ROBSERVATIONS: Auction winner poised for action at Roughrider Foundation Winter Classic … scintillating Sillinger stats … first-round factoids
SASKATOON — On a chilly weekend, the sight of someone wearing a Saskatchewan Roughriders-themed No. 23 jersey warms the heart.
That someone is Spiritwood resident Cal Robinson, who has been assigned Ron Lancaster’s number for Saturday’s Roughrider Foundation Winter Classic charity hockey game.
“I just won’t live up to the number, that’s all,” Robinson said with a laugh after the lineups were announced on Friday night at Saskatoon’s Alt Hotel.
Robinson will demonstrate his on-ice artistry with a Chris Getzlaf-captained team that is to face Brett Lauther’s squad in a third annual game that will raise money for the Foundation’s Win With Wellness mental health presentation series.
Faceoff is set for 1 p.m., at Merlis Belsher Place on the University of Saskatchewan campus. Tickets are available HERE.
Robinson’s ticket to the game — as a player — was secured when he was the highest bidder for an auctioned-off roster spot. That process was administered by the Winter Classic’s presenting sponsor, McDougall Auctioneers Ltd.
“I thought, ‘I should do this,’ so I said to my wife, ‘I’m going to start bidding on this,’ ” Robinson recalled while seated beside his spouse, Tammy, “and it’s for a good cause.
“My son is better on a computer than I am, so he started bidding on it for me.”
Michael Robinson was so successful that the winner was … his dad!
“My first thought was, ‘Oh no … I’d better start skating,’ ” said Cal Robinson, a 55-year-old father of three sons (Michael, Christopher and Patrick).
Robinson, No. 23, will be on a team — and on a line, perhaps? — that includes former NHLer Joe Kocur. Mike Sillinger and Luke Gazdic will provide the big-league representation on Team Lauther.
“As a kid, you dream of playing with someone in the NHL,” said Robinson, who made his hockey debut at age four and eventually suited up for the under-18 North Battleford North Stars.
“I did skate with guys who went on to play in the NHL … back in the ’80s. Shhhh!”
In fact, a former teammate (Kevin Cheveldayoff of Blaine Lake) is the Winnipeg Jets’ general manager. Cheveldayoff was chosen by the New York Islanders in the first round (16th overall) of the 1988 NHL Draft.
Growing up, Robinson routinely wore No. 12, which was also associated with two of his favourite players — the Jets’ Morris Lukowich and the Vancouver Canucks’ Stan Smyl.
The Canucks, for the record, are Robinson’s favourite NHL team. So it should be noted that Kocur, a fellow member of Team Getzlaf, played in seven games with the 1995-96 Canucks.
And it gets better.
“After we won the bid, I told my son that I’d e-transfer him the money,” Robinson recounted. “He said, ‘No … I’ll pay for it.’
“That means a lot as a dad.”
GREEN/GREENE AND WHITE
Although Sillinger — who played for 12 teams over 1,049 NHL regular-season games — is a newcomer to the Winter Classic, he has already played with Green and White.
Sillinger and defenceman Rick Green were teammates with the 1990-91 Detroit Red Wings.
The 2000-01 Ottawa Senators’ roster included Sillinger and fellow centre Todd White.
So much for the easy research.
For the tough stuff, I prevailed upon the wisdom, expertise and good nature of Stuart McComish, the NHL’s Senior Manager, Statistics and Research.
With remarkable rapidity, Stuart replied with the following factoids:
• Throughout NHL history, there have been 23 skaters with the name Green (or Greene) or White. No goalies, though!
• A total of 2,738 NHLers have played at least one game with a Green/Greene or White on their team.
• Ian White and Travis Green were teammates for 18 games with the 2006-07 Toronto Maple Leafs.
• Colin White and Andy Greene played 258 games together with the New Jersey Devils from 2006-07 to 2010-11.
• Tony White and Rick Green were teammates for 40 games with the Washington Capitals from over the 1976-77 and 1977-78 seasons.
• Colton White played in five games with Andy Greene with the Devils over the 2018-19 and 2019-20 campaigns.
WINTER CLASSIC WITTICISM
The roster reveal on Friday included one transfer of note.
Roughriders receiver Mitch Picton, who helped Team Lauther win the first two Winter Classics, is now on Team Getzlaf.
