Tag: Blair Reid

WCPHS Foundation shares its good cheer with Medicine Hat groups

MEDICINE HAT (Nov. 10, 2025) — The Western Canada Professional Hockey Scouts Foundation, a beneficiary of the inaugural Yuill Foundation Golf Classic, is spreading some of that largesse around the Medicine Hat community.

The WCPHS Foundation received $93,000 from the Yuill Foundation after the Golf Classic was held at Desert Blume Golf Course on Sept. 11.

In turn, the WCPHS Foundation has chosen to make donations to the Senior Home Pet Visit Program, the 2026 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games, the Equestrian Gymkhana Winter Series and the Hockey Hounds bantam tournament.

“We are deeply grateful to the Yuill Foundation for their outstanding generosity and continued support,” said Garth Malarchuk, the WCPHS Foundation’s chairman of the board. “Their unwavering commitment and exceptional efforts are unparalleled and have set a remarkable standard for others to follow.

“And we are more than pleased to support community programs in Medicine Hat. As our Foundation’s Vision Statement reads, ‘. . . we feel a strong obligation and commitment to give back to charities, communities and individuals, who could benefit from our support and financial assistance.’ ”

The Senior Home Pet Visit Program, which supports those who reside in 11 senior facilities in Medicine Hat and one in Bow Island, was given $15,000 to cover administrative costs for one year. Programs such as this bring comfort and joy to seniors through pet visits, helping with mental health care and well-being. The Medicine Hat program also involves special needs youth from the REDI Enterprises Foundation in the care and handling, thus creating an inclusive and compassionate experience.

The 2026 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games are to be held in Medicine Hat from Aug. 11-15. The WCPHS Foundation donated $5,000 to the organizing committee to help cover costs associated with playing host to an event of this magnitude. The Games are expected to attract more than 1,500 athletes, coaches and officials to the city, with more than 1,000 local volunteers involved in keeping things on track.

The Equestrian Gymkhana Winter Series, which was given $1,000, is a new program that allows youngsters to experience the therapeutic benefits of working with horses. The money will help cover the costs of essential riding props for the inaugural event. Working with horses has proven beneficial to the mental health of young people, many of whom are dealing with anxiety issues and/or come from dysfunctional family environments.

The Hockey Hounds tournament, one of the longest-running bantam tournaments in Western Canada, also received $1,000. The money will help cover costs associated with the organizing and operation of the 2026 tournament.

The WCPHS Foundation’s man behind the scenes in Medicine Hat is associate director Blair Reid, who was a long-time scout and was a part of the Wall of Honour’s inaugural class in 2024.

“It’s wonderful that the scouts foundation has this relationship with the Yuill Foundation that includes participation in the annual Golf Classic,” Reid said, “and for us to be able to help out four organizations that give so much back to Medicine Hat and area is terrific.”

The WCPHS Foundation is continuing its relationship with the Yuill Foundation and, in fact, is working to make things bigger and better. As a result, the third annual Wall of Honour induction dinner will be held in Okotoks on Aug. 28 to allow an easier connection to the Golf Classic, which is scheduled for Aug. 27 in Medicine Hat. The first two induction dinners, in 2024 and 2025, had been held late in July.

Meet three more scouts headed for the Wall of Honour . . .

The Western Canada Professional Hockey Scouts Foundation will induct 45 past and present-day scouts into its Wall of Honour during its inaugural dinner in Okotoks, Alta., on July 30. . . . Meet three of the honourees . . .

GERRY (TEX) EHMAN

(Nov. 3, 1932 — March 21, 2006)

GERRY EHMAN

A native of Cudworth, Sask., he was one of the architects of the four-time Stanley Cup-champion New York Islanders (1980-81-82-83). . . . Served as director of player personnel before being promoted to assistant GM and director of scouting in September 1982. . . . Scouted for St. Louis Blues for four seasons (1971-75) before joining the Islanders with whom he would spend 23 seasons on a full-time basis. . . . His 19-season playing career included 429 regular-season NHL games split between Boston Bruins, Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs and Oakland/California Golden Seals. . . . Was part of Stanley Cup winner with Toronto in 1963-64, then captained the AHL’s Rochester Americans to back-to-back titles (1964-65, 1965-66). . . . Inducted into AHL Hall of Fame in 2024.

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LORNE FREY

(April 17, 1950 —)

LORNE FREY

A native of Swift Current, he got seriously into scouting as assistant GM and assistant coach with the Swift Current Broncos (1986-91), before beginning a long association with the Tacoma/Kelowna Rockets in 1991. . . . Was assistant GM/director of player personnel through 2019-20 when he retired and was named senior advisor. . . . Won Memorial Cup titles with Broncos (1989) and Rockets (2004). . . . Tried his hand at coaching, working with SJHL’s Estevan Bruins as head coach for two seasons and spending two seasons with Saskatoon Blades, before getting into scouting. . . .Inducted in Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame (1994) and Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame (2004) as a member of the 1988-89 Broncos.

