THE 1978-79 BRANDON WHEAT KINGS Kelly Mccrimmon’S Path with Club Began in 1978 by PERRY BERGSON DON GILLEN: “He Under- He Was So Smart.” Stood the Game Very Well
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Monday, August 9, 2021 brandonsun.com REPORT GAME RESULTS BEFORE 9 P.M. PHONE 204.571.7442 FAX 204.727.0385 Sports EMAIL [email protected] TRY TO BEAT THAT!: THE 1978-79 BRANDON WHEAT KINGS Kelly McCrimmon’s path with club began in 1978 BY PERRY BERGSON DON GILLEN: “He under- He was so smart.” stood the game very well. He DON GILLEN: “When we Nobody has cast a greater understood the little things. He went down to Billings, they had shadow over the Brandon Wheat was a very smart hockey player. a booster club down there and it Kings franchise than Kelly Mc- He had a couple of unfortunate was quite active in a new organi- Crimmon. injuries. The wrist, I believe, he zation. They used to put signs up But in 1978-79, he wasn’t the broke a couple of times and that for the opposing team and I still owner, general manager and sets you back for a few months. remember “#18 is McCriminal.” head coach who took the team And when you come back, is (laughs) to new levels of sustained suc- your shot the way it was? You RAY ALLISON: “Kelly was pret- cess. He was a rookie forward always knew you could count ty funny too. There were about who just happened to be the on him. The other team always three or four of those guys they younger brother of one of the knew he was on the ice.” were like peas in a pod, Donny best defencemen in team his- WES COULSON: “He didn’t Gillen and Kelly and Donny Di- tory. have the talent that a lot of the etrich and (Mike) Perovich. They By sheer force of will, Kelly other guys had on the team but would get going and it was pret- McCrimmon carved out his own he worked hard and he would ty funny. The locker room was a niche on the 1978-79 team as stand up for you. He didn’t give a pretty fun room at times, and we a hard-working, edgy forward s— about nothing. If somebody always had a good time.” who could contribute at both Kelly McCrimmon got off to a tremendous start to the 1978-79 season for the Brandon Wheat was picking on somebody, he GREGG DRINNAN (Brandon ends of the ice. Kings but only played 40 regular season games due to injuries and a long suspension. (Brandon would give them a little tap, and Sun): “Kelly was a hard worker, Unfortunately, he had some Sun fi le photo) if you wanted to go, fi ne. If you and his penalty killing was un- rotten luck. He earned an eight- didn’t want to go, he would give believable. His anticipation of game suspension on Dec. 14 for himself, which obviously he has. the Blades come out. Out comes you another tap. He was quite where the puck was going was leaving the bench during a brawl, He was Brad’s little brother, and Kenny Federko and he takes a the character.” second to none. I know it’s a cli- came back on Jan. 15, missed 13 you could see some things that swing at him (laughs). ‘What are MIKE PEROVICH: “Kelly was che, but people talk now about games due to a cracked bone in were the same in him but they you doing?’” a good penalty killer. He worked a good stick and he had a re- his arm, suffered an ankle injury were both very independent. STEPHEN PATRICK: “I re- hard.” ally good stick, knocking down on March 2 and then reinjured Brad would help coach in prac- member this one time he ran STEPHEN PATRICK: “Kelly pucks and getting into lanes. his arm again during Game 2 of tice and Kelly was the same way. a guy in warmup. It was Bernie was great in the dressing room. One of the things people forget the league fi nal and missed the He understood the game and he Federko’s younger brother. It I didn’t see that he felt any kind about is the injuries, the arm rest of the season. wanted to learn more and do was amazing.” of pressure because his brother he broke twice and issues with He returned the next year, and more in the game.” DAVE STEWART: “Kelly is was a great player. Kelly would calcifi cation in the healing pro- after graduating, headed to the WES COULSON: “Kelly was Kelly. He didn’t have a ton of tal- always have guys around his cess. They would have been a University of Michigan for four quite the character. Him