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For the first time since both played for the Usher Unicorns, Ryan and Chris Getzlaf will hit the ice and play a hockey game as teammates.
The Regina products will be on the same team for the Saskatchewan Roughriders Foundation Winter Classic, which is to take place Saturday at Merlis Belsher Place in Saskatoon.
The game features alumni from the Riders and the NHL, with the event raising money for the foundation to help with its charitable efforts.
“It’s going to be fun; I can’t even remember the last time we were on the ice,” said Ryan Getzlaf, who spoke to the media on a Zoom call from Nashville, Tenn. — the city he now calls home.
“It’s exciting. Anytime I get to come back to Regina or Saskatoon and be a part of something like this – especially experiencing it with Chris – it’s going to be a blast out there.”
“I’m really looking forward to it,” added Chris, who was also in Nashville. “I believe the last time (we played together) was with the Usher Unicorns (in high school) so that is a lot of years ago now.
“I had a lot of fun in the event last year and it’s going to be that much better with Ryan there.”
Chris will be one of the team captains for the event with current Riders kicker Brett Lauther serving as captain of the other squad.
Chris, who was a part of last year’s Winter Classic, is a former Riders receiver. He was inducted into the team’s Plaza of Honour in 2021.
He suited up for 119 games with the Riders before playing his final 26 with Edmonton. He returned to the Riders in 2017 on the practice roster and then retired in January of 2018.
During his career, Getzlaf caught 414 passes for 6,192 yards and 41 touchdowns. He was a member of the 2013 Grey Cup-winning team, hauling in three passes for 78 yards en route to being named the game’s top Canadian in the 45-23 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
Ryan excelled on the ice instead of the gridiron and was selected 19th overall by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2003 NHL entry draft. He played 1,157 regular-season games, recording 282 goals and 737 assists.
He won the 2007 Stanley Cup with the Ducks as well as a pair of Olympic gold medals with Canada (2010, 2014).
The Saskatchewan Roughriders Foundation Winter Classic is back for a second year. (Saskatchewan Roughriders/Submitted)
Along with those two and Lauther, the rosters will also feature current Riders like Peter Godber, Jorgen Hus, Brayden Lenius, Mitch Picton and Noah Zerr, and former NHLers Byron Bitz and Eric Gryba.
The University of Saskatchewan’s Bailee Bourassa, Scott Flory and Abbey Shirley, the University of Regina’s Mark McConkey, and Wacey Rabbit — a former AHL player and current assistant coach with the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades — also are on the rosters.
Chris said it’s great to be able to help give back to the community even in retirement.
“When you play for a team like Saskatchewan where you have the passionate fans throughout the entire province, I just felt like it was always important to get out and touch each of those parts of the province if you had the opportunity,” Chris said.
“I was able to do it a lot during my career and thankfully that has transitioned to post-career and people are still willing to listen to me.”
Ryan is also happy to return to his home province to help give back.
“It’s been something that I’ve almost regretted a little bit that I wasn’t able to make it back more throughout my career,” Ryan said. “With family and kids, everything gets really busy in the offseason. You don’t really realize that when you go through it all, but now I am able to come back multiple times this year, which has been great.
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“Being retired and away from the game, my schedule opens up and it’s really important and I’ve had a really great time doing it.”
Chris said the only person he knows is on his team is Ryan and he will find out what the rest of the rosters will look like just ahead of the game.
He is also focused on making up for last year’s shootout loss to Lauther.
“Obviously the main goal this year is to not lose to a kicker,” Chris joked. “That’s got to be first and foremost because dropping the game last year to him, that one hurts still.”
Tickets to the Winter Classic are $25 for ages 13 and above. Children under the age of 12 are free with an adult ticket.
