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At the world hockey championships - a Kimberley connection

If there’s a hockey game being played, Mr. Dranfeld will connect it to Kimberley
St. Louis Blues v Colorado Avalanche
Tyson Barrie

Anthony Dransfeld

I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the World Ice Hockey Championships, here in Prague (truly one of the beautiful cities of the world) last week.

As usual there is the usual Kimberley B.C. “hockey  connection” Tyson Barrie of Team Canada has Kimberley hockey genes. His Grandfather Lennie Barrie was an excellent hockey player in Kimberley during the 1960s, playing alongside his brother Gord Yards Barrie.

Len married his Selkirk High School sweetheart Arlene O’Bray (Class of 1967)  and they moved to the Okanagan Valley, where Len became a schoolteacher, and a very successful Minor Hockey  Coach.

Len Junior arrived on the scene, and ultimately had a 250 game career in the National Hockey League. Now Len and Arlene’s grandson Tyson Barrie is playing defense for the Colorado Avalanche, and was named recently to Team Canada.  Shortly after writing this I saw Tyson score a goal for Canada against  Austria.

Canada then   defeated the  Czech Republic, to earn the right to play Russia in the Gold Medal game.

By the way  Kimberley  hockey fans,  you never realize how great  Sydney Crosby is, until you see him play live. Television does not do this man justice.

Tyson Barrie acquitted himself very well on the Canadian  defense. After losing  the game with Canada (a beat down) some   Russian players  left the ice before the playing of our Canadian National Anthem. (very rude).

By the way Tyson Barrie is a  terrific skater, much like my old classmate  Len,   (now known as Senor). Kimberley is still home to sister   Barb Barrie who married Jim “Wolf “ Kadin, a very gifted hockey player in his own right. ”Wolgang“ played  Major  College hockey in the U.S.A., before returning to Kimberley. Barb and Jim  taught school here  in Kimberley for many years, before retiring.

It was nice to see Tyson Barrie play so well, after his serious knee injury, suffered last season while playing  in the NHL for the   Colorado Avalanche. Len ( Senor ) Barrie and Arlene are retired in Victoria, and travel to see   Grandson Tyson play whenever they can. It is quite the Kimberley hockey family, spanning 55 years and counting. Many thanks to my friend in Canada Hockey  for the complimentary ticket, what an experience to be in a foreign rink  cheering for CANADA, and we won it all.