Michael 'Pat' Swanson: "Go Huskies Go!"

Chapleau Int A Huskies

For more than 20 years, Michael 'Pat" Swanson was among the leading players who greatly defined Chapleau hockey at three different levels.

My first memory of Pat was watching him head behind the Chapleau goal, pick up the puck from Doug Prusky and be in full stride as he skated past goaltender David McAdam, with wingers Garry Prusky and Ernie Chambers in position for another Chapleau Huskies power play.

The crowd, likely over 1,000 in the Chapleau Memorial Arena started to chant "Go Huskies Go" and away these players from the Chapleau Junior "B" Huskies of the International Junior "B" Hockey League went, scoring another power play goal.

I was the referee that night in the Chapleau Memorial Arena, having recently returned to Chapleau and was teaching at Chapleau High School. 

Here is a quick glimpse from those years in which Pat was at the centre of the action.

 Pat and his fellow players really emerged on the Chapleau hockey scene in 1965-66 their first year as Bantams when they won the Division 'B' Championship in the popular Lasarre Tournament. They repeated in 1966-67 and in 1967-68 topped it off winning the Division 'A' title as well as the Nothern Ontario Playground Hockey Association championship. David Mizuguchi and David Futhey coached and managed these teams.

 I recall having coffee with Don and Olive Card in their kitchen when I would be home for a visit ands they would tell me these "kids are good". Don and Olive, who were involved in minor hockey for years, were right.

By the 1970-71 season in the International Junior 'B' Hockey league the  Huskies were off to a fast start with Earle Freeborn as coach, finding themselves "all alone in top spot" after two weeks of play, according to Keith 'Buddy' Swanson, who doubled as hockey writer for the Chapleau Sentinel and team manager at the time. 

Buddy, Pat's older brother  noted that the Huskies were "keyed up by their already high scoring trio of Pat Swanson, Ernie Chambers and Garry Prusky" who accounted for 10 of 12 goals. They defeated their archrivals the Wawa Travellers to gain first place.

Buddy was instrumental in founding the Junior 'B' Huskies of the International Junior 'B' League in 1966-67, with Tom Welch and Lorne Riley.

By 1974, the Bantams were now overage for Junior hockey, and some were away at  school and others were working.

A delegation visited me in 1974 and asked if I would assist them in reviving Intermediate hockey. In 1975, we attended the annual meeting of the recently formed Northland Intermediate Hockey League, and were accepted.

It was not supposed to be but in the beginning I was coach and manager.

Very few people know that the Chapleau Intermediate 'A' Huskies may have folded after their first game in Timmins against the Northstars, who became their archrivals, had it not been for Pat Swanson.

After being soundly defeated by the Northstars I sat on the bench alone thinking it all over, and Pat appeared.

Pat was attending Sheridan College at  the time, but had come home for the opening game.

"We need some players," he said, expressing the obvious, even though we had the core team. "I can get us some," Pat said. At that moment, Pat became chief scout and recruiter.

David McMillan and Paul 'RP' McDonald were the first to arrive, both of whom were attending college with Pat. The rest is history. Others came. The team lasted four years just long enough to defeat the Timmins Northstars in the semi finals, which was like winning the Stanley Cup.

Pat  and Paul also coached a minor hockey team in the 1978-79 season and it participated in a tournament in Senneterre. 

Pat, back top left with Senneterre team

In a recent exchange of emails with Danny Vaughan who joined the team, we were reminded of a trip to Florida several of us made at the end of one season, packed into Pat's International Jeep. This was long before GPS and texting, so my job was to talk with truckers on the CB Radio to get us through traffic jams. Danny also caught a shark and sea turtle.

In Florida, Pat "Huskies Hockey"

Throughout its history, Chapleau has had many outstanding hockey players and teams who warmed up many cold Winter nights in the first outdoor community rink to the old rink to the Chapleau Memorial Arena to the Mrs A.W. Moore Arena in the recreation centre. Pat and his generation were certainly among them

I had my last conversation with Pat in January 2012 when he sent me a message. Let me share a bit of it.

"How are things MJ", to which I replied fine and asked how he was.

Pat shared that he had some health issues but was recovering, adding that although some things were going slow, "I even went for a skate yesterday for the first time in four years."

Bill Scheer, Pat, Graham Bertrand playing(?) donkey baseball

He told me he couldn't find a puck but had a hockey stick so used a ball --- later he went and bought some pucks.

