It's a major coup for a community that had some big backing from hockey's best-known dad.
Dauphin was unanimously selected as the host of the 2010 RBC Cup national junior A championship during last weekend's Hockey Canada annual general meeting.
A restaurant encounter with Walter Gretzky helped boost Dauphin’s bid.
"It's so exciting for us as a committee and so many positives for our community, it's hard to find the words to express how big this is for us," said Randy Daley, Dauphin host committee chairman.
"Everyone is talking about it, people that I don't even know are coming up to me and telling me how excited they are to have this event here."
Daley said there was a little good fortune mixed in with the host committee's hard work in preparing and presenting the bid. Back on March 16, which was the day before they were to present their bid to Hockey Canada, Daley said he and four committee members were having breakfast at a restaurant near their Toronto hotel.
"We noticed this gentleman having breakfast at a table near us and it was one of those 'Do you know that guy? I think I do but is it really?' It was Walter Gretzky," said Daley, who was with his wife and co-chair Kathy, Lyle Stokotelny, Jana Schott and Dauphin Kings president Darren Russell.
Daley said they introduced themselves to Wayne Gretzky's father, who was on his way to watch his son Wayne's Phoenix Coyotes play. After they told him what they were doing there, Daley said Walter Gretzky generously allowed them to videotape him saying "I support Dauphin's bid to host the 2010 RBC Cup" and it was quickly added to their bid package.
"The Hockey Canada people got a real kick out of it. It sure didn't hurt to have Mr. Hockey himself on our side! We're going to send Mr. Gretzky a thank-you card and invite him to the tournament."
The RBC Cup was last held in Manitoba in 2001 when the Flin Flon Bombers of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League hosted the event but this will be the first time since 1992 that it will be held in a Manitoba Junior Hockey League community. The Dauphin Kings will get an automatic berth as host team.
PREVIOUS
