Back to his roots, Saskatchewan hockey player recognized for grassroots contributions

From Gordie Howe to Hayley Wickenheiser and everyone in between, Saskatchewan has produced some hockey greats over the years.

But few have had the range of experiences that Shaunavon’s Tim Tisdale has.

As a teen, Tisdale left home and went to school at Notre Dame to play hockey for the stacked AAA Hounds team and a chance to grow up a little.

“I really felt that Notre Dame gave me the best opportunity to get away, see what it was like to be away, and I knew I was going to be on a strong team,” said Tisdale. “Obviously they really built up a team that year to compete.”

While he was only there a year, it was a productive year. Tisdale and the Hounds won the 1986 Air Canada Cup, given to the best under-18 men’s hockey team in Canada.

“We were fortunate to win a national title, and it was just the first stepping stone to going somewhere,” he said. “To play under Barry MacKenzie, I really had an opportunity to learn a lot from him.”

That success propelled him back home to Swift Current, where his WHL rights had been traded from Kamloops to the newly relocated Broncos franchise. But in his first season, tragedy struck when the bus carrying the team crashed, killing four of his teammates in December 1986. He and everyone affected by the disaster were forced to grow up quickly.

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“The things we went through, individually and as a team, first with the accident and really dealing with that situation,” Tisdale told CTV News. “I think it forced us all to grow up a lot faster than other people do. Some people have that devastation earlier in life, but not as public as we did.”

Despite losing four teammates, the Broncos fought their way into a playoff spot by the end of the season.

And in 1989 with a handful of players remaining from the 1986 team, Tisdale scored the overtime game-winning goal in the Memorial Cup final, beating the Saskatoon Blades in their own rink.

“To finish it off with a Memorial Cup the way we did,” he said. “To win it in overtime, in Saskatchewan, in Saskatoon, really, it's sort of a storybook ending.”

Drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in 1988, Tisdale enjoyed a seven-year pro career that took him across North America and Europe. But he admits, it was hard to stop and enjoy things in the moment.

“Those experiences that you get through the game, I don’t think we value them enough when we’re there,” he said. “We appreciate them a lot more afterwards. But just to see the world, to see as many places and play in front of thousands of people, you really have to sit back and think about it later on. And in hindsight, you’d like to do it over again.”

After “salary cap creativity” gave Tisdale his first player-coach opportunity in the pros, he started to get the feeling his playing days were nearing their end. But before he hung them up, he won an Allan Cup with the Powell River Regals in 1997, given to the best Senior hockey team in the country.

With that he completed the triple crown, winning an Under 18 national championship, a Memorial Cup and an Allan Cup as a player.

“I’ve been fortunate to be on some really good hockey teams,” said Tisdale. “I didn’t realize how lucky I was to be in some of those situations, I just took playoffs for granted.”

After spending time in B.C., Tisdale returned to his roots in Saskatchewan to share all those experiences with the next generation of hockey players. He’s spent nearly three decades coaching, refereeing, and filling most hockey administration roles in and around Swift Current.

“I don’t think my goal was ever to move back to Saskatchewan, or move back to Swift Current,” he said. “It’s just funny how things came around full circle.”

When the news of the 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash reached him, it brought up painful memories. But Tisdale knew how important it was to be there for the families, especially after the initial wave of support wore off.

“Being through that experience, I realized there’s going to be a lot of people that are helping right away,” he said. “It’s three or four months down the road when people have moved on, unfortunately that’s the reality of life.”

Tisdale visited with players still in hospital that September, meeting with their families.

“I knew what they were going to be going through, and I thought, I don’t want them to just see three or four months down the road that everybody has forgot and moved on.”

Tisdale enters the Hall of Fame in the grassroots category for his dedication to youth hockey in Saskatchewan. Joining Tisdale in the Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame’s class of 2024 are players Patrick Marleau, Cory Sarich, Travis Moen and Jack Norris. Brad Meier was selected in the official’s section. Selected in the teams category are the 2016, 2018, 2019 Kyle Elks and the 1995 Team Saskatchewan men’s under-17 team.