The Cochrane Generals’ season opener will be about much more than hockey this year.
When the puck drops Sept. 27 at the SLS Centre, the team will dedicate the night to the memory of Elliot VanWynsberghe, a 10-year-old superfan who lost his battle with cancer last year.
“Every season opener is big for the Generals, but this one is that much more special because we are honouring one of our favourite little fans,” said team president Rick Richards. “Elliot touched so many people in our organization and in our community.”
The evening will begin with a 5 p.m. tailgate party near the curling rink, featuring the Cochrane Humane Society. The group was chosen because it was one of Elliot’s favourite places to visit. Children will be able to meet animals, and donations will be accepted in Elliot’s name. Proceeds from the team’s share of the 50-50 draw, as well as sales of specially designed stickers and toques, will also go to the Humane Society.
Players will wear helmet stickers honouring Elliot all season. The design, created by a member of the Generals’ extended family, will be revealed at the opener.
Richards said Elliot was only three when he first attended a game with his grandparents, who rarely missed a night at the rink. From there, his bond with the Generals grew.
“We gave him a puck and a mini stick that night, and the smile on his face said it all,” Richards recalled. “He just loved the Cochrane Generals.”
As his health struggles deepened, players and families stepped in, providing Elliot with jerseys, hats, and hoodies, and even visiting him at Alberta Children’s Hospital.
“There are a lot of players that he became very dear to, and they would go to visit him in the hospital without anybody asking them to. They wanted to be part of his life—he touched people in such a way that they just wanted to be around him,” Richards said.
Elliot also became part of the dressing room, once reading the starting lineup before a game and fist-bumping every player. During warmups, players would regularly recognize him in the stands and go talk to him.
His parents will take part in the ceremonial puck drop, and his extended family will be in the crowd. Some of his doctors and nurses, as well as representatives from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, may also attend.
Richards said it will be an emotional night, but also a true celebration of the team, the town, and Elliot’s memory.
The Generals host the Strathmore Wheatland Kings in the opener. The opening ceremony begins shortly before 7 p.m., with the puck dropping at 7:15 p.m.