The numbers are staggering.
After smashing the attendance mark during the 2007 World Women's Hockey Championship held at the MTS Centre and the Selkrik Recreation Complex last spring, the organizing committee announced yesterday that the tournament also broke the record for profit.
The tournament raked in $751,706 and tournament director Polly Craik handed out cheques to both Hockey Manitoba ($187,941.50) and Hockey Canada ($563,824.50) yesterday.
The Hockey Manitoba money will go to support female hockey development in the province, while the Hockey Canada funds go to support female hockey development and National Women's teams programs.
"It was a home run, a grand slam," said Hockey Canada president Bob Nicholson. "The attendance numbers, breaking the record with 122,000 when the previous record was 94,000 and the TV numbers were better than we've ever seen. But it was the way the event was put on that was so special.
"Every country that came and played, their players went home and said it was the greatest experience they've ever had and that was our No. 1 goal."
As for the future, you got the sense Hockey Canada could very well be returning to the MTS Centre before long.
"I can tell you right now, we're in the final stages of releasing bids for the 2010 and 2012 world juniors and I'm sure Winnipeg will want to be part of that process," said Nicholson, noting the announcements for the successful sites should be released by next spring or summer.
THE DEBATE: Though head coach Brent Sutter is saying good-bye to junior hockey after the Super Series to focus on his new job as head coach of the New Jersey Devils, this might not be his last job with Hockey Canada.
When asked by a reporter yesterday if he would be interested in being Canada's head coach for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, Sutter said his focus was on the task at hand but you wouldn't expect him to turn down the opportunity if it were presented to him at a later date.
"I don't think that far ahead and that's not my decision," said Sutter. "I thoroughly enjoy working for Hockey Canada. I believe in how the system works and I've been fortunate to have the opportunity to coach the two world junior teams and win gold and I was fortunate enough and honoured to be asked to do this. We still have (three) games left. I'm not looking down the road, I'm just worried about today and that's the way I am."
Nicholson said that both Sutter and Souris product Andy Murray would be great candidates.
"You know what, it's just like our players in this country. We have such great depth in coaching," said Nicholson. "Andy Murray, wow. He's coached at four world championships and won three gold. The job he did in Moscow (last spring) was special. We didn't lose a game.
"You flip the coin over and Brent Sutter hasn't lost a game internationally."
Nicholson went on to say he expects to have the management team and coaching staff in place before next August, when an initial evaluation camp is expected to be held.
