Stayner Siskins coach signs to German Elite Hockey League
Stayner Siskins Junior C hockey club has a new coach after Clearview Township’s best homegrown hockey talent, Steve Walker, signed a one-year contract with Adler Mannheim in the German Elite Hockey League.
The club plays out of Munich in Southern Germany.
Walker coached the Siskins for the past three seasons accumulating an impressive 80-27-6-7 win-loss-overtime loss-shootout loss record.
Walker vacating the club’s coaching position is significant although he will remain as an adviser.
Through the use of the internet he has been helping the club and will continue to do so from overseas.
Filling his duties will be assistant coach Dave Rainford who spent two seasons on the bench with Walker.
Earlier in his hockey career, he won two OMHA championships with Collingwood.
Siskins general manager Richard Gauthier said, “Losing Walker will be a huge loss. It’s hard to replace a professional like that on and off the ice. Dave is going to do well. He’s got a good hockey mind and strong supporting staff.”
The 42-year-old professional is considered to be an icon in Berlin.
His number 27 was retired on Boxing Day 2014 and hangs proudly at the Berlin Arena where he played 11 seasons, nine as captain for the Berlin Polar Bears.
In the German League, he scored 213 goals and added 379 assists, one point short of the 593 games played.
Walker’s signing made headlines in Germany especially in Berlin as he is heading to the Polar Bears arch-nemesis, Adler Mannheim.
Unfortunately, the Polar Bears didn’t have a coaching position available for him but would have liked to have had him. That doesn’t quite cut it though.
Walker is no longer a star player but a young coach trying to make a name for himself.
Mannheim signed former Owen Sound Attack coach Greg Ireland to be their head coach.
Walker’s knowledge of the German League and the sports relationship he had with Ireland made him an obvious choice to be named an assistant coach. Mannheim made the announcement Aug. 5.
Greg Woodcroft, who played a number of years in Germany and was a seventh round pick by Chicago Black Hawks, is a returning assistant coach.
Walker spent 18 years playing as a professional hockey player.
Other notable accomplishments include winning five German championships, one IHL title, represented Canada five times, scored on Maple Leafs goaltender Felix Potvin in one of the four exhibition games he played with the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning, and was Gordie Howe’s line-mate in Howe’s last professional game with the Vipers.
Not too bad for a kid who grew up wearing the Creemore Minor Hockey and Stayner Siskins colours.
The Siskins, by the way, are hosting a golf tournament Sept. 19 at Marlwood Golf and County Club, Wasaga Beach. $120 cost for 18 holes, cart, lunch, dinner and prizes.
Register your group at staynersiskinsgolf@gmail.com or 705-333-0091.
The North Dufferin Baseball League final between the Ivy Leafs and New Lowell Knights is tied at 1-1 after each team won on the opposition’s field on the weekend.
Leafs’ Brad Grieveson threw for the 3-2 win Saturday in New Lowell and the next day his cousin Todd Gowan earned the 7-2 pitching victory at the short confines of the Ivy Park.
The playoffs resume in two weeks as teams are vying for a provincial championships across the province this weekend.
