8 - The Prince George Citizen - COUGARS’DEN - Monday, August 21,2000
Rowdy Cat receives a makeover
 Several new promotions on tap this year at the Multiplex
   The Prince George Cougars’ mascot, which attracts youngsters like the Pied Piper of Hamelin, is a darker shade of brown this year and has undergone other minor tweaks which make him look more like, well, a cougar.
   A new Rowdy Cat is but one change under the direction of marketing and promotions co-ordinator Krista Mintern. She’s had a busy summer lining up special events and attractions at games this season.
   The Cougars aren’t unlike any other sports team vying for the public’s entertainment dollar, and they subscribe to the notion that there should be a lot more to a hockey game than a hockey game. That’s why the team has added several new promotions and expanded or improved existing ones.
   “The whole thing for us is providing fun, family entertainment. We want it to be a fun experience from the time they walk in the door,” said Mintern.
   The most noticeable improvement might be the sound system. Aware the Multiplex’s sound system might not be on par with other WHL arenas, Mintern said the team is working with the city to improve it.
   Coming out of those speakers will be some new songs added to the old favourites.
   “We’re always trying to add to our music, keep it fresh. We’re continually updating, almost on a weekly basis. And we get lots of
Rowdy Cat’s makeover is just one of the new promotional items the Cougars are utilizing to get a roar out of the fans during the 2000-2001 season.
Dave
Paulson
Citizen associate editor
requests from other teams asking for our playlist, so that’s encouraging. We must be on the right track.”
   In addition to the team’s four between-periods “mainstay gimmicks” — the prize wheel, blimp, Red Robin Racer and the fun gun — fans will notice more promotions this season, many of them geared to youth.
   ■ The home opener Sept. 22 is Noisemaker Night. As well, the team is giving away five non-motorized scooters, which are all the rage with the kids these days.
   ■ Oct. 8 is Youth Soccer Night, with reduced admission to young players, and Harry Potter Night, with free giveaways of the popular children’s book series.
   ■ Dec. 19 is the night of the wildly-pop-ular Teddy Bear Toss, when thousands of stuffed toys thrown on the ice after the Cougars’ first goal are given to Salvation Army Victim Services for distribution to local youngsters.
   ■ Jan. 13 is Minor Hockey Night, with reduced admission for players.
   ■ Feb. 13 is Dress Red for Heart and Stroke Night. Fans will be asked to dress in red, and a photograph will be taken from the rafters to be the city’s submission in a
province-wide contest sponsored by the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
   ■ March 14 is Hats off for Cancer Night. It’s similar to the Teddy Bear Toss, except it’s with hats. The team is asking for high-quality hats of any style, to be donated to B.C.’s four cancer-treatment centres.
   ■ New this season, and taking advantage of the frenzy surrounding the summer TV hit Survivor, is the Cougars Survivor Challenge through the month of November. Mintern couldn’t give details because it’s still in the planning stages, but said the grand prize will be a “souped-up truck.”
   ■ Also new is the Cougars Birthday Club. For $100, members receive eight tickets — a maximum of four adults — mes-sage-board and public-address recognition of your birthday, a visit from the new, improved Rowdy Cat at your seat and each person in the party receives a goodie bag.
   ■ An improved Guest Services table at Section K will be staffed by students from the CNC hospitality program.
   Rowdy Cat will have a heavier workload around town this season, said Mintern, including making more appearances in connection with the Cougars Kids’ Club, entering its second year. Last year the club, sponsored by White Spot and Coca-Cola, had 130 members. For a $9.99 membership fee, kids receive a T-shirt, laminated membership card, a combo meal from White Spot, autograph sessions with players, newsletters and more.
   Taking care of their fans — young and old alike — is a priority with the Cougars, said Mintern. “We’re here to entertain.”
There should be more fighting for jobs this year
         Continued from page 7 Prince George Citizen: Why is this camp different than a year ago?
   DL: There are more positions open this year and there should be more fighting for jobs than last year. Last fall, we had a lot of veterans and we had a pretty good idea who would make the team behind them. This year, we have some questions about how some guys will show at camp. We’ve invited a few guys who played Tier 2 and who could add some toughness, and we’ll see if they can handle the quicker pace and show their toughness at the same time.
   PGC: Who are those Tier 2 guys, and who will they be pushing?
   DL: We have some 19-year-olds who have to come in and put up some numbers. At forward, if younger guys end up ahead of them, that’s the route we’re going to go. Adam Stefishen (a big, 18-year-old leftwinger who played for Powell River in the BCHL) and Brandon Boon (an 18-year-old winger from the midget Saskatoon Blazers) have a chance to make it, and so does Alekcei McAvoy (18, younger brother
of Seattle’s Keegan McAvoy). Stefishen could be one of the tougher guys, and that could push Derek Boogaard. With Boogaard, it all depends what his attitude is when he gets here. A guy like Yeoman will have to have a good camp.
   PGC: You only have three options for over-agers with Shon Jones-Parry, Chartier and Justin Hansen, so how will you handle that?
   DL: The uncertainty with our 20-year-olds is a factor that will let us have a longer look at some guys during camp. We’re going to have to play it by ear on that one. Checking around the league right now, there are teams that have guys available but they won’t be available until the pro camps are over. For example, I talked to Kootenay, and they say a player I’d like to have will be expendable but only if they get certain guys back. Prince Albert is the same way. Just about everyone is in the same situation.
   PGC: Defence and goaltending — are those the main battles?
   DL: Those are the biggest questions because if your goaltending and defence can
stand up then you can play a different style of game. We don’t know where our offence is going to come from, although I understand Justin Cox had a great world junior evaluation camp in Calgary, and he could break out this year. Chartier is a big factor, and if he comes back we’ll be very solid back there with (import selection) David Koci, Dan Hamhuis, Tim Wedderburn and Jones-Parry. We’ll be good for all situations.
   PGC: How many young defencemen will you keep?
   DL: Chartier’s status will decide how many young defencemen who will stay with us, and also what we’ll do with our 20-year-olds. We do have some good, young defencemen coming (Gary Gladue, Scott Lynch among them) and I think it will make for a good camp.
   PGC: With Jozef Mrena and Roman Takac gone, are you confident this new duo of Europeans can help?
   DL: There’s certainly an unknown there, and we’ll see in camp how they work out. From all the reports I have, both will help us.
   PGC: Which young guys really excite you?
    DL: Because I missed part of last year (due to heart surgery), I didn’t see Gladue and Lynch play. I did see Jonathan Filewich, and what I saw last year he could’ve played as a 15-year-old. I don’t expect him to lead, but I think he’ll be a really solid player on the third or fourth line. Guys like Hamhuis and Chieduch, I think you’ll see changes in them with more responsibility.
    PGC: Who’s the team to beat?
    DL: I think Spokane’s going to be a good team again. They finished off with Tyler Mackay in goal, and he played well and should be their goaltender.
    Portland finished strong with their young guys last year, and they return everybody, but there’s still a question because you have to learn to win. Their goaltending isn’t proven. A lot of things in Kamloops depend on the status of Micki DuPont because he was a big factor for them. I hate to pick a spot for us, because I go back to Chartier and what he can do in the amount of time he logs. But I don’t think there’s a dominant team out there.