World Juniors US Coach Raves

about Victoria Experience

Walt Kyle loved everything aboutthe tournament,except the final result

BY GAVIN FLETCHER
Times Colonist sports editor

Canadians will remember last Thursday’s gold medal blowout game against Russia as the pinnacle of a world junior hockey championship that went right in every way for a young team not expected to win gold.

But Walt Kyle is an American and he has slightly different memories.

The outcome of the Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 tournament, staged primarily in Vancouver, didn’t go as well as hoped for Team USA head coach Kyle, who despite being booed against the Russians and numerous other times, has nothing but great things to say about the event — and perhaps surprisingly — its rabid fans.

And, he says, the U.S. players and coaching staff won’t forget how well they were treated by Victoria fans at the Bear Mountain resort during the week of practice and exhibition Team USA put in here in Victoria prior to the start of the championship.

“It was unbelievable. Victoria was great, the people with the [BCHL Victoria] Salsa were great and our stay at the resort was fantastic. I’ll be back, but next time I think I’ll bring my family.”

Pardon me?
This from the guy who said before the semifinal game against Russia that, “If they boo us tomorrow, I won’t be coming back.”

“I totally said that. I said it in jest, but people took it the wrong way,” says Kyle, who took the booing as a sign that Canadian hockey fans are taking U.S. hockey seriously and view it as a threat to Canada.

“Canadian hockey fans, next to the ones in Marquette, Michigan [where Kyle coaches in the NCAA], are the best fans in the world.

“You would not believe all the e-mails and letters I got from Canadians apologizing, but I don’t think there was any need to do that.

“They were supporting their team and obviously there’s something going on with political issues, but the whole thing was a little overplayed.”

Not unlike the way the U.S. team entered the tournament — as favourites.

“I said it right at the beginning, that we were one of the teams that could compete for a medal and in the end we were one of those team. Are we upset that we didn’t get one? Absolutely.” Team USA lost to Finland in the bronze medal game.

Kyle did try to warn the Times Colonist before the tournament that the U.S. team was overhyped by the media. “The media tried to make it out like we were the favourites. Everyone talked about how young the Canadian team was, but our average age was a year younger. We have guys like [Phil] Kessel, [Jack] Johnson and [Bobby] Ryan who could play in this tournament next year. We have 11 players who are eligible to return next year.”

While Kyle talks of the future, in the Salsa office at Bear Mountain Arena, team part-owner Reza Binab rubs his hands together, plotting what the Salsa/Bear Mountain team can do next.

They hope to bring a Vancouver Canucks function, perhaps an exhibition game, to Bear Mountain Arena next season, says Binab, who has heard “nothing but positive comments from people about the Americans, Sweden and Norway teams that came here for practice and exhibition games.”

The cash collected wasn’t bad either.

While Binab says bills are still coming in, the Salsa and Bear Mountain were able to cut a cheque to Juan de Fuca minor hockey for $72,000. Out of that, 1,200 new jerseys bearing the Grizzlies logo will be purchased, matching the ones the rebranded Salsa will wear.

“Wherever you go next year, you’ll see Grizzlies jersey, from the little kids right up to the big kids.”

Binab is still a little surprised the U.S. kids didn’t do better at the junior worlds, but that’s the nature of a short tournament. “With a little luck here and there, things could have gone the other way for them,” he says.

That would have been OK for Walt Kyle, who would have loved to live up to the media hype and expectations the Americans carried on their shoulders.

© The Times Colonist 2006

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