Stanley Cup winners Jay Bouwmeester (left) and Robyn Regehr are both supporting Josh Morrow, who is running for mayor in Prince Albert. (Complete Hockey NewsTwitter; Josh Morrow for Mayor/Facebook; WHCL/Twitter).

By Jeff D'Andrea

Morrow brings in the big guns

P.A. Mayoral candidate Morrow gets support from two Stanley Cup winners

Oct 30, 2020 | 5:14 PM

Josh Morrow will hope the support of two Stanley Cup Champions can help make the difference for his campaign in the upcoming Prince Albert mayoral race.

Morrow is being backed by two legendary blueliners in Jay Bouwmeester, who just recently hoisted Lord Stanley’s mug over his head in 2019 with the St. Louis Blues, and Robyn Regehr, who won the Stanley Cup in 2014 with the Los Angeles Kings.

Bouwmeester grew up playing minor hockey in Edmonton, against Morrow who grew up just outside Alberta’s capital city in Sherwood Park. The two would find themselves on the same team with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL from 1998 until 2002 until Bouwmeester broke into the NHL with the Florida Panthers.

Over the last 20-plus years they’ve known each other, Bouwmeester said Morrow would drop little hints saying he was going to eventually get into politics, before running in the 2016 and this year’s mayoral races.

“He did at some point start bringing it up, but we all laughed it off—just not really wanting to get into politics when somebody comes up with that idea,” Bouwmeester told paNOW on a phone call on Friday. “He has his reasons. He ran four years ago, and I think he’s coming back because he’s serious about it and would like to do the job.”

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Regehr has known Morrow for the last three years, when Morrow and his family rented Regehr’s cabin in Christopher Lake. Regehr, who’s been keeping an eye on the mayoral race, officially endorsed Morrow on Friday.

Star support

“I feel Josh is a good candidate to move Prince Albert forward. That’s why I have no problem endorsing him,” Regehr said.

Since Bouwmeester isn’t as actively connected to Prince Albert and is unfamiliar with the other mayoral candidates in the race, he didn’t want to formally endorse Morrow. But Bouwmeester does support Morrow and can vouch for his character as a longtime friend.

Although he was born in Brazil and later grew up in Indonesia, Regehr then settled in Rosthern and played minor hockey in the Sask Valleys, including a year in Prince Albert with the Mintos. Nowadays, he spends his summers in Christopher Lake and takes his kids into the city to play in hockey camps.

“Youth sports and team sports were and still are really important part of my life. Having the ability to have kids have access to that with ice time, even in an aquatic centre, to have access to activities all throughout the year is a great opportunity,” Regehr said. “I think for Prince Albert, it’s important to have the [new] rec centre.”

Morrow’s connections

So why is he doing this? Why is Morrow calling on two NHL Stanley Cup-winning defencemen to support his campaign? He wants to prove that he can bring in some star power if needed to promote projects in the city.

“Some people have been skeptical at times and I want to make it very well known that I have very, very good connections throughout Western Canada, if not Canada,” Morrow said. “If we need to bring some heavy hitters in, and if we need to get some support or rally the troops to put Prince Albert on the map, this is exactly the kind of thing I’ll be doing for the citizens and promoting our city the way it’s never been promoted before.”

One of the biggest issues in the municipal election has been the new multi-million dollar recreation centre and aquatic centre. Although it has support from others in the mayoral race like former MLA Darryl Hickie (albeit with concerns about the land deal) and incumbent Mayor Greg Dionne, Morrow believes he is the top choice to deliver this and other projects that Prince Albert needs.

“My background is in project management and we’ve got so many projects coming up in the next four years,” Morrow said. “I do believe that I’m the best candidate to take control and to monitor and make sure the citizens are getting the best bang for their dollar.”

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Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW