The Oakville Beaver. Wednesday April 24, 2002 - D 3 Former NHL assistant coach brings hockey school to Oakville By Dave Mowbray these drills with pucks." Saturday of the program where students can show­ SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Another not-so-shabby selling point for the case the skills they have learned to their families school is the calibre of instructors that M cKay can and friends. It's not every day that a 10-year-old aspiring draw upon from his N H L days. Past instructors at "W e encourage parents to come out and watch hockey player receives hands on teaching from the the Burlington school include Tom Barrasso. their kids play every day." McKay says. likes of NHL players Dave Andreychuk. Steve Pierre Turgeon. Rick Vaive. Glenn Anderson, A Hamilton native, McKay played in the Guolla and Eric Caims. Add that to the coaching Steve Thomas, and the list goes on. International Hockey League for six years, win­ expertise of former Buffalo Sabre. Washington And they’re not there for decoration. ning the Turner Cup with Kalamazoo in 1978-79 Capital and New Jersey Devil bench-boss Jim "The coaches and the pro players at this school while playing under his father and coach Doug Schoenfeld and you've got yourself quite the little go out on the ice and teach the kids ... That's a big M cKay Sr. hockey school. thing for the school, offering N H L instruction from M cKay was also an assistant coach with the Doug M cKay, a former assistant coach with the professional players, coaches and European pro­ Toronto Maple Leafs in 1981-82 and with the Devils, is bringing these N H L names to O akville’s fessionals.” Devils in 1988-89 during the team's infamous River Oaks Rec Centre for the first time from July The former IHL Turner Cup winner says his eastern conference final run against the Boston 22-27 for the week-long CCM Hockey Schooi, number one goal is for the kids to come away with Bruins. The Cinderella Devils missed making the catering to players from ages eight to thirteen. a feeling that they had a good experience, learned Stanley Cup finals by one game and head coach M cKay, who for the past ten years has been the basic fundamentals of the game and. most Schoenfeld made sports headlines with his memo­ running a successful school in Burlington, couldn't importantly to M cKay, had fun. rable 'Have another donut' rant directed towards resist opening up another in Oakville. "W e want the kids to realize that this isn’t a try­ referee Don Koharski. "I think Oakville is a great little community." out camp." he says. "W e are teaching hockey and "W e were a young team and an overachieving said M cKay. "River Oaks is a superb facility. The life skills as well as respect for parents, referees, team," recalls McKay. "It's one of the most mem­ Olympic ice pad made it very attractive. It’s just and developing values. This is an opportunity for orable moments of my hockey career." phenomenal.” them to leam from actual N H L players for a M cKay now coaches in Europe full time and The soon-to-be O akville resident says his week." runs the two C C M Hockey Schools in the sum­ school is unique by stressing two major compo­ The school places all students into groups mer. nents — which M cKay calls his confidence on ice according to age. size and skill, with a low athlete Registration forms for both hockey schools are program — acceleration and agility. to instructor ratio to ensure progress, no matter available now at River Oaks Recreation Centre in "W e teach power skating, efficiency, passing, what the student’s level of ability, participation or Oakville and Appleby Ice Centre in Burlington, or Doug McKay behind the Devils bench with Jim team play, goaltending. and the kids spend an hour involvement in hockey. phone M cKay at (905) 634-7035 for more infor­ Schoenfeld.They’re in Oakville this summer. each day with pucks. Other programs don’t do The school also features a game on the final mation. ERIC CAIRNS #33 Defence Height 6-6 Oakville’s NHL contingent in playoffs Weight 238 Shoots Left By Jaime Burnham in the series with the hometown his parents last weekend before return­ Bom June 27. 