Edge U15AAA return to Calgary as 2024 John Reid Memorial Tournament Champions

45th John Reid Memorial Tournament 

01/21/2024

In flat brim hats I watched the U7s swarm around the booth playing mini sticks this weekend at Performance Arena in St. Albert as I called live action on Flohockey. They were emulating the U15 AAA St. Albert Sabres on the ice who wore new slick third jerseys. 

On the bench at the Opening Ceremonies the U9 players shared stories about math class. They didn’t know I was smiling ear to ear listening to them share the excitement with eachother.

In the hallways the U15s talked about their latest crush. In the stands they talked about young hockey stars. One young St. Albert player was reminiscing with two friends about how talented another Edge School skater Landon DuPont had been the year prior at the John Reid, a historic U15 AAA Hockey Tournament held annually in St. Albert.

They revelled at the players vision and skating prowess. I leaned over and shared a secret with the young hockey players. “You should have seen his Dad play”.The kids replied, “who Micki!?”.

Growing up Micki was the best player I ever saw. Dany Heatley was the name that became the most well known in professional hockey circles in Calgary during that era but to me DuPont was the best player.

With Jarome Iginla wandering the hallways this Christmas at the Circle K Classic in Calgary, hundreds of fans clambered for photos and autographs. I put Micki on the spot in the lobby and said, “don’t worry you’re still my favourite player Mick!”. He shook his head sheepishly and smiled at me. Micki, the father not the Coach that night in late December was there supporting his son. 

I don’t feel good about my chances for an exclusive interview or an autograph after that chirp in the lobby of 7 Chiefs Arena. But as much as I was joking deep down, I meant it. Besides I don’t even have a signed Jarome Iginla jersey like many Calgarians, but I do have a signed Micki DuPont Eisbaren Berlin Polar Bear jersey.

In European pro hockey some leagues the leading scorer wears a yellow helmet. A similar tradition to the yellow jersey in the Tour de France. Micki once told me he didn’t enjoy the experience and I laughed. He never has been someone that seeks added attention.

As a young reporter I stopped into Berlin to see Dups. He was playing in Berlin, and it was a chance of lifetime to see him play his Coach was Pierre Page that season. His wife picked me up at the train station after I took the train from Torino from the 2006 Winter Olympics. What an experience to see professional hockey overseas for two weeks in Italy then to take a second detour before returning home to Calgary. 

DuPont was playing in the DEL German Elite League. At the game on the second night of my visit I watched Micki come out of the dressing room and a fan had a white #42 Calgary Flames jersey waiting to be signed. He graciously signed the jersey, and we again laughed. He said, “I can’t believe that guy had my jersey’.Micki was drafted by the Calgary Flames in 2000 in the 9th Round 270thoverall. He played two NHL games for the Flames in 2001-02, and then another sixteen games in 2002-03. That is why he was surprised the fan had the jersey. Not to mention we were in Berlin Germany!

If I had to describe DuPont to a WHL or NHL scout at the time it would go like this. He made the game look effortless and simple. Great vision, soft hands, and an unbelievable motor with an elite skating stride. The complete mobile defenceman. The only knock on him in those days was that he was one of the smallest players. Moe Halat was also at the rink supporting family tonight and as we watched Edge forward Adam Halat in the first period Moe a former AJHL Calgary Canuck and Mount Royal Cougar sniper and a true gentleman shared a similar report. At the time the team was trailing 2-0, he recited the same scouting report except it was about DuPonts youngest son. “He has an effortless stride; it is like he never gets tired”. 

My only explanation was that I think that’s the love of the game. I then went and watched the game in the scouting room after that conversation. Edge came back to win 5-2 over the Greater Toronto Hockey Leagues Toronto Titans who were undefeated until the loss in the Final. 2-0 worst lead in hockey, right?! I felt like I was the cooler standing with the parents so that was my contribution tonight. I stopped to watch the Bills in Red Deer so you can hang that one on me as well Bills Mafia. 

I have only seen Landon play a few periods. I know the pressure of having expectations, so I want him to have fun. I won’t interview him and probably never will. Moe and I also talked about the skating of Brock England another tremendous Edge player. What some hockey fans don’t realize is we want the entire team to be successful not just a few players; so, we talk about all the players. We are all at different stages of development and expectations can often be the greatest detriment. Former player parents understand this firsthand.

Off the ice Micki DuPont was always a great person and for me that is why he is a great player and now a great Coach. It never had anything to do with hockey. A tremendous leader, soft spoken and a true friend. Am I surprised coaching seems to have also come naturally to him. Not for a second. It suits him. And I know another secret that was a key in a long professional hockey career. It’s how hard he works.

Landon and his older brother Nolan now a member of the AJHLs Blackfalds Bulldogs father had 88 points his last regular season in the Western Hockey League. He was named WHL Defenceman of the Year. He wore the ‘C’ on his jersey and was respected by the entire Kamloops Blazer community. I know this legacy because they still talk about him like it was yesterday in Kamloops; I experienced it while volunteering at the Memorial Cup last Spring.

