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MEET THE KAMLOOPS BLAZERS' OWNERS

Tom Gaglardi

Career

As CEO of the largest family-owned hospitality company in Canada, Mr. Gaglardi truly knows his product inside and out. He began his career in the industry at the age of 14 serving as a busboy, and has worked in every area of the business since then.

The Gaglardi family, with strong Kamloops roots, owns Northland Properties which is the parent company to Sandman Hotels, Denny’s Restaurants of Canada, Moxie’s Restaurants, Shark Clubs and other real estate and hospitality businesses.

He is relentlessly pursuing his goal of having hotels and restaurants in every primary market in Canada.

Tom is especially involved in the rapid development of new hotels and restaurants throughout Canada, and these efforts have been recently focused on Eastern Canada.

Community and Personal Interests

  • Tom founded The Sandman Harvest Foundation, which raises money for disadvantaged and medically challenged children living in the Okanagan Valley.
  • He serves as a trustee for the PA and JM Gaglardi Senior Citizens Society, a non-profit society providing housing for seniors in Kamloops, BC.
  • Tom recently founded The Josh Dyck Foundation to assist 4 year old Josh with his recovery from an auto accident in October 2006 which has sadly left him paralyzed.
  • An avid sportsman, Tom particularly enjoys golf and lacing on the blades twice a week during the hockey season.
  • He enjoys spending time with his family at their cottage on the shores of Kamloops Lake near Savona, BC.
  • 39 year old Tom is the grandson of Phil, and son of Bob. He and his wife Brittney have 3 young sons - 4 year old Charlie, 3 year old Bennett and 1 year old Wilson.

Awards

Mr. Gaglardi has received numerous accolades including the BIV (Business in Vancouver’s) Top 40 Under 40 Award.

This award recognizes BC's outstanding business people based on values such as achievement, experience and innovation, vision, leadership, and community involvement.



Shane Doan

Playing Career

Shane is considered by many to be one of the true leaders in the National Hockey League. The 30 year old Halkirk, Alberta native demonstrated his leadership qualities at a very young age. He was instrumental in leading the Kamloops Blazers to back to back (1994 - 1995) Memorial Cup championships during his 3 year junior career. He won the Stafford Smythe Trophy as the tournament's most valuable player in 1995. On Feb. 19, 2005, Shane was part of the first group of players honoured as Blazer Legends.

Drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in the first round (7th overall) of the 1995 NHL Entry Draft, Shane was the Jets' final first-round pick prior to the franchise moving to Phoenix. Shane has played all of his 11 NHL seasons with the Winnipeg Jets/Phoenix Coyotes franchise, the longest current tenure of any player with the franchise, and is the final remaining Coyote player to have worn a Jets' uniform. His best season was 2003-2004, when he led the Coyotes in scoring and in points (68). He nearly equaled that mark in the 2005-2006 seasons when he again led the team in goals (30) and points (66). He recorded 7 consecutive 20 goal seasons from 1999-2007, and was named team captain three seasons ago.

Shane scored the tie-breaking and game-winning goal for Team Canada in the finals at the World Cup of Hockey in 2004.

Shane was selected to play for Team Canada at the 2006 Olympics and was chosen to be captain of Canada's 2007 World Championship team. Both selections were politically controversial. When he was selected as captain on the 2007 Canadian national men’s hockey team, a parliamentary committee led by the Quebec separatist party Bloc Quebecois, demanded Hockey Canada appear before the committee to explain their decision to name Doan as captain in light of the alleged comment made on December 13, 2005. Critics said the committee was trying to exploit differences between Anglophones and Francophones in vote-rich Quebec, making Doan a political victim. On the May 2, 2007 edition of Hockey Night in Canada’s Coach’s Corner on CBC, Don Cherry called the affair ridiculous. Hockey Canada officials appeared before the committee on May 3, 2007 defending Doan as their choice. Doan responded in Canada's next game at the championship by scoring a hat-trick in a matter of 6 minutes 25 seconds. This silenced many of the politicians who questioned his captaincy. The Prime Minister offered his support to Doan in a post game phone call. After the championship win and "more than a week of political grandstanding", national editorials said that Doan deserved the nation's thanks for maintaining a "picture of grace”, “pulling the team together” and “clearly established that he was a worthy captain and an admirable role model for Canadian hockey players and citizens alike”.

Community and Personal Interests

Shane and his wife Andrea have four children Gracie, Karys, Josh and Carson. He has been quoted as saying "My favourite hobby is playing with my kids. They're so much fun! Josh (son) is working on 'one-timers' now."

