta so I played with him in and was traded to the Seattle 18.” Bartonville, Ill. my last year in Denver. He was Breakers the next season for TIM LOCKRIDGE: “Larry was LAURIE BOSCHMAN: “Brad a funny guy. He was quiet and 17-year-old winger John Strait, a pudgy little guy. He came from worked hard.” was a right-handed shot, tall, on Nov. 19, 1979. Larry Roberts was a highly Winnipeg and he didn’t play in WES COULSON: “(Brad) lanky, good sense of humour.” After playing 26 games with touted player as he came up the third period a lot. He was a was a big kid and good skater. RICK KNICKLE: “He was a the Breakers, he disappears off through minor hockey in Win- nice, easy-going guy.” I’m not sure who he played talented player. Me and Kem- online hockey databases for nipeg, and he scored 20 goals WES COULSON: “(Larry) was with but there were a lot of per got along really well. He’s good. as a Western Hockey League kind of a role player.” guys on other Western Hockey just a really good guy, fun-lov- Roberts didn’t stay in touch rookie with the Calgary Wran- KELLY McCRIMMON: “I don’t League teams who didn’t score ing and free spirited.” with anyone from the champi- glers. (Brandon Sun fi le photo) know where Larry was from and STEPHEN PATRICK: “Kem- Brad Kempthorne that many goals. He had good onship team, and four decades I don’t know where he went after. per had the mitts too. He was talent and could skate well. He later, some of his former Bran- DON GILLEN: “Larry Roberts He was on the team all year and built differently than Donny like he was feeling his way but was a good teammate.” don teammates don’t remember was a good guy. He was quite a didn’t play very much.” (Gillen), a tall guy but not as after the Christmas break, a DAVE STEWART: “Kemper him well. talent before he came to Bran- DAVE STEWART: “I think thick, but he had really good lot of the guys, especially the kind of kept to himself. I think RICK KNICKLE: “He looked don and he wasn’t in very good (Larry) was another guy who hands … Kemper was a good younger guys, realized that the a lot of guys who didn’t play like a beer-league guy but he shape. He was one of those guys kept to himself.” hockey player. He had a lot of fi rst part of the season wasn’t a on the ‘77-78 team, when they had hands. He could do things who was always rounding into DAVE CHARTIER: “Larry was talent.” mirage and they weren’t going came in, everybody seemed and play. He played 55 games. shape. He was a smart hockey another good guy. He had raw GREGG DRINNAN (Bran- anywhere. They were going to to have their own place. This He was one of those utility guys player, but just because of the talent. I got along with him fairly don Sun): “Brad might have be there until the end and got is your place and this is what that you have to have in junior. type of team we had, he didn’t well.” been the biggest guy on the comfortable and played like it, your job is. Kemper was a little John McPhee played 25 games end up getting a lot of opportu- GREGG DRINNAN: “Because team. He wasn’t that thin, he and he was one of them.” younger than us too.” and we called some guys up nities.” of his style, (Larry) was one of had some meat on his bones. TIM LOCKRIDGE: “Kemper DON GILLEN: “(Brad) was from the Travellers … Larry was GREGG DRINNAN (Brandon those players that afterwards, He was third-line and was a guy with a ton of talent very talented. The guy prob- your typical fourth-liner except Sun): “Larry Roberts sometimes you were always asking yourself could play up and down the and he didn’t overexert himself ably could have been on the he didn’t fi ght. He had 26 pen- got grief for not playing hard, ‘Boy, there’s got to be more there roster, kill penalties, get you unless he absolutely had to. He PGA or a Major League ball alty minutes, which is a surprise, but it wasn’t that he was not to give.’ I don’t think he was as 20 goals. I remember how was a nice, easy-going guy.” player. Wherever he grew up, because everyone else had a playing hard, it was just the way driven as some of them, and he heartbroken he was when he DAVE CHARTIER: “Kemper he would have thrived in the lot … He could shoot a pretty he looked. I remember people just was who he was. What you got traded (during the 1979- was lanky, a big kid too. He was sport of the community.” good puck. I’m surprised he talking when I was a kid about saw was what you got.” 80 season) … He really came older than me. There was sort » [email protected] didn’t score more but he didn’t Gordie Howe — not to compare » [email protected] on in ‘78-79. He started out of a divide between us country » Twitter: @PerryBergson play enough.” Larry Roberts to Gordie Howe — » Twitter: @PerryBergson ON THE ICE BRANDON 6, 4 Don Gillen did a good job for us, too.” Dunc McCallum: “(Scott) Olson was given a fi ve-game suspension for sists, and contributed Game 69, March 18, 1979 made some big stops and he didn’t being the fi rst player off the bench, four helpers. Propp’s 13th hat trick Recap: Ray Allison scored his 59th BRANDON 6, EDMONTON 5 get a whole lot of help in the fi rst half and Don Gillen also drew a two-game of the season tied the record set by and 60th goals of the season as the Game 70, March 19, 1979 of the game. The defence was really sentence. Brandon police offi cers in- former teammate . Tim Wheat Kings passed the 120-point Recap: Laurie Boschman’s hat trick shaky at the start. (Don) Dietrich ap- tervened and sent the teams to their Lockridge’s goal was his career-high mark, and Brian Propp’s goal and allowed him to hit the 60-goal pla- peared nervous at the start, maybe dressing rooms with two minutes 38 10th. Overall, the Wheat Kings broke three assists pushed him to 502 in teau and Don Gillen added his 20th because of the extra pressure due to seconds remaining or it could have nine team records and tied another, his three-year WHL career. Allison is and 21st goals of the season. Brandon more ice time, but he really played been worse. and Propp became the career leader close behind with 469 career points, tied another record with three 60- well in the second half. And Wes BWK goals: Boschman (2), Patrick, in assists and points. Six other indi- trailing only Propp and Ron Chip- goal scorers — the others are Brian Coulson is playing the left side and Chartier. vidual records were broken and one perfi eld on the all-time list. Bran- Propp and Ray Allison — equalling fi nds it a bit strange at times. But, he, BWK goalie: Knickle. tied. Between periods, Scott Olson don played without the McCrimmon the 1975-76 and too, came on and played well.” Shots on net: 49-41 Sas. was named the team’s rookie of the brothers, with Brad nursing a bruised 1977-78 Wheat Kings. Brandon had Attendance: 2,692, in Brandon. year, Dave Stewart was the top Man- shoulder and Kelly rehabbing an an- to score twice in the third period for 6 BRANDON 4 Record: 57-5-9. itoba-born player and Brant Kiessig kle injury. the victory, with the winner coming Game 71, March 21, 1979 Dunc McCallum: “We can’t take was named top graduate from the BWK goals: Allison (2), Patrick, off the stick of Don Dietrich with 94 Recap: Brandon led 4-3 after 40 bad penalties against them. We had Brandon Travellers. Propp, Chartier, Stewart. seconds remaining. Brandon goalie minutes but Saskatoon scored three them 4-2 and two bad penalties let BWK goals: Boschman (4), Propp BWK goalie: Olson. Scott Olson went after an Edmonton times in the third period to hand the them right back in.” (3), Kiessig, Lockridge. Shots on net: 31-29 BWK. skater after the fi nal buzzer, launch- Wheat Kings their second loss of the BWK goalie: Olson. Attendance: 964, in Edmonton. ing a bench-clearing brawl and earn- season on home ice. The Blades are BRANDON 9, REGINA 3 Shots on net: 62-49 BWK. Record: 56-4-9. ing a one-game suspension. now 2-1-0 in the last three meetings Game 72, March 23, 1979 Attendance: 3,119, in Brandon. Dunc McCallum: “We did a lot of BWK goals: Boschman (3), Gillen between the clubs, who will both be Recap: Brandon’s big guns certain- Record: 58-5-9 (125 points). hitting in the second and third peri- (2) Dietrich. part of the Eastern Division round- ly put on a show in the season fi nale, Brian Propp: (on a near miss) “I ods. And that is really encouraging. BWK goalie: Olson. robin. A wild bench-clearing brawl combining for 16 points in the blow- thought the second one was in. I Propp did a whole lot of hitting, and Shots on net: 35-34 BWK. in the third period after Brian Propp out. Laurie Boschman scored four even had my arms halfway up in the so did Laurie Boschman and Ray Alli- Attendance: 884, in Edmonton. was high sticked in the face proved goals and added two assists, Brian air. I was sure it was in. I was glad I son. Brant Kiessig, Dave Chartier and Record: 57-4-9. costly when Brad Kempthorne later Propp had three goals and three as- got the third one because that tied the record.”