IT was an anniversary last week for one of the top players and hockey minds ever to come out of the Lakehead.
Back 60 years ago, local and National Hockey League legend Jack Adams was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Adams, recognized then for his achievements as a player, along with goaltender Tiny Thompson and forward Cy Denneny were honoured back on Sept. 5, 1959 in a ceremony marking its first formal induction ceremony on the grounds of the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto, the previous site of the HHOF.
Established in 1943 and adding its first members in 1945, Adams induction marked the first time there was a ceremony to honour newly elected members.
While having a Hall of Fame career as a centre with the Toronto Arenas, St. Pats and Ottawa Senators, Adams is best known for spending 36 seasons as the coach and/or general manager with the Detroit Red Wings. He is the only man to win the Stanley Cup as a player, coach and GM.
The NHL’s Coach of the Year Award is also named in his honour.
CHANGE IT UP: After two successful seasons skating for MODO in the Swedish Women’s Hockey League, a pair of local products will be skating with new clubs there this season.
The SWHL’s leading scorer in 2018-19, Michela Cava, has signed on with Brynäs IF for the upcoming campaign while former teammate Kaitlyn Tougas has inked a deal with HV71.
Cava paced all league skaters in offensive production last season with MODO registering a SWHL-best 64 points in 36 outings on 27 goals and 30 assists.
As for Tougas, she finished second on her previous squad and eighth overall in scoring numbers as she had 20 tallies and 30 helpers along the way.
Both players will begin their respective SWHL regular seasons on Friday.
They will have their initial meeting against each other on October 19.
While they helped MODO finish second in the 10-team SWHL last season, they’ll try and boost the fortunes of their new clubs.
Brynäs ended up seventh overall while HV71 was fifth.
HV71 plays out of the Swedish city of Jönköping, which is southwest of the capital Stockholm, while Brynas competes out of Gävle on the eastern coast.
BACK TO THE ECHL: After skating overseas last season, Fort Frances native Joe Basaraba is returning to North America and the ECHL for 2019-20.
The 27-year-old forward has signed on to return to the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL for his sixth year in the professional ranks.
Playing for the Fyfe Flyers in the English Elite Hockey League in the previous campaign, he registered 45 points in 57 games by scoring 22 times and helping set-up 23 others.
The former third round NHL draft pick of the Florida Panthers back in 2010, played two years previously with Idaho as part of the 239 contests he appeared in previously over five seasons.
In his time in that league he collected 156 points in 239 match-ups, including 65 markers.
He also boasts some games played in the Superior International Junior Hockey League with his hometown Fort Frances side before moving to skate for Shattuck-St. Mary’s prep school in Faribault, Minn.
Prior to turning pro, Basaraba played four years of NCAA Division I hockey at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
He helped the Bulldogs win a NCAA Frozen Four championship in 2011.
In his senior year at UMD he was recognized by being named team captain.
That honour saw him become just the fourth person from northwestern Ontario to wear the ‘C’ in school history, that has featured a men’s hockey program since 1955.