BARRY’S BAY – Five NHL Alumni players will be joining officers from the Ontario Provincial Police for a game at the Paul J. Yakabuski Community Centre against the Algonquin Park Canoe Heads.
Organizer Anita Jessup said this past Saturday, the NHL Alumni association contacted her wanting to reschedule the game altogether due to lack of players.
“On Friday when we got the call, we started panicking and sending out emails to anyone we possibly could for help,” Jessup said.
The event had already sold 200 tickets and the event is scheduled for February 28, so cancelling was not an option, Jessup said. Luckily, Constable Chris Miller with the Killaloe OPP detachment offered to get a team together for the game.
Jessup was contacted shortly after by the NHL Alumni association with a proposal to send five NHL players instead of the 12 that was originally proposed.
“I am glad they came around and agreed to send who they had,” Jessup said.
The NHL players will now join local officers for a face-off against the Algonquin Park Canoe Heads, which is a team consisting of current or past Algonquin Park employees. The Alumni Association is also sending a timekeeper and announcer.
Get your February 24, 2016 edition of The Valley Gazette to read the full story.