By Peter Watts /

There can’t be too many people who have a Stanley Cup ring, an Olympic gold medal and an Allan Cup photo in their collection.

Former NHL star, Theo Fleury is hoping to be in that elite group by mid-April. He’s part of the Steinbach North Stars senior hockey team which will play host to this year’s senior hockey tournament April 13 to 18.

“It’s a little more competitive than the beer leagues,” Fleury said following a recent sweep of a two-game series with Kenora.

“If I can get myself in a little better shape, I might go play in Europe next year. But this has been great. I’ve always enjoyed the camaraderie of the locker-room and we’ve got a great bunch of guys on this team. And while it’s a little distance from where I grew up in Russell, (Manitoba), it’s a bit like coming home.”

After a career that began in Russell, Fleury won the Stanley Cup with the Calgary Flames in 1989. He also had a hand in Canada’s gold-medal win at the Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City in 2002.

“My dad, Wally, played for the Yorkton Terriers when they competed for the Allan Cup back in the 1960s. He didn’t get to win it. Maybe I’ll be able to.”

If he did, Fleury would be part of a very unique group. Chris Jurewicz of Hockey Canada came up with just two names of players who have won the three titles.

“Frank Fredericton and Harold Halderson were both on the Winnipeg Falcons team that won Olympic gold in 1920,” Jurewicz said. “The Falcons were the Allan Cup champions that year which is how the team got to play in the first Olympic hockey tournament. Both of the players went on to win the Stanley Cup with the Victoria Cougars in 1925.

“Off-hand, I can’t come up with any other names, and I’m not saying there aren’t some others out there. But those are two I know about and if Theo can join that group, that would be something.”

This year’s North Star team has only lost two games all season despite the fact it doesn’t have a league to play in. Fleury has commuted in from Calgary to play in several games.

He’s also brought in long-time pal, Greg Hawgood, from Kamloops. Hawgood had some time on his hands after coaching the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers last season. He spent eight seasons in the NHL in the Boston and Pittsburgh organizations and also won a couple of International League titles.

Others on the roster include Kelly Glowa, who played 20 seasons in Switzerland and can still get around the ice at age 45.

Former Calgary Hitmen star Chris Nielsen has joined the team after spending a couple of years in the Columbus Blue Jackets 
organization.

Defenceman Neil Gidney is another commuter. He works for his father, Jeff, in Calgary where Jeff Gidney owns the Golden League’s Calgary Vipers baseball team.

“It’s a big deal for Steinbach to get this tournament,” said team manager Roger St Laurent. “Our town is only about 15,000 people and this will be first time the Allan Cup has ever been staged in Manitoba.

“TSN is broadcasting the final. We won the tournament in 2003 with a roster that included Kelly Glowa and former Junior star, Pat Falloon. I can tell you there’s lots of buzz about the tournament here in Steinbach and we’re looking forward to hosting it.

“And we hope we can parlay a championship this spring into a four-team league next fall. It would be great for senior hockey in this part of the country.”

And it would be great for Theo Fleury too.