BY Jonathan Huntington
SASKATOON – Ryan Keller has the perfect marketing slogan for the Spengler Cup tournament in Davos, Switzerland: “It’s a very cool experience… it should be on every hockey fan’s bucket list.”
The current Saskatoon Contacts head coach played for Team Canada in the 2007 tournament and still has vivid memories from scoring the winning goal to clinch the tournament title.
“We went 5-0 in the tournament and we beat the Russians in the final. I scored the winning goal in the tournament but it was maybe the ugliest goal I ever scored in my life,” said Keller with a bit of a chuckle.
“At the top of the circle, I shot it – it went off the defenceman’s stick, off the end boards and came back in front – hit the heel of the goalie’s skate and into the net.”
The ping-pong style goal survived a video review and goalie Curtis Joseph held the fort for the rest of the game. “He stood on his head,” remembered Keller.
Often referred to as the oldest invitational hockey tournament in the world, the Spengler Cup is always played between Dec. 26-31. “It is so picturesque. It’s hard to put into words. It’s a party atmosphere. It’s a soccer atmosphere,” recalled Keller.
“The rink (in Davos) looks like a church from the outside and it is very steep (inside) behind the visitor’s net. Beer is being passed among 20 people.”
After scoring 40 goals for the Saskatoon Blades in 2004-05, Keller played two years in the minors (mostly in the AHL) before jumping to Finland for the 2007-08 season. The Spengler Cup wasn’t on Keller’s radar that first season – until the the month before the tournament.
“Team Canada tries to pull players from Switzerland for the tournament. But in December, Team Canada had checked-in with my agent,” explained Keller. “An injury happened (to another player on Team Canada’s radar) and I got a late notice (invite).”
Keller finished tied for second in scoring for Team Canada with three goals and two assists in five games. The roster included future Calgary Flames captain Mark Giordano, future NHL head coach Travis Green and future Brandon Wheat Kings head coach/GM Marty Murray.
FINISH LINES: Keller played six seasons in Europe in between stops in North America, that included playing six games for the Ottawa Senators and then being the captain of their AHL team.
