Hometown Honours

[JianYang]

There is raymond bourque arena in Montreal, and the reason I remember that is because the Habs were practicing there during a playoff series against the bruins in the 90s.

I doubt that has ever happened before where you are practicing in a home rink named after a guy you are trying beat in the series.

 

[VanIslander]

You didn't beat Bourque.

 

[overpass]

There's also the Aréna Jacques-Laperrière, located about 15 minutes away on foot. Why two arenas in such a small town? Rouyn and Noranda were separate communities, each with their separate rinks, but they were amalgamated in 1986. The Huskies played in the arena named after Keon because it's a bit larger and more modern.

I'm not certain why the arena was named after Laperriere, though. He was born in Béarn, a hamlet which is about 130 km south of Rouyn-Noranda. As far as I can tell (unlike Keon), Laperriere never played for either the Rouyn or Noranda QJMHL teams. I suppose they wanted to honour someone else from western Quebec, but I can't find anything concrete about if or how Laperriere had any association with Rouyn Noranda. If anyone has any details, let me know.

Laperriere played on Noranda's midget team with Kent Douglas.

Kent Douglas looks back

While out scouting locations for a potential move, Kent Douglas decided to drop by and see old friends, and former NHLer Jim Morrison, a resident of Wasaga Beach.

www.simcoe.com

Born in Cobalt, Ontario, but spending most of his childhood in Noranda, Quebec, Kent Douglas’ defence partner on the local midget team was future star NHL blueliner Jacques Laperierre, two of the forwards were NHL players Wayne Connolly and Pit Martin, and the stick boy was a skinny little kid with a mischievous grin and a gleam in his eye named David Keon.

 

[Yozhik v tumane]

I try to think of Swedish examples, but they aren’t that many or prominent.

My hometown of Luleå has some kind of local legislation against naming streets after people, I know there’s occasionally been petitions that were shot down on that basis.

I know Salming had a street by the arena in Kiruna named after him posthumously, and an ice statue in his likeness at the Ice Hotel, which must have melted at this point:

Stefan Liv has also been honored with a street in Jönköping. I can imagine that locally there are even more streets named after athletes.

We’re kind of bad at honoring our greats in Sweden, in relation to Canada and the US. The Swedish Hockey HoF ceremonies are a joke, I know Salming complained that it was a bit of a waste of time when he received the honors. Got some kind words, flowers and a round of applause from the audience before a Djurgården game, iirc, after HHoF induction, jersey retirement and statue revelation in Toronto.

Piteå — neighboring town of Luleå — does sport a “walk of fame” on their main street, with local celebrities honored.

The hockey players honored with tiles are Tomas Holmström, Lars Lindgren, Mikael Renberg and Mattias Öhlund.

 

[Hobnobs]

I try to think of Swedish examples, but they aren’t that many or prominent.

My hometown of Luleå has some kind of local legislation against naming streets after people, I know there’s occasionally been petitions that were shot down on that basis.

I know Salming had a street by the arena in Kiruna named after him posthumously, and an ice statue in his likeness at the Ice Hotel, which must have melted at this point:

Stefan Liv has also been honored with a street in Jönköping. I can imagine that locally there are even more streets named after athletes.

We’re kind of bad at honoring our greats in Sweden, in relation to Canada and the US. The Swedish Hockey HoF ceremonies are a joke, I know Salming complained that it was a bit of a waste of time when he received the honors. Got some kind words, flowers and a round of applause from the audience before a Djurgården game, iirc, after HHoF induction, jersey retirement and statue revelation in Toronto.

Piteå — neighboring town of Luleå — does sport a “walk of fame” on their main street, with local celebrities honored.

The hockey players honored with tiles are Tomas Holmström, Lars Lindgren, Mikael Renberg and Mattias Öhlund.

Well, ice hockey players generally aren't as celebrated in Sweden as their football counter parts.


Henke Larsson and Kalle Svensson has statues in Helsingborg, Gunnar Nordahl in Hörnefors and Zlatan in Malmö for example.

