Stasiuk remembered for his inspiration

By Lethbridge Herald on May 10, 2023.

Vic Stasiuk is seen in this photo from his days with the Stanley Cup winning Detriot Red Wings in the 1950’s. Courtesy Galt Museum & Archives 20191055019

Justin Seward – Lethbridge Herald

Lethbridge hockey legend Victor Stasiuk passed away on Sunday at the age of 93.

Stasiuk was born in 1929 in Lethbridge and he got his start on the ice with the Lethbridge Native Sons of the Southern Alberta Junior Hockey League in 1946 -1947.

“I had heard he was not doing that well,” said Earl Ingarfield Sr., who played against Stasiuk in the NHL.

“But there again I was kind of shocked and sorry to hear of his passing. I’d talked to one of his daughters a few times and she would tell me how he was doing and what not. But anyway it’s a sad day losing Vic. He was a friend, a good person and like I said earlier, he was a good inspiration to a lot of people.”

Ingarfield knew of Stasiuk growing up and followed his career.

“And then of course I did play against him in the National League for many years,” said Ingarfield Sr.

Ingarfield Sr. said he set an example of determination and hard work and how far it would get you.

“It certainly proved right for him and I think it inspired a lot of other youngsters along the way,” he said.

“He always never forgot about Lethbridge and was really proud to have come from the city,” said Ingarfield Sr.

Both Ingarfield Sr. and Stasiuk played with the Lethbridge White Sox baseball team when it was still around.

Stasiuk made his NHL debut with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1948-1949 where he suited up for 17 games in a time where he collected two points, and it was from there that he played 14 seasons between Chicago, Boston and Detroit.

 He won three Stanley Cups in 1952, 1954 and 1955 with the Red Wings.

 Stasiuk was traded to Boston in 1955 and quickly became noticed as a part of the “Uke Line” with Johnny Bucyk and Bronco Horvath and the line earned that name because of their Ukrainian ancestry.

In the 1957-1958 season, the line made history by each player reaching the 20-goal mark.

Stasiuk amassed 183 goals and 254 assists in 745 NHL games.

Upon retiring, Stasiuk chose the coaching path where he spent some time in the American Hockey League, the Central Professional Hockey Leagu and the Eastern Hockey League from 1963-1969.

He got his shot in the NHL by coaching the Philadelphia Flyers, California Golden Seals and Vancouver Canucks from 1969-1973 before returning to southern Alberta to coach the

the Taber Golden Suns and Medicine Hat Tigers in juniors between the years of 1975-1979.

According to hockeydb.com, he was also on 1975-1976 Lethbridge Broncos roster as well.

Paradise Canyon Golf Course was built on Stasiuk’s cornfield.

Current owner Ron Sakamoto built Vic’s Lounge at the course in his honour.

“He enjoyed telling stories about his career and showed me lots of memorabilia, and that’s why when I bought it, I asked him if I could name the lounge Vic’s Lounge to keep the history down there because that was Vic’s farm,” said Sakamoto.

“He said, “Really you want do that.’ I said ‘Absolutely Vic, if it was OK with you. Then he brought me all this memorabilia which is in Vic’s Lounge now. So it was really kind of neat to ask him if I could do that and hang his hockey memorabilia up and call it Vic’s Lounge.”

Sakamoto noticed the character side to him.

“So one day all of sudden I see him in the Lounge,” he said.

“I said, ‘Vic, what are you doing in the Lounge?’ Well, he snuck out of the hospital and hitch hiked his way down to Paradise … He just wanted to hang around Paradise for a little bit. Oh my goodness, that’s the kind of character he was and that tells you know how much his dream of building a golf course was.”

Sakamoto said at the end of the day his legend will live on.

“He’s one of the top players in the world,” said Sakamoto.

“I’d never played with a guy that wanted to win more than him,” said friend and former baseball teammate Les Colwill.

“He tried so hard, so he could still be part of… whatever we were doing.”

Stasiuk was inducted into the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame , the Ukrainian Sports Hall of Fame and the Lethbridge Sports Hall of Fame.

He is survived by his four children, 10 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.

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