Mitch Calvert
Get ready to dust off that AC/DC “The Razor’s Edge” album because its first track will soon be in use again at an arena near you.
The plan to bring a senior men’s team to the area has been realized—complete with a number of former Borderland Thunder players—and will play as the Thunderhawks.
The former Borderland Thunder came out to AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” at home games during their four years in the SIJHL.
“Simply the name is derived from the former Borderland Thunder as most of these kids played there,” manager Dean Bruyere noted. “The hawks part comes from the fact some of the guys from the team wanted uniforms in Chicago Blackhawks’ colours.”
The logo features an animated hawk wearing a hockey helmet of sorts designed by Dolly Paxson and her daughter, MacKenzie.
A tentative rundown of those confirmed includes former Thunder and area residents Kevin Webb, Ian Lockman, Dennis Morrison, Jamie Davis (formerly of the Dryden Ice Dogs), and Andrew Dault (International Falls).
Others mentioned included Fort Frances native Rustin Dolyny. He spent six successful seasons in the UHL and also had stints in the AHL and Germany as recently as 2008—though he may not be in the team’s plans if he decides to head back overseas to continue his hockey career there.
Nick Magle and Tom Biondich (International Falls) were also listed. Biondich, 26, played four seasons for Robert Moore University before briefly suiting up for the Gwinnett Gladiators of the ECHL in 2008.
Larry Beck and Randy White will handle the coaching duties.
Bruyere stressed the team was brought together simply to give locals a place to play and provide another entertainment option for area hockey fans.
“We’re not in this to make money and if anyone believes they’re going to make money running a hockey team they are absolutely crazy,” Bruyere reasoned.
“We’re going to provide a monthly financial statement of all revenues generated and our expenditures, and we’ll make that available for people’s perusal so there aren’t any questions as to where the monies going.”
Like any amateur hockey team, the need to drum up volunteers is integral to the success of the on-ice product.
A meeting for anyone interested in volunteering will be held tomorrow night at 7 p.m. in Room 125 at the Adventure Inn.
“It’s for people who want to be involved in any form or matter,” Bruyere explained. “Some sort of group will be organized that will oversee everything but hockey operations.
“That way the coaches can coach and I only have to worry about the hockey management side of things,” Bruyere added.
As has been mentioned previously, a schedule of games would not likely exceed more than 16 over the course of the winter.
“There’s four games booked right now. I don’t have the exact dates but the plan is to have the Thunder Bay Twins come here twice and we’ll go there twice for a total of eight games,” Bruyere noted.
“Kenora will have two [games] here and we’ll have two up there for now, so that’s [12] games total,” Bruyere added. “I don’t want to get too much because everybody works and it’ll be tough to get everybody out.”
Where exactly those home games will be played remains a question mark until the fate of the Fort Frances Jr. Sabres is decided.
“I’m still waiting on ice. I wish the Sabres would know what they are doing, but regardless the first or second week of September we’ll have tryouts open to everybody to come and skate for a fee,” Bruyere noted.