Shane has a number of charities which are important. Here are some of his favourites.

  • Along with Mark, Shane hosts the annual Recchi-Doan Charity Classic which has raised approximately $500,000 for needy children in the Thompson/Kamloops area.
  • This past year, Shane and his wife Andrea were named the recipients of the 2007 Pat Tillman Community Leadership Award.
  • Shane also initiated, hosted and skated with more than 200 underprivileged and homeless children in the Scottsdale, Arizona area.
  • For the past 10 years, with Shane championing the cause, the Coyotes and their wives have purchased toys, games and teaching tools for children they visit on a regular basis at the Phoenix Children's Hospital.

Key Awards

  • 1995 Memorial Cup All-Star Team
  • 1995 Stafford Smythe Memorial Award (MVP)
  • Phoenix Coyotes scoring leader and MVP (2003)
  • NHL All Star Team (2004)

Jarome Iginla Jarome Iginla

Playing Career

As a youngster, Jarome’s first love was baseball (he was the catcher on the Canadian National Junior team), but he also starred in the St. Albert Minor Hockey Association before graduating to juniors. Early on, he dreamed of one day playing both sports in the big leagues “like Bo Jackson”. He played his minor hockey career in St. Albert, before joining the Kamloops Blazers as a 16 year old.

Jarome played three seasons in the Western Hockey League and won two Memorial Cups with the Kamloops Blazers. He was picked in the first round (11th overall) by the Dallas Stars in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft. Jarome 's best season was 2001-2002 when he had 96 points and 52 goals - winning the regular season goal and point scoring titles. He also won the Lester B. Pearon Award as the league's best player as voted by his peers, and was a nominee for both the Hart Trophy and the King Clancy Memorial Trophy.

Jarome was also a key member of Canada's Olympic gold medal winning hockey team in 2002. As a fan favourite, Jarome is widely regarded as one of the best players in the league today.

Jarome was named captain of the Calgary Flames in October 2003. In the 2003-2004 NHL season, he scored 41 goals, sharing the goal-scoring title with Ilya Kovalchuk and Rick Nash. On May 19, 2004, Jarome scored his 10th playoff goal to help the Flames advance to their first Stanley Cup Finals in 15 years.

Jarome played in the 2006 Winter Olympics, where he was one of Team Canada's alternate captains. On December 7, 2006 Jarome made a milestone mark in his career when he scored his 300th career goal and 600th career point.

Community and Personal Interests

Jarome also supports many charities. Among his favorites are:

  • KidSport - a charity that provides funds and athletic equipment for needy children so they can learn and enjoy sports.
  • "Shoot For A Cure" - Spinal Cord injury research and prevention.
  • Jarome Iginla Hockey School - a non profit organization that distributes all profits to various charities.

Jarome and his wife Kara have been married for four years, have a 2 year old daughter Jade and a son Tij, who will enjoy his 1st  birthday in August. They spend much of their summer off season in the Okanagan, enjoying time by the lake.

Key Awards

  • George Parsons Trophy (Memorial Cup Most Sportsmanlike Player) - 1995
  • WHL West First All-Star Team - 1996
  • Four Broncos Memorial Trophy (WHL Most Valuable Player) - 1996
  • NHL All-Rookie Team - 1997
  • Canadian Major Junior First All-Star Team - 1996
  • Named to NHL All Rookie Team - 1997
  • Played in 3 NHL All-Star Games - 2002, 2003, 2004
  • Maurice 'Rocket' Richard Trophy - 2002, 2004
  • Art Ross Trophy - 2002
  • Lester B. Pearson Award - 2002
  • King Clancy Memorial Trophy (in recognition of humanitarian contributions) - 2004
  • NHL Foundation Award for Community Service - 2004

 

Mark RecchiMark Recchi

Playing Career

Born and bred in Kamloops, Mark had an outstanding junior hockey career with the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League. He had such a huge impact that after only two seasons, his number 8 was retired by the team shortly after he left for the NHL. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins (67th overall), first playing in the NHL 1988, and was a key player in their Stanley Cup winning side in 1991, the first of two Stanley Cups.