and ent, that’s for sure, not like his locker because he had a great better team if he was healthy years, and upon earning his de- I shared a bunk on the bus so brother, but he had his place. He sense of humour. He was a real through the whole season be- gree, went home to the farm. I got to know Kelly quite a bit. killed penalties and he would get good penalty killer and he was a cause I would suggest he was After coaching near Plenty, He was another one of those in front of the net and cause s—. bugger to play against … He was the best defensive player on the Sask., farm, he took a job with guys who was happy with life. He was good at that, and you al- a great teammate.” team. He was also really hard to the Wheat Kings in 1988, and Kelly McCrimmon He just had a hate on for Kenny ways need players like that. Did DAVE CHARTIER: “Kelly and play against. Chartier was a pest within a few years was a partial Federko, just an absolute hate. It I think he would be where he I played together on the penalty and he didn’t mind who knew owner of the team, later buying team to Jared Jacobson last Sep- might be because he had a hate is now? No, I thought he would kill. He was a buzzer. What he it or how out in the open it was the rest of the club from Bob tember. on for Saskatoon. He couldn’t head back to the farm.” lacked in talent, he was unbe- that he was doing this goofi ness. Cornell. TIM LOCKRIDGE: “The pro- stand the Saskatoon Blades. He RICK KNICKLE: “Kelly was lievable in heart. He was a good Kelly was the same way but he After winning a Western fessor. The one thing I remem- grew up around Saskatoon but another guy on our team — with player. He was like a bulldog. was a lot slyer. Kelly knew where Hockey League championship ber about Kelly was his detail he couldn’t stand Ken Federko. Brad being the star defenceman He would never give up, worked the referee was all the time and in 2016, McCrimmon joined the for the game. His wheels were I remember one night in Sas- and getting all the accolades — hard all the time. Look at what Kelly didn’t care who you were or National Hockey League’s Ve- always turning. He was con- katoon and we’re down in our who was really important on he has now. That’s his work eth- how big you were. He would do gas Golden Knights as assistant stantly analyzing everything so end. We came out fi rst and all our team. I believe if he wasn’t ic, and he had it back then too. anything to win.” general manager, and was later you knew he was going to go on of a sudden Kelly takes off and hurt, we would have won the A lot of it came from home obvi- » [email protected] promoted to GM. He sold the somewhere and do very well for stands right by the door where Memorial Cup.” ously but he worked his tale off. » Twitter: @PerryBergson Playing in his own shadow Wheat Kings fi nish BY GREGG DRINNAN coaching.” up record season “It’s nice to be playing with This story originally ap- Brad,” said McCrimmon, add- BY PERRY BERGSON the 1983-84 when Ray Ferraro peared in the Nov. 15, 1978 ing that he and his brother, scored 15. Propp’s 16 game-win- edition of the Brandon Sun. who work a farm near Plenty, Most seasons are measured ning goals remains the record. Who is the Brandon Wheat Sask., together in the off- simply in wins, losses and ties. The two goals Brandon scored Kings’ fi fth-leading scorer? season, are playing alongside The great ones are measured by six seconds apart on April 24, On top, and in fact leading each other for the fi rst time the record book. 1979 in a 13-3 win over the Leth- the Western Hockey League, is in fi ve years. “We were always All these years later, the 1978- bridge Broncos remains the two Brian Propp. Following him, in close as kids and he told me 79 Brandon Wheat Kings (58-5- quickest markers in WHL play- order, are Ray Allison, Laurie if I worked hard here Dunc 9) still hold the Western Hockey off history. Boschman, Brad McCrimmon would keep me. But, even if I League mark for most points Remarkably, in a season they and Kelly McCrimmon. hadn’t been on Brandon’s list, with 125, and an incredible 49- played 104 times, just three Kelly McCrimmon? this is the team I’d have want- game unbeaten streak that ran teams beat them more than That’s right.