Submitted by Sean Grassie
In 1920, the Selkirk Fishermen won the Abbott Cup as Western Canada champions by defeating the Calgary Monarchs. In the Memorial Cup final at Arena Gardens in Toronto, the Toronto Canoe Club Paddlers beat the Fishermen 10-1 and 5-4 to win the two-game total-goals series 15-5.
In senior competition, the Selkirk Fishermen played in the 1924 Allan Cup final for the Canadian amateur championship. A 6-2 win by the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds was followed by a 1-0 Fishermen victory, giving the Greyhounds a 6-3 triumph in the two-game total-goals series. Cec Browne scored both of Selkirk’s goals in the first game. The multi-sport athlete was named Manitoba’s Athlete of the Century (1870-1970), an award presented by the Manitoba Sports Federation.
In 1974, the Selkirk Steelers captured the Centennial Cup as Canadian junior A champions. Many of the team members had played for the Selkirk Fishermen squad that won the 1973 provincial junior B championship.
In Game 7 of the best-of-seven Centennial Cup final, Gord Kaluzniak scored in overtime as the Steelers beat the Smiths Falls Bears 1-0. His brother and linemate Garry assisted on the goal. The brothers led the Steelers in regular-season and playoff scoring.
Smiths Falls still had a chance to tie the game after Gord scored. The goal came just over seven minutes into extra time, and the full 10-minute overtime session was played. Andy Stoesz, who was named the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s top goaltender that season, made 30 saves to earn the shutout. He was selected in the 10th round of the 1974 National Hockey League Amateur Draft by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Steelers were presented with medals and coins by Winnipeg city councillor Slaw Rebchuk at Winnipeg International Airport upon their return home from Ottawa with the Centennial Cup, which kicked off a day of festivities for the team.
“It concluded in Selkirk, where hundreds of placard-bearing fans lined the streets and then crowded into Selkirk Memorial Arena to pay tribute to their favourite sons,” the Winnipeg Free Press reported.
That day (May 15) Selkirk Mayor Frank Malis declared June 1 as Selkirk Steeler Day, sparking more celebrations in the city.
The Steelers added Anavet Cup titles in 1975 and 2007 with victories over the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League champions. The team played in the 2007 Royal Bank Cup in Prince George, B.C. but didn’t advance to the playoff round of the Canadian junior A championship. The tournament was won by the Aurora Tigers.
