August 30, 2016
A CCAA Tournament MVP and two CCAA Tournament All Stars are among those who have played on three CCAA hockey champions.
1989 CCAA Tournament MVP Scott Melnyk became the first player to accomplish the feat as a member of the 1984-85, 1985-86 and 1988-89 NAIT Ooks. The forward from Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta played for the Portland Winter Hawks and the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League in the 1986-87 & 1987-88 campaigns.
A former all star from the Mac's Midget Tournament was on the 1988-89 Ooks. Randy Wong also played on the 1989-90 & 1991-92 NAIT teams that brought home CCAA championship banners. The rearguard from Bellevue, Alberta also toiled with the Medicine Hat Tigers and the New Westminster Bruins of the Western Hockey League. Wong would later return to the Medicine Hat Tigers as an assistant coach and head coach.
Since 1990, no goaltender has more ACAC regular season wins than Jason Fricker who posted 61. The netminder from Spruce Grove, Alberta backstopped the Mount Royal College Cougars to CCAA gold medals in 1997-98, 1998-99, and 2000-01. The 2000-01 CCAA Tournament All Star, who set league records with the Bonnyville Pontiacs of the Alberta Junior Hockey League, also played in the Central Hockey League with the Oklahoma City Blazers and the Fort Worth Brahmas.
Another former member of the Bonnyville Pontiacs who signed with the Oklahoma City Blazers also was a member of the 1997-98, 1998-99 and 2000-01 Mount Royal College Cougars and a 2001 CCAA Tournament All Star selection. Forward Rob Smashnuk from Drayton Valley, Alberta played with the Olds Grizzlys of the Alberta Junior Hockey League prior to attending Mount Royal.
(Source information has been retrieved from the ACAC Men’s Hockey Information Guides which were first published in 1994 and known for accuracy and completeness.)