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Column: Anniversary planning for Chilliwack Chiefs

With the team's 25th anniversary looming next year, hockey columnist Jacob Bestebroer says plans are in the works to celebrate.
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Happy to get away from Jakob Reichert (left) and the Langley Rivermen for a few days

The first announcement related to the Chilliwack Chiefs 25th anniversary season was made earlier this week.

The reaction to the announcement, which sees season ticket prices slashed dramatically, has been extremely positive. The prices, which are in place until April 1, allow anyone to purchase a season ticket for $199 or less. Child and youth prices are just $99 while seniors pay just $189.

Other announcements are pending.

Not everything has been completely decided yet but you can be sure that some will involve looking back at key moments and people from the first 24 seasons. As Harvey Smyl said at the press conference, former players are already asking how they can be involved.

Ranking the top moments in Chiefs history isn’t difficult.

Different people may rank them in different order but I think everyone’s list would include the three championship seasons. We will definitely take a close look at those seasons and do our best to catch up with all the players and staff that were involved with them.

I’ve already started this and despite talking to many of these players about it before, I’m still learning new things about those years that I think fans will enjoy hearing about.

We’ll do our best to catch up with every former Chiefs Captain and do the same with all the fan favorites.

We’ll also have some very interesting stories about former players that you’ll have to think hard to remember.

Former players are spread out all over the globe and what some of them are doing now is fascinating.

They all seem to have one thing in common and that’s a fondness for their time spent in Chilliwack. Vlad Klochkov, who spent his final season of junior hockey in Chilliwack and is now back in Russia, recently told me his year in Chilliwack was his favorite year in hockey.

We’ll also talk to the many non players that have played a huge part in this franchises history. First and foremost is of course the Brew family that moved the team from Richmond to Chilliwack. That’s actually not entirely accurate as Rich Brew played a few games for the Chiefs and goaltender Jason Bilous went on to marry into the Brew family.

I know I’m really looking forward to it and of course all this will not take the focus off of the 2014-15 players.

If you have any ideas for next season please do not hesitate to let a Chiefs staff member know. My email address is at the bottom of this article.

The Chiefs play a home and home versus the Coquitlam Express this weekend with the home game begin Saturday.

Game time is 7 p.m.

 

jb@chilliwackchiefs.net