Avalanche Pee Wee Team Stormed Quebec

The Colorado Avalanche Pee Wee hockey team accomplished so much more than they had hoped for at the 50th Annual Quebec International Hockey Tournament. Before they left, the boys along with coach Steve Hammer, talked about the entire Quebec experience they would have—hockey was an afterthought.

Well they explored the Ice Hotel, went go-karting and snowmobiling, tried new food and played a little pond hockey. But what capped their trip was a 4-2 record en route to the Class B tournament runner-up title.

The team was a small fish in a big pond, one of 110 teams from 14 countries. But that didn’t faze them. The Avalanche team beat competition from Atlanta, New Brunswick and the top-ranked Class B Pee Wee team from the province of Quebec on the way to the championship match with the Hershey Bears. Even Joe Sakic placed a call to the team congratulating the squad, who were only the second Avalanche Pee Wee club to advance to the international tournament finals. The team lost the final game by a score of 3-1 but little seemed to be lost at all. What they had gained was so much more.

“Quebec is such a great hockey city, it was just awesome to be a part of it,” said Hammer after returning. “It’s right up there with one of the best places to play hockey and the kids got so much out of the trip. The kids’ billet families were the highlight because they got to experience the culture and hockey was a close second.”

Sampling Postcards from Quebec

February 13, 2009 – #39 RJ Haenze III
The Colisee was amazing. There were so many people there and I think it made some of us nervous because there were more people there than have ever been to any of our games.
I have just met my billet family and I am really excited to spend some time with them. I am really curious to see their house and how they live. My family doesn’t speak much English but I am really looking forward to learning some French. I want to be able to speak some French when I leave here next week. I also cannot wait to see the Ice Hotel. I hear there are people that actually sleep there and I want to see how it is built and how people can sleep in something made out of snow and ice.

I think that this tournament is really special. It really makes me feel great to wear the Avalanche sweater out on the ice. When I put it on I feel like a professional and that really means the world to me.

February 20, 2009 - #19 Mike Watson
The hockey experience we are getting is so huge. We are playing teams from all over the world, and doing really well in the tournament. We played our third tournament game on Friday morning and won 4-1 against Acadia Titans, a team from New Brunswick. Playing a game every day against the teams up here definitely has made us get better and better each day. 

My billet family is awesome, and is so much better than staying in a hotel. I want to play juniors in a few years so this experience gives me a great perspective on billeting, which I would do if I played juniors somewhere.
This tournament is just absolutely way beyond anything I ever expected!

February 22, 2009 #18 Travis Work
This experience has been great! All of the hockey we have played here has just been amazing and we have learned so much!

My host family was really nice and they fed us so well every morning. I am going to miss them and I know that they helped us so much in becoming the second place team…I am a first year Pee Wee, so I can come back again next year. If I do, I would love to stay with my host family again.

I am really going to try hard to come back to the tournament next year. I am going to lead my team into the Quebec Qualifier next year knowing all about this experience and I will be able to share it with them.

I want to thank the Avalanche for this experience; it has been so much fun and is something I will never forget!

Courtesy of ColoradoAvalanche.com