Saskatchewan native and former NHL hockey player turned broadcaster, Colby Armstrong had a 10-year professional career and shared the rink with some famous teammates in his first training camp.
“I remember being able to rub shoulders with Alexei Kovalev, [Mario] Lemieux, [Robert] Lang, [Martin] Straka,” Armstrong told SportsCage host Barney Shynkaruk.“These kind of guys, I grew up watching on TV."
The Pittsburgh Penguins selected Armstrong in the first round, 21st overall during the 2001 NHL Draft. Armstrong spent time with two Canadian teams, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens.
One former teammate Armstrong thought would have a hard time making an NHL team, Max Talbot. Talbot was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2002 NHL Draft with the 234th pick in the eighth round.
"Max was a great teammate. He had some great moments." Armstrong recalls. "He scored in the Stanley Cup Final. He was a big game player."
Meanwhile, Armstrong's skating ability was a result of learning at a young age from his mother Rosemary, who has been teaching kids for years in the Saskatoon skating community.
"If I have to give my honest opinion, yes, it's a lot to do with my mother," Armstrong said. "I don't know who didn't take skating lessons from her through Saskatoon youth minor hockey."
According to Armstrong, the Schenn brothers were some of many people his mother taught. Luke and Brayden Schenn are accomplished NHL players who both won the Stanley Cup, Brayden in 2019 and Luke twice in 2020 and 2021.
“Had lessons with Rosie to learn to skate at the ACT Arena,” Armstrong said.
The Edmonton Oilers skate into the 2024-2025 NHL season as the favourites to win the Stanley Cup after coming up short last season, losing to the Florida Panthers in seven games. Armstrong believes Edmonton can make a run again, despite a short offseason.
“I think they gained a lot from this past year,” Armstrong said. “Do I think they can do it again? Oh man, with the NHL... if you have Leon [Draisaitl] and Connor [McDavid], it'd be hard not to bet against them having another run.”
Armstrong picked Utah as his dark horse out of the NHL teams to make noise this season.
"I would take a shot at Utah with what they have there," Armstrong said. "They got some good players added to their roster and their lineup."
This will be the first season for the Utah Hockey Club. Previously the team was known as the Arizona Coyotes. An official team name will be decided for Utah by the time the 2025-2026 season begins.
"Too bad for people from Saskatchewan that go on a holiday down in Arizona," Armstrong said while chuckling.
