Events - Event View

Helen Edwards will talk about the history of professional hockey in Victoria, focussing on the stories of the players who entertained us over a century. It includes details on the different leagues, statistics on every game played by a Victoria team, and information on every player to dress for at least one regular season game. From the Patrick family to RG Properties, this book covers the ownership of teams and records the highlights and low points of every team.Included in the narrative is the story of the construction and operation of the different venues in which games were played. The politics behind arena construction are examined as well, with editorial cartoons to make the reader laugh about the folly of some ideas. Biographies of selected players tell the story of individuals and how they came to play hockey in Victoria. Learn from behind-the-scenes stories told by the players themselves.

Helen Edwards was born in Victoria and saw her first hockey game at age 5. She has been hooked on the sport ever since. She held season tickets for the Victoria Maple Leafs and Victoria Salmon Kings so has first-hand knowledge of the game and its players. She decided to write what has been called the definitive history of pro hockey in Victoria when the Salmon Kings were disbanded and Bill Shvetz, a star for the Maple Leafs died. The second edition was launched live on National TV during an on-ice interview with Ron McLean.

Helen is a long-time member of  the VGS and the Hallmark Heritage Society. She is an author of six books, focusing on local history and her heritage. According to her website at https://helenedwards.ca/, she is in the process of writing her memoirs, focusing on her volunteer activities, activism and philanthropy.