SUMMERSIDE – The Vegas Golden Knights’ run to the Stanley Cup Final has rekindled fond memories for Summerside native Doug MacLean.
As Prince Edward Islanders rally behind Golden Knights head coach Gerard (Turk) Gallant of Summerside and assistant coach Mike Kelly, who grew up in Shamrock, MacLean was in the exact same position 22 years ago, guiding the Florida Panthers to the National Hockey League championship series in his first year as head coach.
“What sticks out, and it’s kind of funny as I’ve been watching and talking to Gerard all year, it’s kind of eerily similar,” said MacLean in an interview with the Journal Pioneer. “We were a third-year team and really sort of shocked the hockey world then. Maybe during the regular season we were a little bit of a surprise, not like Vegas because they were new and played so well.
“I remember at Christmas we were in first place in the Eastern Conference, and I thought, ‘Ghee, we have a pretty good team here.’
“Then you think of Vegas, and they never really missed a beat all year.”
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The Panthers, backed by outstanding goaltending from veteran John Vanbiesbrouck, advanced to the Stanley Cup Final, where they eventually fell in four games to a Colorado Avalanche team featuring Joe Sakic, Patrick Roy, Peter Forsberg and Claude Lemieux all in the prime of their careers.
“What I remember is going against the (Boston) Bruins (in Round 1) with (Ray) Bourque, (Adam) Oates, (Rick) Tocchet and a really, really good team, and getting by them,” said MacLean, an NHL analyst with Rogers Sportsnet. “Then in the second round, playing (Eric) Lindros and the Legion of Doom and the powerful team that Philadelphia had, and getting by them, and then going against (Mario) Lemieux and (Jaromir) Jagr in their prime (in the Eastern Conference final). I was thinking, ‘This is bizarre, we are meeting these powerhouse teams.’
“I’ll never forget the Pittsburgh seven-game series, and if I’m not mistaken Lemieux and Jagr had two points between the two of them.”
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MacLean said the key to the Panthers’ success was very similar to the Golden Knights – a total team effort.
“You remember how good (goaltender John) Vanbiesbrouck was, similar to (the Golden Knights’ Marc-Andre) Fleury, and how well the guys played, the character on the team and what a real character-laden group they were with (team captain Brian) Skrudland, (Scott) Mellanby, (Dave) Lowry,” reflected MacLean. “Almost every one of them has done really well in life, whether it’s hockey or their careers. They were a combination of kids – (Ed) Jovanovski, (Rhett) Warrener, (Radek) Dvorak, (Rob) Niedermayer – and just quality veterans.”
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Support
MacLean remembers the support he and the Panthers received from his hometown and province. He said it started when he coached the Eastern Conference in the 1996 NHL All-Star Game.
“I remember the people in the Panthers’ offices saying, ‘What the hell is going on, we have 5,000 faxes from Summerside wishing you good luck,’” laughed MacLean. “There were no emails and tweets back then, it was faxes. Then during the playoff run it was unbelievable.”
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Another fond memory for MacLean was the ‘Welcome Home’ reception the City of Summerside held at the Silver Fox immediately after he and his family arrived at Slemon Park Airport on a plane owned by Panthers founder Wayne Huizenga Sr. It was during the reception MacLean officially announced the Panthers would hold the first week of their 1996 training camp in Summerside, and the city named the Western Capitals’ dressing room at Cahill Stadium after their first-ever head coach. The sign on the players’ entrance read: Doug MacLean Room: Room of Champions.
“I remember coming home after we lost (the Cup final) and the reception,” recalled MacLean. “(Son) Clark and (daughter) MacKenzie still remember us getting off the plane and you were like, ‘Are you kidding me? What is going on here?’
“The support was just unbelievable from all of P.E.I. It’s really great to see, and that’s the way it is here.”
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