I teased him a bit about maybe we should start another Intermediate 'A' team to which he replied, "OK, can I be the captain?"  When I replied, "You can be captain", Pat said, "Thanks Chief".

He also shared that he had his children and grandchildren near him and commented, "They are priceless".

Our conversation ended with Pat's comment "Don't be a stranger Michael. Take care and talk at you later". We planned to meet at the Chapleau High School reunion in 2012 but it didn't happen.

Pat, my friend, you will never be a stranger to me or Chapleau hockey fans who watched you and your teammates from Bantam, to Junior to Intermediate bring great hockey to our community for over 20 years. Thanks for the memories and "Go Huskies Go!".

Michael 'Pat' Swanson died on July 2, 2014. He was 61.

My email is mj.morris@live.ca 

John Tavella scores first goal in Moore Arena as Chapleau Intermediate 'A" Huskies down Valley East Crusaders in 1978

UPDATE: John Tavella died at age 59 on October 21, 2015.

The Chapleau Intermediate "A" Huskies inaugurated the Moore Arena at the Chapleau Recreation Centre,  on October 7 and 8, 1978 winning two exhibition games against the Valley East Crusaders.

With a crowd of more than 500 fans on hand for each game, the Huskies were "equal to the task" according to the Chapleau Sentinel, winning both games 6-4 and 5-4 respectively.

Doug Prusky, who had been a star with both the Chapleau Junior "B" and Intermediate "A" Huskies until an injury forced his retirement was entering his second year as coach of the Huskies. I was the manager.

David McAdam and Glen Cappellani shared goaltending duties.

John Tavella of Wawa, now playing for the Chapleau team, who had set an Ontario Hockey Association record for most points by a rookie when he played for the Sault Greyhounds, earned the honour of scoring the first goal in the Moore Arena at the 17:10 mark of the first period. Pat Swanson assisted.

The Sentinel reported that in the first game, Tavella and Jamie Doyle came through with "super performances culminating their efforts with two goals each.

RON LARCHER and the donkey

Entering their fourth year in the Northland Intermediate Hockey League, the Huskies, were playing the newest entry. The Crusaders were the 1977-78 Sudbury Intermediate League champions.

The first period ended in a 1-1 tie.

Doyle scored his first of the night in the second with assists going to Richard Lacroix and Bill Scheer. The Crusaders again tied the match but Ron Larcher scored on an unassisted effort, and the period ended 3-2 for the locals.

Ron Larcher, Bill Scheer on attack

But the Crusaders roared to the attack in the third pulling ahead by one goal.

Richard Lacroix, who had returned to the lineup after an absence started the comeback when he "put home one of his blasts" assisted by Larcher and Jacques Sylvestre. Fans were delighted to see Lacroix back with the Huskies. He had been the team's leading scorer and Rookie of the year during its first year of operation in 1975-76. Tavella scored his second of the night.

With six minutes left Doyle scored his second of the night assisted by Bill Scheer and Dave McMillan, which turned out to be the winning goal.

Veteran referee Jim Hong kept the game well under control handing out only minor penalties to both clubs.

Tavella was again the big marksman in the second game as he scored twice and earned one assist.

In the second game, Larcher opened the scoring for the Huskies after the Crusaders had taken the lead. Ted Swanson, who never missed a game in the team's four year history, assisted on Larcher's goal.

McMillan put the Huskies ahead with assists to Ted Zajac and Ted Swanson.

Although the Crusaders came back again, John Simon, also from Wawa, who had also played for the Sault Greyhounds, scored his first goal in a Chapleau uniform assisted by Tavella and Pat Swanson to give the locals a 3-2 edge at the end of the second period. Simon's son Chris played in the National Hockey League.

The Huskies in Summerfest bed race

In the third, the Crusaders tied the game, but Tavella put the Huskies back in front assisted by McMillan and then scored the winner assisted by Simon and George Card.

Barbara (Bowland) Groves advised that she sold the first ticket for the hockey game in the new Moore Arena. Barbara was the cashier and canteen manager until 1986, commenting "lots of hockey games." Thanks Barbara.

As an aside, while chatting with Graham Bertrand, co-chair of the Chapleau High School 90th anniversary reunion committee, he reminded me that the recreation centre had been officially opened on June 29, 1978, 34 years to the day of the beginning of the reunion.

BILL SCHEER, PAT SWANSON and GRAHAM!

in !978, Graham was the trainer for the Huskies, as well as serving as chair of Taste of the North the winter carnival and as a member of the Chapleau Recreation Centre. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Photos courtesy of JOHN THERIAULT