Two Junior Belfast Hockey Players Get to Meet the Vancouver Canucks
By CATHOLINE BUTLER
VANCOUVER - On March 20 I attended a “Kitchen Party” held at the home of John and Ann Carr. The Dublin-born Carr family is well-known in the Irish community. Their daughter Melissa Carr-Quinlan is an event planner who has been working on the promotion of the documentary film, When Hockey Came To Belfast.
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| JIM YAWORSKI the owner of the Belfast Giants presented John and Ann Carr with a team jersey in appreciation of their hospitality. They are shown here with their daughter Melissa Carr-Quinlan who is the publicist for the film When Hockey Came to Belfast. |
The Carrs graciously opened their home to welcome two Belfast hockey players, Paul and Andrew, along with their parents. Also in attendance was Linda Conway, the producer of When Hockey Came To Belfast, Belfast Giants owner, Jim Yaworski, along with Jordon Thorsteinson, the director of customer sales for the Vancouver Canucks.
I had an opportunity to speak with Jordan Thorsteinson, about the Canucks’ role in bringing Paul and Andrew and their parents to Vancouver for the screening of the film at CelticFest and to see a live NHL game at GM Place.
“It was really a collective effort by a number of key corporate sponsors.” said Jordan. “The Rosedale Hotel on Robson Street provided the accommodations for the families for two weeks. Charter Bus Lines of British Columbia provided all their transportation while they were here, and Zoom Airlines were the carriers that brought them to Canada.”
It’s been over a year since Linda, Jordan and Jim Yaworski of Calgary, started talking about the possibility of bringing the boys to Vancouver. Thorsteinson said, “we just picked up the phone, placed some calls, and the response was overwhelming. People just said, ‘absolutely, Jordan, sounds great, what can I do to help?
“I’m sitting here today thinking, I can’t believe how it all came together. It’s the power of the human spirit and it gave me a greater sense of belief that it can happen and all you have to do is dream and also just ask and people will step up and support a great cause.
“We relied on our corporate partners but also everyone at Orca Bay and the Canucks. Once they had an opportunity to view the film and find out really what it was all about, they were inspired as well. Once Marc Crawford saw the film and endorsed it, everything just fell into place afterwards.”
Jordan Thorsteinson has some other ideas on how to further promote hockey in Belfast. He spoke about the possibility of having an NHL team go to Belfast for an exhibition game and possibly holding a training camp to further promote the NHL game.
Another possibility is taking the Stanley Cup to Belfast, for the first time. It’s never been in Northern Ireland and he feels that would be the icing on the cake.
Jordan also spoke about seeing the excitement on the faces of Paul and Andrew as they watched their first NHL game at GM Place. “They were just amazed, they were in awe,” said Jordan. “As soon as the Canucks stepped on the ice, the boys were just in total amazement.
“They didn’t want to be distracted, they just wanted to watch the game. They couldn’t believe the electricity in the building. For me to witness that was a very emotional moment that I will never forget.”
Speaking with Paul and Andrew and their thoughts on watching their first NHL game and their first visit to Canada and Vancouver. Andrew said, “it was a brilliant experience and far better to see live, especially since we were in the owners suite to watch the game. The NHL games are more intense, more skillful, the atmosphere is just unbelievable. It’s completely different from back home.
“Seeing the Sedin twins play was absolutely amazing. I have always been a fan but to actually see them playing live was awesome. Anson Carter scored a brilliant goal and he just played the match like it was his last. Not many people will have the opportunity that we have had,” said Andrew.
Paul spoke about the difference in the crowd reaction in Belfast to the crowd reaction in Vancouver, saying, “back home watching the Belfast Giants, the crowd can vary from being high to low, but watching a game in Vancouver...the crowds are just amazing. GM Place has sold out 21 games. The atmosphere is just brilliant. It’s a moment that I will never forget for the rest of my life!”
Aside from hockey, the boys and their parents, visited, Grouse Mountain, Stanley Park, Deep Cove and other points of interest. The boys said their parents loved Vancouver. Paul said, “the mums have been out shopping and I think they’ve seen every shop in Vancouver, health spa, facial and hair salon!”
Andrew said, “give any woman a credit card and she’ll shop!” Both Andrew and Paul agree that they will never get credit cards!
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[Watch the May issue of The Celtic Connection for an interview with Belfast Giants owner Jim Yaworski, and Theoren Fleury a former NHL player now playing with the Belfast Giants in Belfast.]
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