After a seven-year hiatus, Rogers Hometown Hockey is coming back to Prince George.
The festival kicks off tomorrow (Saturday) and will wrap up on Monday with a national Sportsnet broadcast featuring the Winnipeg Jets and Montreal Canadiens.
Host, Ron Maclean told Vista Radio there is no shortage of tie-ins related to the Prince George Cougars or the 2015 Canada Winter Games.
“That’s kind of cool because Jansen Harkins, who plays for the Jets, we featured his family when we were there a few years ago and Nick Suzuki of the Montreal Canadiens scored the game-winning goal at the 2015 Canada Winter Games in Prince George, so there again, we have six degrees of separation.”
Maclean mentioned has no shortage of fond memories of the show’s first visit to the northern capital.
“I’ll never forget standing outside, a lot of the Cougars were on hand to help us out with the festival that day we were there. It was sunny and the first real blast of spring was our experience and you know what a pretty place it is so it’s a great setting.”
“Jim Treliving who I see down at the CBC building all the time with Dragon’s Den started his career with the RCMP. Zdeno Chara, Stan Butler, and lots of old-time connections but it will be nice to come back.”
The 61-year-old veteran broadcaster also noted that Paul Mason, who is the father of Chris Mason, a PG Cougar alum and star goalie, gave Maclean his start in the industry in Red Deer, Alberta.
Maclean was born in ZweibrĂĽcken, West Germany, at the NATO Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in April of 1960. His father was stationed at the NATO RCAF Number 1 Air Division Headquarters, Chateau de Mercy, Metz, France where he was employed in the Chateau as an NCO Communications Operator.
A little over a year later, the family moved back to Canada, initially settling in Chester, Nova Scotia before moving to Whitehorse, Yukon before settling in Alberta.
“It was so great when legends like Bobby Hull came to visit or any of the NHL stars came to make a first-hand experience for those of us that loved the connection to hockey.”
“I was blessed that my Mom and Dad were both military. My mom got out when she got married, those were the rules back then that you couldn’t be married in the Air Force. We were transferred all across Canada. I lived in Nova Scotia, British Columbia, down by Victoria and then up to Whitehorse and back down to Nova Scotia and then to Red Deer. Each time we uprooted was a chance to make new friends and see a different part of the country.”
Maclean is best known as the host of Hockey Night in Canada from 1986 to 2014 and since 2016, which included a 33-year-run with Don Cherry on the Coach’s Corner segment.
However, he noted he has grown very fond of the Hometown Hockey broadcasts across the country as it sort of takes him back to his childhood.
“I just remember loving ABC’s Wide World of Sports and those shows that dealt with travel. When this idea came along eight years to do Hometown Hockey it was almost like your whole life you have been preparing for that opportunity.”
The event will also feature co-host Tara Slone (Tar-ah) as well as a guest appearance from Vancouver Canucks alum Kirk McLean.
Speaking of Slone, we caught up with her via Zoom ahead of the festival.
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