BLAIR REID

(April 24, 1947—)

BLAIR REID

Born in Kinistino, Sask., he got into scouting in 1982 when Russ Farwell added him to Medicine Hat Tigers’ staff. . . . Blair’s son Brent was on Tigers’ list but died in car accident. Farwell brought in Blair to keep him involved. . . . Won two Memorial Cups (1987, 1988) with Tigers. . . . Spent three years with Seattle Thunderbirds before moving on as part-timer with Philadelphia Flyers (1991-2000). . . . Hired full-time by Phoenix Coyotes in 2000. Moved to Calgary Flames in 2007 for six seasons. . . . Retired in 2021 after seven seasons with Boston Bruins. . . . Spent 35 years as a firefighter for the Canadian government at CFB Suffield, retiring in 2001. . . . After volunteering with Medicine Hat Stampede at age 11 grew up to be rancher and founder of Dunmore Equestrian Society.

Scouts’ Wall of Honour to open with 45 inductees

The Western Canada Professional Hockey Scouts Foundation will induct 45 members of the scouting fraternity into its Wall of Honour this summer.

The banquet is scheduled to be held in Okotoks, Alta., on Monday, July 29.

Comprising three Matrix screens, the WCPHSF Wall of Honour video presentation will be on permanent display at the Centennial Arena in Okotoks.

The first inductees feature five pioneers of the scouting fraternity, including Danny Summers, who returned from the Second World War to play for the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers before getting into scouting, and Murray (Torchy) Schell, who spent summers as an assistant equipment manager with the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders while he was scouting.

Also being inducted will be 17 scouts from the Early Era (1968-80), including Elmer Benning, who put more than 1 million miles on one car while on the scouting trail; Pat (Paddy) Ginnell, who was a legendary junior coach before turning to scouting; and Del Wilson, a long-time scout who also was a founding father of the major junior WHL.

There also will be 20 scouts from the Modern Era (1981-present) inducted, including Vaughn Karpan, who has been a key figure with the Vegas Golden Knights; Al Murray, one of the architects of the Tampa Bay Lightning’s success; and Barry Trapp, who retired in August 2023 after more than 60 years in the game.

Rounding out the inaugural class will be Lorne Frey and the late Graham Tuer, both of whom had lengthy scouting careers in junior hockey.

Garnet (Ace) Bailey also will be honoured. Bailey scouted for the Edmonton Oilers and then the Los Angeles Kings. He was en route to the Kings’ training camp aboard United Airlines flight 175 when it crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001.

“Our selection committee did an excellent job of recognizing these candidates for the Wall of Honour,” Foundation president Erin Ginnell said. “These scouts are not only builders of the game that put thousands of players into the NHL and pro ranks, but also represented their teams and the game with class, professionalism and determination to succeed.  “A lot of these honorees were real mentors to people like myself when I first started; they were always there with help travelling, directions, and generally just made you feel a part of the fraternity.”

The complete list of inductees (* – denotes deceased):

SPECIAL RECOGNITION: *-Garnet (Ace) Bailey.

PIONEERS: *-George Agar, *-Frank Currie, *-Murray (Torchy) Schell, *-Danny Summers, *-Cecil (Tiny) Thompson.

EARLY ERA (1968-1980): *-Elmer Benning, *-Bart Bradley, *-Lorne Davis, *-Gerry Ehman, *-Barry Fraser, *-Pat Ginnell, Ted Hampson, *-Charlie Hodge, Earl Ingarfield Sr, *-Lou Jankowski, Marshall Johnston, Bill Lesuk, *-Ian McKenzie, *-Gerry Melnyk, Bob Owen, *-Clare Rothermel, *-Del Wilson.

MODERN ERA (1981-present): Scott Bradley, Craig Button, John Chapman, George Fargher, Tony Feltrin, Bruce Franklin, Bruce Haralson, Archie Henderson, Les Jackson, Vaughn Karpan, Ross Mahoney, Bert Marshall, Wayne Meier, Al Murray, Gerry O’Flaherty, Kevin Prendergast, Blair Reid, Glen Sanders, Peter Sullivan, Barry Trapp.

JUNIOR: Lorne Frey, *-Graham Tuer.

As well, five scouts from Western Canada were honoured at the Sept. 30 startup banquet in Okotoks with the WCPHSF’s Recognition and Dedication Service Award. Those five are Ron Delorme, Glen Dirk, Garth Malarchuk, Don Paarup and Mike Penny.

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“Our committee’s selections were primarily based on years of combined service as a scout and/or an association to the scouting process,” Garth Malarchuk, the Chairman of the Foundation’s board of directors, said. “I think everyone who has been associated with the scouting fraternity will agree that this is a pretty impressive group of individuals that we will be honouring. “Trust me, our committee could easily have added another 15-20 deserving individuals to this list, but we had to cut it off somewhere.” Moving forward, we certainly don’t want to miss anyone and the plan is to keep adding individuals to our Foundation’s Wall of Honour on an annual basis.”

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The startup banquet on Sept. 30 was a rip-roaring success, highlighted by a roast of Hockey Night in Canada host Ron MacLean, along with silent and live sweater auctions. If you weren’t fortunate enough to attend, you are able to find a highly entertaining video of Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman roasting MacLean at hockeyscoutsfoundation.com.

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Planning is well underway for the inaugural induction banquet on July 29 in Okotoks. Banquet details, including information on tickets, will be announced in the near future.