“He’s (peeved) off that he was traded,” Sillinger observed. “I was traded nine times.”
FIRST-ROUND FACTOIDS
The Roughriders announced on Monday the signing of defensive lineman Shane Ray, who was selected 23rd overall by the Denver Broncos in the 2015 NFL Draft.
News of the transaction got me thinking: How many first-rounders have been under contract to the Roughriders?
The answer: 20.
The names: Read on …
Don Allard (QB): 1959 — Washington (4th overall).
• 12 games with the Roughriders in 1959; seven games in 1960; training camp in 1961.
Butch Avinger (RB-REC-QB-DB-P): 1951 — Pittsburgh (9th overall).
• 14 games and eight interceptions in 1952.
Ken Carpenter (RB-REC-DB): 1950 — Cleveland (13th overall).
• 75 games from 1954 to 1959; set Roughriders single-season touchdowns record (18) in 1955; SaskTel Plaza of Honour in 1989.
Clifford Charlton (LB): 1988 — Cleveland (21st overall).
• Training camp in 1994.
Glenn Dobbs (QB-P): 1943 — Chicago Cardinals (3rd overall).
• 14 games and 28 touchdown passes in 1951; 12 games in 1952; nine games in 1953; Plaza of Honour in 1988.
Leonard Dunlap (DB): 1971 — Baltimore (26th overall).
• Training camp in 1977.
Matt Elam (DB): 2013 — Baltimore (32nd overall).
• Nine games in 2018.
Bill Glass (DL): 1957 — Detroit (12th overall).
• 11 games in 1957.
Lee Grosscup (QB): 1959 — New York Giants (10th overall).
• One game in 1963.
Larry Isbell (DB-REC-QB-P): 1952 — Washington (7th overall).
• 74 games from 1954 to 1958; Plaza of Honour in 1999.
Todd Kelly (DL): 1993 — San Francisco (27th overall).
• Retired 10 days after signing with the Roughriders in 1998.
Paxton Lynch (QB): 2016 — Denver (26th overall).
• Practice roster in 2021.
Bobby Marlow (FB-DB): 1953 — New York Giants (8th overall).
• 86 games from 1953 to 1959; Plaza of Honour in 1989.
Shane Ray (DL): 2015 — Denver (23rd overall).
• Signed by Roughriders on Monday.
Trent Richardson (RB): 2012 — Cleveland (3rd overall).
• Four games, one in which he rushed for 127 yards, in 2017.
Menan (Tex) Schriewer (REC): 1956 — Chicago Bears (10th overall).
• 13 games in 1959.
Percy Snow (LB): 1990 — Kansas City (13th overall).
• Training camp in 1995.
Frank Tripucka (QB): 1949 — Philadelphia (9th overall).
• 81 games from 1953 to 1959, a period in which he was typically among the West’s passing leaders; seven games in 1963; Plaza of Honour in 1989.
Neil Worden (FB): 1954 — Philadelphia (9th overall).
• Five games in 1959.
Vince Young (QB): 2006 — Tennessee (3rd overall).
• Training camp in 2017.
ROLL CREDITS …
• Nice people who deserve a plug: Cal Robinson, Tammy Robinson, Michael Robinson, Christopher Robinson, Patrick Robinson, Dr. Tom Robinson, Ty Robinson, Gordon Gilroy, Logan Ferland, Peter Godber, Noah Zerr, Jacob Brammer, Albert Awachie, Mitch Picton, Andy Fantuz, Angela Bailey, Julia Vaughan, Caleb Blundell, Rebecca Perigny, Sabeen Ahmad, Mark Johnston, Mike Sillinger, Karla Sillinger, Owen Sillinger, Cole Sillinger, Lukas Sillinger, Anna Sillinger, Stan Smyl, Luke McGeough, Roy Shivers, Jim Rutherford, Angie Beka, Linda Malagride, Dhel Duncan-Busby, Kian Schaffer-Baker, Ajou Ajou, Charbel Dabire, Brett Lauther, Len Davidowich, Stuart McComish, Charles Saindon-Courtois, Molly Corbet, Jason Johnson, Brian Fergusson, Donna Kovatch, Diana Lee, Ross Purse, Tom Fuzesy, Mary Brick, Wendy Mohl and Matthew O’Krafka.
