The Western Canada Professional Hockey Scouts Foundation’s inaugural Wall of Honour induction dinner is set to go on July 30 at the Centennial Arena in Okotoks. . . . All told, 45 past and present-day scouts will be inducted into the Wall of Honour, which has its permanent home in the arena foyer. . . . Here’s a look at five of those inductees. For more, check out the Foundation’s website at hockeyscoutsfoundation.com and click on Wall of Honour. . . . Tickets to the dinner for the general public also are available off the website.
CRAIG BUTTON
(Jan. 3, 1963 —)
A native of Rochester, N.Y., he was born into a hockey family. His father, Jack, was an executive with the AHL’s Rochester Americans, and his mother, Bridget, was secretary to Punch Imlach, the long-time GM/head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs. . . . Jack was hired by the NHL in 1975 to run Central Scouting. . . . Craig’s brother, Tod, is in scouting, too. . . . Craig got his scouting start with the Minnesota North Stars (1988). He was the franchise’s director of scouting (1992-98) and director of player personnel (1998-2000) after it moved to Dallas. . . . Won Stanley Cup with Dallas (1999). . . . Was vice-president and GM of the Calgary Flames (2000-03). . . . Went on to scout for Toronto (2004-07) before joining TSN as director of scouting. . . . Has worked in media since 2008 with TSN, NHL Network, NBC and CBC.
JOHN CHAPMAN
(Aug. 13, 1945 —)
A native of Stettler, Atla., he was a prominent junior coach before going scouting. . . . Began with the New York Rangers, then was with the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers for two seasons. . . . Spent remainder of his career (1995-2023) with the Philadelphia Flyers, working at various times as amateur scout, pro scout, director of player development and director of player personnel. . . . Retired prior to 2023-24. . . . Coached three of the six hockey-playing Sutter brothers. Spent six seasons (1980-86) as head coach of the WHL’s Lethbridge Broncos. . . . In April 2009, he rescued a mother and her two-month-old daughter after stroller rolled into a retention pond in Calgary. . . . Has written book — Janny: A Woman of Fortitude and Grace — about battle with breast cancer staged by his late wife of 35 years.
MARSHALL JOHNSTON
(June 6, 1941 —)
A native of Birch Hills, Sask., he was an All-American defenceman at the U of Denver before representing Canada at 1964 and 1968 Olympic Winter Games and 1966 and 1967 World Championships. . . . Played in NHL with the Minnesota North Stars and California Golden Seals. . . . Was Golden Seals’ head coach (1973-75) before returning to Denver for six seasons, the last four (1977-81) as head coach. . . . Career as an NHL coach and executive featured stints with the Colorado Rockies/New Jersey Devils, Ottawa Senators and Chicago Blackhawks. . . . Concluded his scouting career after 11 seasons as Carolina Hurricanes’ director of professional scouting. . . . Won Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006. . . . Inducted into International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame (1998) and Prince Albert Sports Hall of Fame (2002).
IAN McKENZIE
(May 15, 1938 — May 31, 2022)
Born in Lyalta, Alta., he served 15 years in the RCMP before going into scouting, starting with St. Louis Blues. . . . He made his name with the Flames, first in Atlanta and and then Calgary. . . . Began a 25-year association with the Flames when he joined Atlanta. After one season there, he made the move to Calgary with the franchise in 1980. . . . Concluded his scouting career with the Phoenix Coyotes. . . . In 2000, he estimated that he would spend 200,000 miles on the road in one season. . . . Won the 1989 Stanley Cup with the Flames. . . . Had a lengthy involvement with Alf Cadman and the junior Red Deer Rustlers when they got into the AJHL. That turned out to be McKenzie’s connection to Cliff Fletcher and the Flames.
BOB OWEN
(Sept. 29, 1949 —)
A native of Winnipeg, he began his scouting career in 1980 as a part-timer with NHL Central Scouting. . . . In April 1984, he moved to the Los Angeles Kings and was there for 10 years. . . . For the next three-plus years, he operated RHO Hockey, an independent scouting service. . . . In August 1998, he joined the Atlanta Thrashers and stayed for 13 years. . . . He completed his scouting career with the Winnipeg Jets, starting in October 2011 and lasting until he retired nine years later. . . . As a player, he spent three seasons (1966-69) with the Regina Pats. . . . He later coached the midget AAA Regina Pat Canadians for five seasons (1973-78) and the SJHL’s Regina Pat Blues for two (1978-80).
TAKING NOTE 