Celebrating Bruin hockey history
By David Willberg

Jerry Bulitz, who played for the Bruins during their second
season, was in Estevan for the reunion.

Members of the Estevan Bruins alumni squared off in an exhibition
game September 9. The game finished in a 17-17 tie.

Fifty years of Estevan Bruins hockey have spawned memories for fans and players, and brought many players to the city.
Many of the players who played junior hockey in Estevan, whether it was in the SJHL or the WHL, returned to the city September 8 and 9 for a reunion in honour of the club's golden anniversary season.
The weekend was hosted by the Bruin Alumni Association. Proceeds from the activities, which included a golf tournament, supper and alumni game, will be used to purchase the Bruins' third jerseys this season.
Nobody traced their roots back further than Jerry Bulitz. Bulitz played for the club during their second season in 1958-59.
Bulitz moved to Moose Jaw after he finished playing in Estevan, and then to Yorkton. He has been in Yorkton for 40 years. He was the Yorkton Terriers' general manager when they entered the SJHL, and was a part-owner of the team at one point.
During Bulitz's season in Estevan, the Bruins had the second-best record in the league. Estevan played Flin Flon in the league final. They won the first two games handily at the Civic Auditorium, but lost the next four, all in Flin Flon.
"Those were probably the worst memories (losing to Flin Flon), but they're good memories because we had given the playoffs a good run," said Bulitz.
Bulitz said the ice surface at the Civic Auditorium is the same size as when he played in the rink, and fans are still right on top of the action.
"In those days, there was no glass, nothing along the sides, just screens on the end," said Bulitz. "Everyone went on the ice at the west end of the rink, and that was it. Players, coaches, both teams, referees, everybody went on the one way."
Gary McKechney coached the club on-and-off from 1971 to 1980. During his tenure, the Bruins had several successful seasons, and reached the league final.
When the WHL Bruins moved to New Westminster, B.C., in 1971, the community scrambled to ice a team for the 1971-72 SJHL season. McKechney was named the coach.
"Only three weeks before the season started, we decided to have a club," said McKechney. "I had no idea what the teams would be like. We made the playoffs the first year. We only missed the playoffs one year, but we had a good Junior B program here."
"We just had a good bunch of guys. Everybody worked hard. We didn't have any big stars, but Murray Fleck got to be one of the best defencemen in the league, went to the Western Hockey League."
McKechney said the SJHL served as more of a feeder league when he coached than it does now.
"We had a lot of people that sent their kids her for Grades 11 and 12, on the chance that they might get a scholarship, which a lot of them did," said McKechney. "It was more of a development league than it is now."
Bulitz and McKechney served as the coaches during the alumni game.
Proceeds from the weekend will be used to purchase the club's third uniforms for this season.
Jeff Yanko, the spokesperson for the Bruin Alumni Association, said the weekend was a "complete success." The golf tournament attracted about 100 players, he said. Forty players participated in the Bruin alumni game.
He was especially pleased to meet some of the players from the club's past.
"That's what the alumni association is all about, is getting these guys together and forming a group of guys who can help the community and the Bruins," said Yanko.
Yanko played for the Bruins in 1989, and he said there were seven or eight players from that season who attended the alumni weekend.
Other highlights from the weekend included the presentation of the Bruin Builder Award to Ray Frehlick, a past-president and long-time supporter of the club; a jersey auction; and an extensive display of Bruin memorabilia featuring jerseys, jackets and other merchandise.

top