What those St. Albert kids from the stands at Mark Messier Arena don’t know is Micki was a 16-year-old who was released from his U18AAA team in Calgary. I think the team knew he was destined for greater things and wanted the roster spot open. Shortly after he was named a Kamloops Blazer, as they say “the rest is history”. 

He left for Kamloops in my Grade 11 year which was Micki’s Grade 10 season. It would be the only year we would roam the same halls in High School. From then on for 23 hockey seasons I followed my friend’s career through professional hockey. Stops in Kamloops for Junior hockey then in the AHL in Long Beach and San Diego before he landed in Saint John where he won a Calder Cup in 2001. Drafted by his hometown Calgary Flames his career then turned to stints in Wilkes Barre, the Penguins AHL affiliate.

After he chased his North American hockey dream it was followed by a three-season career in Berlin. He would return for another stint in Wilkes Barre in 2007 and dressed for three games with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Then he was off to St. Louis playing two games with the Blues and another 76 games in Peoria with the AHL Riverman.

Then the smooth skating defenceman was off to Zug Switzerland followed by five seasons in Kloten before returning and ending his career back in Berlin with the DEL Berlin Polar Bears. I even cheered him from my couch a couple seasons while he represented Team Canada at the Spengler Cup at Christmas.

If I had to describe his professional career it would go like this. He overcame adversity of being a smaller player as effortlessly as his skating stride. In essence his career was defined by over coming the odds as a smaller defenceman.

Earlier this week I watched the movie “The Sandlot”. Yes, I know I resemble the great Hambino. I have always admit-ably been a chubby teen now adult, but I had more in common with the main character who becomes a sports announcer. A kid looking to make new friends after a move to a new city in my case from St. Albert to Calgary. When we moved it was hockey that helped me forge new relationships. Like The Sandlot plot I got watch my friend steal home this weekend from the press box. This time it was a trophy from my hometown not home plate, however.

I first heard about Micki through my cousins in Calgary.  I can still remember seeing Micki in my cousin Neil’s bedroom in Parkland in a team Little League photo. His childhood neighbor Jeff Lane was my best friend in high school and remains one of my closest friends in Calgary. Micki lived only a few houses away from Laner.

Jeff and his hockey buddies now host a charity golf tournament in honour of our late friend and Coach Jack Lane in Calgary. It supports the Childrens Hospital Sick Kids and frankly has become such and in-depth event I can’t do it justice to explain. I will let former AAA Buffaloes forward Danny Mac fill you in on all the details down one day. It has raised an incredible sum and it’s the one time a year I get to see all my hockey friends all in one room including DuPont. Jeff now coaches his son Colby in the HSL in Calgary. Colby idolizes the DuPont boys. I idolize what that group of friends have created and have become.

Dups always wanted it. Every second of every day. He would shoot hundreds of pucks just up the hill in the community of Parkland in Calgary. Parkland is where my cousins lived it is the next neighbourhood next to Deer Run. DuPonts father was a fire fighter and I think Micki got his well-mannered nature from him mother and his siblings. 

Micki’s first two games in the NHL were played against Vancouver and Edmonton.

Like this week where we have seen smaller players play against much bigger opponents, he faced an uphill battle. We used to joke that “Dups” lied about his height so scouts would take a deeper look at him. We also used to call him “Micki Jo”not Micki too.

In those first two NHL contests the young defenceman was forced to defend Todd Bertuzzi who at that time tipped the scales at 275 pounds. The following game on the road here in Edmonton he would face Georges Laraque. In today’s game Micki would have flourished in those days he was lucky to survive to tell the tale.

I said to our mutual pal Dr. Mike Geddes in the first intermission that night at the Northlands Coliseum; “we really should have given our tickets to his parents, they should be here”. A moment later in the intermission four rows ahead of us high in the rafters and across the aisle sat DuPont’s mother. Mike and I quickly said hello and curiously asked where his Dad had gone between periods. Quickly his wife replied, “oh I’m sure he’s down there talking about Micki somewhere”. When I captured the Opening Ceremonies with the Edmonton Fire Department colour guard, I thought of that proud hockey Dad. DuPont’s Dad was a long-time firefighter in Calgary and his son’s biggest supporter. Like me he was his biggest fan.

If you think his father was proud of Micki, you should hear his friends talk about him at the annual Jack Lane Memorial Cup each summer. Micki was never one to seek the limelight but trust me even though he was a year younger we all looked up to him.

Today I am proud of the Coach. Even prouder to call him a lifelong friend. Congratulations to the Edge School for combining structure, education, leadership with class. I shared this with their Hockey Director on Friday afternoon then his students lived it our loud on the ice Sunday. The program couldn’t have found a better example for the kids to model than the Head Coach of the U15 AAA program.

For me preparation was key this week. I sacrificed sleep in favour of studying this event. I am always reminded of these words of wisdom. Be humble. Be Prepared. Always be the hardest worker in the room. Because work ethic will always trump talent. 

That’s how true leaders lead and Champions roll. The next generation of pro stars are lucky to be along for the ride no matter who the best player was as a kid. Find your motor it is what will drive your career and that love of the game. That’s winning.

Congratulations Edge Hockey you earned it this week and now you are all Champions just like your Coach and my friend Micki DuPont.