1974 SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER favourite Toronto Maple Leafs. ing back to Long Island. OAKVILLE. ON. CAN Toronto took a 2-0 series lead into He remains positive about his team's O akville has two players in the the third game last night on Long performance, despite being down in the Huge, nigged defenceman made his NHL debut on Oct. 8. 1996 with Rangers against Panthers. Recorded first NHL point against Islanders on Jan. 2. 1997. Scored first NHL goal National Hockey League, and both are Island, with the fourth game set for series 2-0 . while with the Islanders against Red Wings' Chris Osgood on Feb. 25. 2000. Played his involved in post season play. tonight. "I don't think we have to change 100th NHL game on Nov. 27. 19lW against Capitals. Media voted Caims top Rangers' rm>k- O f the two players. Rob Zamuner is The Oakville Beaver had a chance to much of what we are doing because we ie (Lars-Erik Sjoberg Award) at 1996-97 training camp. He was claimed off waivers by the the more well known in Oakville, hav­ talk to Caims while he was in Toronto are playing really well." Caims said. Islanders in 1998. Ranked fifth in NHL in I999-(X) with 196 penalty minutes. ing been bom and raised in Oakville for the first two games last week, and he "It has come dow n to one breakdown Season Team g p G A T P P1M +/- P P S ll G \ v GT Shots Pet and progressing through the town’s elaborated upon his Oakville connec­ each time with the puck ending up in 1996-1997 Rangers 40 0 1 1 147 -7 0 0 0 0 17 0 minor hockey system before moving on tion. our net." 1997-1998 Rangers 39 0 3 3 92 -3 0 0 0 0 17 0 to the Guelph Platers in the O H L. 1998-1999 Islaiulers 9 0 3 3 23 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 "1 lived in Oakville for five years. I Caims knows winning w ill require 1999-2000 Islanders 67 2 7 9 196 -5 0 0 0 0 55 3.63 Zamuner joined the Boston Bruins played one year of hockey there and beating Leaf netminder Curtis Joseph, 2 2 2000-2001 Islanders 45 4 106 -18 0 0 0 0 21 9.52 prior to the start of the season and. he is then 1 left after that and moved to who has been outstanding for Toronto, 2001-2002 Islander* 74 •> 5 7 176 _2 0 0 1 0 34 5.88 NHL Totals 274 6 21 27 740 -34 0 0 1 0 146 4.11 involved in the playoff series with Burlington with my parents." Caims so far. Montreal Canadiens. recalled. "W e've got to keep guys going to the Playoffs g p Team G ATPPIM +/- PP SH GW GT Shots P c i The two teams split their first two 1996-1997 Ranger* 3 0 I) 0 0 0 0 . 0 0 0 0 0 Caims then worked his way through net. putting pucks at the net and getting 2001-2002 Islanders T 0 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0 0 0 0 games, Montreal opening up with a 5-2 the Burlington minor hockey system, the rebounds." Caims said. NHL Totals 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 •1 0 win and Boston winning the second playing one year for the Burlington "It is hard to get Joseph off his game ROB ZAMUNER #17 game 6-4. Cougars, before moving up to the O H L because he is so good but we have to try Left wing Zamuner, who attended White Oaks with the now defunct Detroit Junior something." Height 6-3 Secondary School, has two assists. Wings. Regardless of the outcome of the Weight 203 But there is also another local player He was selected in the 1992 N H L series against Toronto, Caims should be Shoots Left suiting up in the N H L and that's Eric entry draft by the New York Rangers happy with his team's 2001-02 season. Bom September 17, 1969 Caims. and spent several seasons with This is the Islanders first post season OAKVILLE. ON. CAN More correctly, he's Oakville bom Binghamton of the American Hockey showing in the last nine years. and Burlington raised. League (A H L ) before making his N H L Although Toronto may be favoured A fixture w ith the Tampa Bay Lightning for seven seasons. Zamuner joined the Ottawa He's in his fourth year with the debut in the 1996-97 season against the around town. Caims is no doubt receiv­ Senators on June 30. 1999 in a trade for Andreas Johansson. Originally had been a third- Islanders, after breaking in with the round selection o f the New York Rangers (45th overall) in the 19S9 Entry Drat't. Zamuner is Florida Panthers. ing his share of cheers, at least around a diligent worker who earns the respect of friend and foe alike.