THE quest for European club team hockey supremacy begins this week overseas and a trio of local players will be among those helping their respective squads vying for a title.
Tom Pyatt and Travis Oleksuk of Thunder Bay along with Dryden’s Kevin Raine are on teams among the 32 sides that will start competition in the Champions League that gets underway Thursday.
Pyatt is entering his initial campaign with Skellefteå AIK of Sweden who begin Champions League play Friday vs. SC Bern of Switzerland.
As for Oleksuk, the 30-year-old forward is gearing up for his fourth season in Europe and second with the Graz 99ers from Austria.
Graz too takes to the ice Friday as they meet Swedish side Frolunda.
Raine meanwhile skates for the Belfast Giants, the defending English Elite Hockey League title holders.
The 26-year-old defenceman is entering his third year with the Giants who open up Thursday against Bili Tygri Liberec from the Czech Republic.
PLAYOFF PROWESS: Over the years, a multitude of local and area players have achieved post-season success in the National Hockey League, with many of those going on to help their teams win the Stanley Cup.
While Wayne Gretzky is the runaway leader in all-time NHL playoff points with 382, a number of skaters from northwestern Ontario are among the overall group of 339 in league history that accumulated 50 or more points in their careers.
Pacing that assembly of those from the region is Hall of Fame defenceman Chris Pronger, who racked up 121 points in his time in the NHL.
That ranks Pronger 56th among all skaters and eighth on the list of league blueliners.
He tallied 26 times and helped set-up 95 others in 173 games.
Sitting 87th overall is another area legend, in Alex Delvecchio, who is part of a gathering of 100 players that reached the century mark, or more, in playoff points.
Delvecchio notched 104 with the Detroit Red Wings over the years, scoring 35 times and assisting on 69 others in 121 postseason appearances.
Sitting tied for third on the local playoff point list is Patrick Sharp.
The three-time Stanley Cup champion with the Chicago Blackhawks produced 87 points in 142 outings on 47 goals and 40 assists.
Joining him is Kenora native Mike Richards, who won two Cups with the Los Angeles Kings.
His 87 points were picked up by scoring 26 times and doling out 61 helpers.
Taking a look a career playoff goals, Sharp’s 47 markers leads the regional tally contingent, which also ties him for 64th all-time among all NHL players.
After him comes Delvecchio with his 35 followed by Jordan Staal with 27 and Pronger and Richards with their 26 apiece.
Between the pipes and despite only 48 playoff appearances to his credit, Matt Murray is already tied for 48th in NHL history for playoff wins with 28.
Each of the other 47 ahead of him have suited up in more games than the Pittsburgh Penguins stopper.
Murray Bannerman from Fort Frances recorded 20 playoff victories in his time in the league and is second among netminders from the region in this category.
After Bannerman is Wayne Stephenson with 11 triumphs.
In terms of shutouts, Murray is presently tied for 26th-best in the NHL with six.
Looking at Stanley Cups won as a player, Delvecchio, Sharp, Benny Woit and Mike McEwen all won three times during their careers.
Locals boasting two titles are the likes of Richards, Jack Adams, Gaye Stewart, Gus Bodnar and Lee Fogolin Jr.