Call it “Cool Icings” if you want, but one former Toronto Maple Leafs skating coach is attempting to grow hockey in Jamaica to the point that they might compete in the Olympics, according to a fascinating story from the Toronto Star.
Graeme Townshend seems like the right man to do it as the first Jamaican-born player. He appeared in 45 NHL games spread over five seasons between the New York Islanders, Boston Bruins and Ottawa Senators; he scored 10 points in that span. (His best season came in 1990-91 with Boston when he managed two goals, five assists and seven points ... all career-highs.)
Townshend laid out his bold vision to the Toronto Star:
“If we can pull this off, you’re looking at an inspiring story and the idea that anything is accomplishable if you put your mind to it,” Townshend said.
“If Jamaica can get a team in the world championships or the Olympics, that’s like a miracle. It’s something that’s so outlandish that I think it actually might work.”
They might want to keep Disney in the loop on this one, just in case.
The NBC Olympics feed helps to kindle imaginations on such a subject:
Feel the rhythm! Feel the rhyme! Get on up, it's HOCKEY TIME?!? http://t.co/GGCJ9jcvSp pic.twitter.com/sttkaoHpcj
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 23, 2014