Carnie's Comments

A few old friends of ours are in the news in hockey circles this week.

Former Warriors coach and GM Lorne Molleken will be honoured by the Saskatoon Blades later this month.  He'll be added to the Builders Banner at SaskTel Centre.  Molleken spent 13 seasons coaching the Blades.

You know who gave Molleken his first shot in the Western Hockey League?  It was Gerry James.  He took over when the Moose Jaw Warriors fired Jim Harrison back in the late 80s and James enticed Molleken to join him as an assistant coach.  While that was the start of something special for Molleken, it was the end for James.  He would retire from hockey at the end of his tenure in Moose Jaw.

James will be inducted in the Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame later this year in the Builder category, recognizing his many years of coaching and managing in the SJHL with Yorkton, Melville and Estevan and his time with the Warriors.  He'll be 84 years old later this year.

Oh, and you know who else is going into the Hall?  Kelly Buchberger - the pride of Langenburg, Saskatchewan.  And, it's interesting to note, Buchberger played two seasons with the Moose Jaw Warriors BEFORE James and Molleken got here.  I guess he's getting old too.