BROOKS, AB (March 7, 2017) – Calgary Flames President of Hockey Operations Brian Burke delivered sensationally as the featured speaker at the Brooks Bandits’ first-ever Playoff Dinner at the Centennial Regional Arena on Tuesday night.
Referring to the Bandits as the “Cadillac of the AJHL”, Burke regaled the crowd of Bandit fans, players, staff, and volunteers with stories of his journey through the hockey world, and the key features his organization searches for in prospective players.
Asked by the audience for his opinion on star Bandit defenceman Cale Makar, Burke predicted that the Flames likely would not draft high enough in the first round to be able to select him, suggesting that the Bandit will go higher in the upcoming NHL draft than many currently project.
The event also raised more than $1,000 for Burke’s You Can Play charity, primarily through the night’s 50/50 draw.
In addition, the night served as a chance to honour Bandit volunteers, including long-time contributor to the organization Lorna Lane, who was presented with the Viterra Salute to Service Volunteer Award, one of only two winners in the AJHL each year, by Jessica Rosenau of Viterra.
The Bandits would like to thank the many partners who made the event possible, from the City of Brooks for the facility, to the Heritage Inn for catering, Cactus Communications for audio support, and many others.
The team looks forward to hopefully transforming this into an annual event to celebrate another successful regular season next year.