Recently, Nicole and I attended the Buffalo Sabres Alumni Wine Festival. The Sabres Alumni Wives do a great job organizing this event. Celebrating their 15th year, it is expected to reach $1 million to benefit breast cancer care in Western New York. Several local wineries and restaurants feature their products for all to taste. The KeyBank Center is festively decorated. Fans attending the event can bid on many different auction items and can win gift baskets donated by current and former Sabres, NHL players and staff. Over 1,000 Sabres Fans attending the event can mingle with the many Sabres Alumni who are there to support their wives, of course.
It’s always fun for me to exchange a few stories with my former teammates and “foes” alike. One great story I share is with my friend Gilbert Perreault. I played Junior Hockey in Victoriaville where Gilbert was born and raised. His brother, “Toe”, was our trainer. As a 12-year-old, Gilbert was a promising young hockey player and he used to be around the rink often and sometimes he would help his brother during games and practices. I like to remind Gilbert that he used to be my “Stick Boy”. Isn’t it a good beginning for a future Hall of Famer!!!
Speaking of “foes”, I always enjoy seeing Mike Robitaille and Don Luce who were teammates with the Kitchener Rangers while I played for the Niagara Falls Flyers. What a rivalry we had! The teams faced each other in the 1968 OHA finals in a hard-fought battle which lasted 8 games. The Flyers (my team) won the series and went on to win the Memorial Cup. So, there are always a few “jabs” thrown from both sides, but, more importantly, we share great stories and unforgettable memories.
The Sabres Alumni are very grateful for the help and support they receive from the Sabres ownership, management and the Sabres Fans for this and other events.
“MAKE THIS DAY THE BEST IT CAN BE!”
PHIL MYRE
www.philmyretalkshockey.com
