Brenden Dillon, a former teammate of local National Hockey League players Jamie and Jordie Benn in Dallas and Matt Irwin in San Jose, was excited to take another twirl on the ice in that trio’s old stomping grounds on Monday.
The San Jose Sharks defenceman, who hails from Surrey, also spent time of his own on the Island playing in minor hockey tournaments, so it was with great enthusiasm he returned to participate in the Kraft Hockeyville game against the Vancouver Canucks.
“I shot a couple of texts back and forth and they were a little jealous that I got to be playing here today,” Dillon said of exchanging messages with the Benns and Irwin, who has moved on from San Jose to the Boston Bruins.
“It’s just a great event that they put on. I’ve watched every year and now being a part of Kraft Hockeyville is pretty cool,” said Dillon, a 24-year-old defenceman who was traded to the Sharks after 20 games with Dallas last year (his third season with the Stars). “There’s a buzz here with our team and with the Canucks as well.
“It’s been really exciting and it’s been a great turnout.”
And the former Seattle Thunderbird (2007-11) was delighted to be playing against the Canucks, a team he grew up cheering for.
“I was that guy growing up in Surrey, being a Vancouver Canucks fan and watching them walk by. So any time you’re able to make someone’s day special and to have a turn out like tonight makes it exciting,” he said of performing in front of the young fans.
“Vancouver Island was always just a short ferry ride away so there were lots of tournaments growing up for me and it’s definitely a familiar rink,” added Dillon, who in his last year in the Western Hockey League, played against the Chilliwack Bruins — now the Victoria Royals.
“So I know that hockey is alive and well out here on Vancouver Island and we’re seeing today the amount of kids and family, who aren’t necessarily Sharks or Canucks fans, but hockey fans in general and that’s great to see.”
The same was true for new Sharks head coach Peter DeBoer, who spent some time on the Island as a member of the Canucks’ organization back when he toiled with the Milwaukee Admirals.
“The last time I was here it was with Jim Benning and Trevor Linden at a Canucks training camp,” said Deoer, referring to camps in Victoria and Parksville in the late 1980s and early ’90s. “Great memories. It’s been a long time since I’ve been back, but it’s a beautiful place and the people have been very welcoming.
“As NHL players and coaches we don’t get many opportunities to go into the small communities very often,” he said. “This is a great treat for us and one I know our players were real excited about.”
