On a windy July 27, the Vermilion Golf Course clubhouse played host to the 50-year reunion of the Vermilion Junior B Tigers of the 1970s. The event, which began at 2 pm, saw a gathering of former hockey players, their families, and friends, celebrating their shared history and reconnecting after decades apart.
This reunion has been a topic of discussion for the past year, spearheaded by Mike MacNab and Nick Westman. MacNab, who initiated the idea on Facebook two years ago, emphasized the importance of reconnecting as the former players enter their retirement years. “Not everyone is on Facebook, but through children, grandchildren, and other connections, we managed to get the word out,” MacNab explained. The Tigers of the 70s formed a close-knit group, and this reunion was a testament to their enduring bonds.
One of the reunion’s organizers, Russ Shandro, who played during the 1973–74 season, shared memories of the competitive spirit that defined the Tigers. “Kids who grew up in Vermilion discovered that making the team wasn’t automatic; there were tryouts, and undoubtedly, some locals were disappointed, while kids from out of town made the cut,” Shandro recalled. Within two years of the team’s inception, the Tigers became the North Division Central Alberta Junior B Hockey League Champions and the Central Alberta Junior B Hockey League Champions.
The Tigers remained North Division Champions for four consecutive years between 1972 and 1975, and became a North Division finalist three out of the last four years of the decade. They were the overall Central Alberta Junior B Hockey League Champions 3 consecutive years from 1972 to 1974, and the provincial champions one out of three times competing for the title.
The Tigers were a competitive force for eight out of ten years during the ‘70s. Led by notable coaches and managers like Clarence Venance, Henry Wasylik, and Dick Hollen, Vermilion raised the bar for Junior B hockey in Northern Alberta. “Wainwright has since taken it a notch up, but there’s no better tribute to the organizers than seeing the league strengthen each season,” Shandro remarked. He expressed pride in being part of such a transformative period for the team.
Players aged out of the junior league at age 20, but during the ‘73–‘74 season, more than half of the Tigers players were 17 or younger. That year, they became league champions, despite playing against teams that were largely stacked with players two to three years older. In 1974, they claimed both league and provincial titles. J.P. Kelly, one of the team’s stars, even spent seven years (1979–1986) playing for the LA Kings in the NHL, highlighting the caliber of talent nurtured in Vermilion.
MacNab noted the significance of this 50th anniversary reunion, especially with the passing of Dick Hollen in 1987, Clarence Venance in 2001, Henry Wasylik in 2020. “It’s just time to reconnect because it’s been a lot of years,” MacNab said. As organizers of the event, he and Shandro were particularly moved by the turnout. “It’s an amazing bunch,” MacNab said amidst friendly handshakes, big smiles, warm hugs, and gentle teasing.
The event was well attended, with nearly 50 former players from the 1970–1977 seasons showing up, with another 30 wives and fans in tow. The organizers shared with pride that Steve Middleton had ridden his bike from Stratford, ON, while Bobby Cruthers traveled from Invermere, BC and Robb McInnis traveled from Mexico. Referencing the timing coinciding with the Vermilion Fair and the well-attended beer gardens in the Stadium, MacNab joked, “We could have had it at the beer gardens, but knowing our forwards never came back that deep, we had to have it at the golf course.”
The reunion was filled with nostalgia, from scrapbooks and pictures to a stuffed game day mascot, various trophies, and newspaper clippings. A 40-minute slideshow of images brought players and fans back five decades to adrenaline-fueled nights and legendary celebrations. Shandro recounted, “Although there are some who have not seen their former teammates for 50-plus years, that slide presentation just got things going and the players were conversing similar to friends who haven’t seen each other in a month or so.”
Shandro arranged for custom Tigers clocks featuring the championship highlights of the team throughout the 70s to be presented to Mario Nardelli, former president of the Junior B organization, and to the widows of Dick Hollen and Henry Wasylik. While Nardelli, who turns 88 on August 8, could not attend, the gesture was deeply appreciated.
Another souvenir clock and banner listing the highlights of the decade were auctioned off to wrap up the afternoon. This provided excitement, as the bids were rising high and fast. When Nick Westman revealed that brothers Randy and Mike MacNab had been unknowingly bidding against each other, “The auctioneer then exited the room amazingly quickly!” said Shandro.
The reunion also featured the sale of 70s Tigers t-shirts and buttons, organized by McInnis. Organizers discovered that, of the players from the 1973–74 season, excluding coach Henry Wasylik and manager Dick Hollen, along with three former players who have all passed on, only two players were unable to attend this gathering. Also in attendance were special guests Barb Wasylik, wife of the late Coach Henry, and daughters Maureen and Irene of the late Vice President Keith Sutherland. Shandro said, “A good number of team supporters from those years attended as well. And they had recollections to share as well, some of these ‘gems’ were being heard for the first time by the players from 47–54 years ago.”
Kent Staden expressed gratitude to Russ Shandro, Mike MacNab, Rob McInnis, and Nick Westman for their efforts in bringing everyone together. “As teammates, you become pretty close, and it’s fantastic to see everyone again,” Staden remarked. He recalled playing in the senior hockey league for the Ryley Flyers with former Junior B Tigers players and how friendships forged on the ice lasted long after their playing days.
As the afternoon wore on, the Vermilion Junior B Tigers of the 1970s reminisced about the highlights of their youth and looked forward to more reunions in the years to come.
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