 

[Yozhik v tumane]

Well, ice hockey players generally aren't as celebrated in Sweden as their football counter parts.


Henke Larsson and Kalle Svensson has statues in Helsingborg, Gunnar Nordahl in Hörnefors and Zlatan in Malmö for example.

I thought of the fact there are a few footballers with statues. Nacka Skoglund as well. There’s also a statue of boxer Ingemar Johansson in Gothenburg. I do find it odd that (if?) never there was a statue erected of a hockey player in Sweden, since there are so many good candidates who were popular with the broader public and/or local legends.

I just read there may exist plans to give Salming a permanent statue in Kiruna though.

 

[Hobnobs]

I thought of the fact there are a few footballers with statues. Nacka Skoglund as well. There’s also a statue of boxer Ingemar Johansson in Gothenburg. I do find it odd that (if?) never there was a statue erected of a hockey player in Sweden, since there are so many good candidates who were popular with the broader public and/or local legends.

I just read there may exist plans to give Salming a permanent statue in Kiruna though.

Salming is getting one and he's one of the players Im surprised dont have one. The others being Håkan Loob (Karlstad), Kenny Jönsson (Ängelholm), Peter Forsberg (Örnsköldsvik) and Nicklas Lidström (Västerås).

I mean Sylvain Cote has a statue for chist sake

But I think it has to do with in sweden most things like that publically funded and you basically have to be larger than life to be considered. And in two of the cases the players are popular for a club in a city they're not originally from (Loob and Lidström).

 

[Yozhik v tumane]

Salming is getting one and he's one of the players Im surprised dont have one. The others being Håkan Loob (Karlstad), Kenny Jönsson (Ängelholm), Peter Forsberg (Örnsköldsvik) and Nicklas Lidström (Västerås).

I mean Sylvain Cote has a statue for chist sake

But I think it has to do with in sweden most things like that publically funded and you basically have to be larger than life to be considered. And in two of the cases the players are popular for a club in a city they're not originally from (Loob and Lidström).

I’m still surprised no clubs have founded statues themselves, especially with certain legends who passed on. Passing a statue of Sven Tumba on the way to Hovet almost feels like a planted memory as much sense it makes.

I did just remember there’s an arena named after local players however. Njurunda SK’s home arena is named Modin & Zetterberg-hallen:

 

[Sanf]

Haven´t been much change in Finland in four years since I last responded to this. Aarne Honkavaara got park in Tampere near the old ice rink this year when it was 100 years from his birth. He was earliest legends and involved in so many aspects of Finnish hockey so I think that is good bar.

Harri Säteri got small walking path after Olympic win in his birthcity of Toijala.

Erkki Laine still the only one that has statue I believe in Finland.

I guess there are many reasons for this. Hockey really surpassed other sports in 70´s and most legends are still with us. Tampere and Helsinki both have two teams and giving recognizion to other team legends would probably raise demand for the other. Lots of similar reasons that are already listed for Sweden too.

Selänne and Kurri who are the biggest legends from NHL has both have fall from grace after their hockey career ended. Atleast in eyes of many.

Photo of Aarne Honkavaara puisto. Man in the picture is another hockey legend from Tampere Lasse Oksanen (1960-1982 career).

 

[Sanf]

Well actually Marko Anttila and Jenni Hiirikoski who have been captains for mens and womens hockey NTs for several years and are both from smallish town of Lempäälä got shared street in the town called Captains Street (Kapteenienkatu).

 

[Yozhik v tumane]

Well actually Marko Anttila and Jenni Hiirikoski who have been captains for mens and womens hockey NTs for several years and are both from smallish town of Lempäälä got shared street in the town called Captains Street (Kapteenienkatu).

If the Luleå municipality ever changes its policy on naming streets after people, Hiirikoski is a prime candidate to receive one there as well. At any rate, I predict she’ll become our first female player to have her jersey retired, as well as our first ever Hockey Hall of Famer!