Strathmore area players part of Allan Cup championship team

Times Contributor

 

Four Strathmore area players were part of the Bentley Generals hockey team that won the 2013 Allan Cup on April 20: Brett Thurston, Jeremy Colliton, Keenan Desmet, and Kyle Sheen.

The 2013 edition of the historic tournament was played in Bentley, with the championship game being televised live on TSN. 

The Generals won the Allan Cup final 3-0 over the Clarenville Caribous, including a goal and an assist by Desmet. During the provincial playoffs, Colliton had nine points with three goals and six assists, Desmet had three goals and two assists, Thurston had four assists, and Sheen had two assists. In the Allan Cup tournament, Desmet was third on the team with four points, while Colliton scored a goal.

“It was our goal to win, and we were very excited to win,” Colliton said. “Anything less would have been a disappointment.”

“Winning the Allan Cup brought back memories of winning the Memorial Cup in 2002 with the Kootenay Ice,” said Sheen. “It’s not something that happens very often, and to win any hockey championship is a great feeling.”

“When we won the cup, it was a surreal moment because, coming from a family of hockey players, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to win any professional championship,” Desmet said. “And to do it in a prestigious tournament was a great opportunity.”

Colliton, who is from Blackie and a former UFA Bison, played junior hockey with the Prince Albert Raiders and was a former second round pick of the New York Islanders. He also was a member of three World Junior Hockey Championship Teams during his junior career. After finishing with the Raiders, he spent time in the AHL with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, and has also played 57 games with the Islanders. In between his stints in the NHL/AHL system, he spent the 2009-2010 season in the Swedish Elite League playing for Rögle BK. He felt that it was a great experience to play in a tournament with such a long history.

His journey to the Generals was an interesting one. He was dealing with injury issues, which prevented him from playing pro hockey during this past season. The general manager of the Generals asked him if he was interested in playing. After talking it over with Thurston, Colliton agreed to make the trip to Bentley.  

“I was comfortable (in Bentley) because there were already some players on the team that were from Strathmore, and I had played with and against some of the other players during my career,” he said.

Desmet, who is from Strathmore, played minor hockey in Strathmore and with the UFA Bisons before moving on to the AJHL. After a season with the Olds Grizzlys, he went to the BCHL to play for the Victoria Grizzlies and Salmon Arm Silverbacks before going to the US to attend the University of Alabama-Huntsville and play hockey there. He won an NCAA (CHA) championship with Alabama-Huntsville in 2009-2010. During the 2011-2012 season, he went to a French league team called Evry. He also was happy about being able to play in the Allan Cup.  

“It was a great experience because of the history of the cup and the (Generals),” he said of playing in the tournament. “It was also a privilege to play in it.”

He got onto the team through conversations with his brother, who played alongside Thurston with the Generals last year, and Thurston himself. Both of them suggested that Desmet join the Generals.  

“I had never played professionally (in North America) before, so after talking with my brother and Brett, I gave the GM of the Generals a call, and I went up there,” he said. “It was a great experience.”

Sheen, who lives in Chestermere, played minor hockey in Strathmore, and then went on to play for the Kootenay Ice and Kamloops Blazers. He continued his career in the United Hockey League before going on to Mount Royal University (when it was known as Mount Royal College).  

After a year at Mount Royal, he went back to the US to play in the SPHL and Central Hockey League. He was happy that he even got a chance to play after falling ill the week prior.  

“I was excited to be in the line-up for the weekend games after having the flu for a few days,” said Sheen. “It was tough not to be playing earlier in the week because of it.” 

Sheen’s journey to play for the Generals was also an interesting story. He was supposed to play for the Lloydminster Oil Kings last year, but it fell through. After talking with Thurston, Sheen texted someone from the Generals, tried out for them, and was on the team.

Thurston, who is also from Strathmore, played minor hockey in Strathmore before joining the AAA Bantam Team Extreme in Airdrie. After bantam, he played in the WHL with the Brandon Wheat Kings, and then went on to attend the University of Calgary and play with the Dinos. After he finished school, he went to the US to play professional hockey, starting with the Colorado Eagles of the Central Hockey League for a couple of seasons, where he won a league championship in 2006-2007. After spending two seasons in the ECHL, he returned to the Eagles for two more seasons. He played on the Generals last season, and decided to return to the team this year, which allowed for the other Strathmore players to join him in Bentley.

Sheen mentioned how happy he was to finally win a championship alongside Thurston. “Winning this championship with him was great,” Sheen said. “After only getting silver medals together in minor hockey, to finally get gold together means something.”