Mark was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in 1992 and in three seasons, helped form the formidable "Crazy Eights Line", setting the Flyers single season point scoring record with 123 points in the 1992-1993 season. In all 3 seasons as a Flyer, he won the Bobby Clarke Trophy (Flyers MVP). He also won the Flyers Class Guy Award for his excellent rapport with the media. He was later traded to the Montreal Canadians, but was reacquired by the Flyers after 3 seasons. He was consistently among the team's top scorers and  was a finalist for the Lester B. Pearson trophy as NHLPA MVP during the 1999-2000 season. He finished third in scoring - only 5 points behind Jaromir Jagr. During his Montreal tenure, Mark also won Gold with Canada at the 1997 Wold Championship.

In August 2004, Mark rejoined the Penguins as a free agent, signing a two-year contract with a two-way option for a third year. The first year was eventually nullified by the NHL lockout; in the second year, with the Penguins languishing at the bottom of the NHL standings, Mark waived his no-trade clause to be sent to the Stanley Cup contending Carolina Hurricanes. He won his second Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes that season, and subsequently re-signed with the Penguins during the summer off-season. He is about to enter his 19th NHL season.

In 2000, he was named "Kamloops Male Athlete of the 20th Century", and had a street - "Mark Recchi Way" - named in his honour.

Mark scored his 500th career goal on January 26, 2007 on a power play against the Dallas Stars.

Community and Personal Interests

Mark hosts the annual Recchi-Doan Charity Classic which has raised approximately $500,000 for children in need in the Thompson/Kamloops region.

The tournament raises money and supports various hospitals and child health care providers, as well as the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

In addition, Mark has established a suite program this past season to benefit three charities, Big Brothers - Big Sisters, Make-A-Wish Foundation and Ronald McDonald House Charities. The program involves donating a box per game for every home game in Pittsburgh.

Although Mark's primary community efforts are directed back to the Pittsburgh community, he also extends his generosity outside the market. In April of this year, he hosted a young boy and his family from the Children's Wish of Canada.

Key Awards

  • 1987-88: West First All-Star Team (WHL)
  • 1988-99: Second All-Star Team (IHL)
  • 1990-91: Played in All-Star Game (NHL)
  • 1991-92: Second All-Star Team (NHL)
  • 1992-93: Played in All-Star Game (NHL)
  • 1993-94: Played in All-Star Game (NHL)
  • 1996-97: Played in All-Star Game (NHL)
  • 1996-97: All-Star Game MVP (NHL)
  • 1997-98: Played in All-Star Game (NHL)
  • 1998-99: Played in All-Star Game (NHL)
  • 1999-00: Played in All-Star Game (NHL)

 

Darryl Sydor Darryl Sydor

Playing Career

Darryl Sydor played four stellar seasons with the Kamloops Blazers, including 1991 when he competed in the Memorial Cup, before he was selected 7th overall by the Los Angeles Kings in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft.. He joined Los Angles during the 1991-1992 NHL season.

In 1996, Darryl was traded and became part of Dallas' big four defenseman, which also included Derian Hatcher, Sergei Zubov and Richard Matvichuk. This quartet was a major part of the Dallas Stars' successful Stanley Cup winning season in 1999. Darryl was named the Stars most improved player at the end of the 1996-1997 season. The following season, he was named a 1st team All Star. He was named to the All Star team the following year with some eye popping numbers for a defenceman - 48 points, 83 hits and 83 blocked shots. Then, during the 2000-2001 season, Darryl helped lead the Stars to their 5th straight division title, and led all team defenceman in goals.

Darryl would enjoy playing in Dallas for 7 1/2 seasons, before being traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the summer of 2003. Midway through the season, Darryl was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightnin and as part of that squad, captured his second career Stanley Cup.

Darryl was traded back to the Dallas Stars on July 2, 2006 and recently, Darryl signed a contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Darryl has won many championships over his career, including his two Stanley Cups and a gold medal at the World Junior Championship.

Community and Personal Interests

  • Darryl and wife Sharlene, a Kamloops native, have three sons - 7 year old twins Parker and Braden and 4 year old Dylan.
  • Along with Sharlene, Darryl is the celebrity chairperson at the annual SIDS Gala. SIDS is a charitable organization dedicated to finding a cure for sudden infant death syndrome, which is the most common cause of death among infants between the ages of one month and one year.

Key Awards

  • Bill Hunter Trophy (Top Defensemen in the WHL) 1990
  • Played for Team Canada in the 1992 World Junior Championships.
  • Played for Team Canada in the 1994 World Championships.
  • Played for Team Canada in the 1996 World Championships
  • Named to 1998 and 1999 NHL All-Star teams
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