Carla Swaby and her three sons join the Mintos and the Wildcats at centre ice for a ceremonial puck drop in honour of Matt Swaby at the Art Hauser Centre on Sunday. (Ian Gustafson/ paNOW staff)

By Ian Gustafson

We're family

Once a Minto, always a Minto: Matt Swaby honoured during playoff game

Mar 14, 2022 | 8:37 AM

On a night that would normally be consumed by playoff intensity, there was a lot of love in the air prior to the match as the Prince Albert Mintos honoured former player Matt Swaby.

On November 26, 2021, Swaby tragically passed away in a farming accident. Matt leaves behind his wife Carla, and their three sons Thomas, (6), Blake, (4), and Kody, (2).

The Mintos honoured Matt on Sunday night by donating part of the proceeds from the game to the Swaby family and the team also wore a decal on their helmets. The Mintos also held a pregame ceremony where they invited Carla and her sons on the ice for a ceremonial puck drop. Each of the boys took turns tossing their pucks on the ice as the crowd watched on.

When speaking with paNOW Carla said the past few months have been really hard and a huge adjustment for the family.

“My husband just put so much love out into the world and we’re just receiving it back,” Swaby said. “And it’s just heartwarming that we have gotten so much support and we just appreciate it so much.”

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The family has received a lot of support from the hockey community, Prince Albert residents and everyone who knew Matt. In December, the Prince Albert Raiders donated the proceeds from their 50/50 draw, which was over $30,000. The Tri-City Americans of the WHL, who Swaby played for from 2004 to 2007, wore a commemorative decal on their helmets this season. There was also a GoFundMe started shortly after his passing, which has raised over $232,000.

“We are just really appreciative of all the support and love from everyone, we feel it,” Swaby added.

Matt played for the Mintos during the 2003-2004 campaign before heading to the WHL the next season.

Mike Mazurak, governor for the Mintos, said they thought it would be a great tribute to him because he was such a great player and person.

“Our motto here is once a Minto, always a Minto and we really consider all our players’ family,” he said.

Matt served as captain on many of the teams he played for including the Tri-City Americans and the Edmonton Oil Kings. Mazurak said when Swaby played for the Mintos he was a leader.

“And it just went with him right through his hockey career you know being captain for Edmonton and being just a great leader and just a great person,” he explained.

Sunday night’s game was also a pivotal one for the Mintos as they take on the Warman Wildcats in round one of the playoffs. They dropped Game 1 to Warman but bounced back in Game 2 to defeat them in overtime 3-2.

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Ian.Gustafson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @IanGustafson12