Michael P. J. Kennedy, Ph.D.
Each year a feature of the Huskie Men’s Hockey “Off the Leash Luncheon” is the
presentation of the annual Award of Recognition. This honour is bestowed upon individuals
who have demonstrated “contributions over a period of years to the betterment of Huskie
Men’s Hockey and/or its alumni in the form of dedicated time or talents …or other assistance to the team and its alumni.” The 2015 winner of the Award of Recognition was Paul “Puff” Cyr.
In 2023, “Puff” announced his retirement and the Huskie Men’s Hockey Team will once
again show their appreciation for his years of service with a special recognition at the 1
December game at Merlis Belsher Place.
Born in Smithers, British Columbia in 1963, Paul and his family moved to Saskatoon
where he attended St. Thomas School and Holy Cross High School. As a youth he delivered
newspapers which brought him into contact with Olympian Sports which was on his route. As a teenager he began what would become a long association with the store taking a job at the
retail outlet in Market Mall. Following high school, “Puff” studied hotel and food service
technology (1981-83) at what was then Kelsey Institute (currently Saskatchewan Polytechnic
Kelsey Campus) yet he continued to work at Olympian.
Paul’s first real contact with Huskie hockey was when his father and he attended a game
in the early 1990s. At the same time a young former Huskie player was getting his initial head
coaching post at University of Lethbridge. Dave Adolph ordered equipment for his Alberta team from Olympian and the door was opened for what would become a long, positive relationship. When Adolph returned to Saskatoon as head coach of Huskies in 1993, Paul was responsible for team accounts. More than a salesman providing equipment, Paul took an extraordinary interest in Huskie hockey which continues to this day.
Professional, committed, passionate describe Paul Cyr’s relationship with the men’s
hockey programme. In an interview in 2015, he talked about this relationship: “I don’t see it as a job, Huskies are my passion, what I do.” And what he did was always professional, providing the right equipment for each player’s individual needs, when it was needed. “Puff’s”
commitment to the team has been second to none. His had a role behind the scenes as he
provided customized patterns for sticks, logo pucks, clothing, art work on special jerseys so the players could perform at their best. Paul’s efforts with fostering the Huskie brand --the skating dog-- have been extremely successful. Whether it was logo-branded jerseys for the Huskie Prospects (youth aged seven to thirteen) or Huskie hockey schools, memorabilia and
equipment for the Huskie alumni, or periodic special third jerseys, toques, sports bags, shirts
and the like for the varsity team, Paul has accommodated them all and often on his own time.
Paul and his wife Donna, a nurse formerly in the Cardiac Cath and Electrophysiology
laboratories at Royal University Hospital (currently at Victoria Hospital in Prince Albert), have
been married since 1985. Their son Scott was a trainer with Huskie men’s team for five years
while studying Kinesiology and has a love for the Dogs that extends back to when he first picked up pucks at games where his father was involved managing the team’s equipment needs, doing last minute patch-ups of sweaters, or anything else that needed doing. Today, Scott has embarked on his own career as a physical therapist now with Calgary Flames in the NHL..
“Puff’s” family extends beyond Donna and Scott to include all Huskie hockey players,
past and present: “I’ve met so many good people” he volunteers, and praises robustly “the
quality of the people the skating dog attracts.” “The Huskies make me feel part of the family.
They are amazing. They would do anything for you, and I would do anything for them.” Indeed, for over two decades Paul Cyr has done almost everything for Huskie men’s hockey. Unless he was out of town, he was at every home game always ready to pitch in if needed. He did the same for the women’s hockey team, for which he also provided equipment, and of course he is often seen at alumni games as well despite now living at “The Lake” year-round.
Former Huskies who went on to coach their own teams or who were playing senior or
recreational hockey still depended on “Puff’s” expertise to provide them with all their hockey
needs. He always had time for his Huskie family members from the day they arrive on campus into their senior alumni years. “Once a Huskie, always a Huskie” he states. Rookie players and especially equipment managers learned early that if something was needed, Paul was the guy to see. “I’m just happy to be involved,” Paul said, “this is my passion, it is what I do and there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t wish I could do more!”
The maestro of hockey equipment went continually “above and beyond” in his daily
contributions to the team. However, his passion for the Dogs extends further, as he has served as a valuable worker on the “Off the Leash Luncheon” committee from the outset, assisted with the annual alumni golf tournament, promoted countless special events, and made the Huskie brand prominent at such high profile events as the University Cup and Huskie Athletics’ centennial.
For Paul seeing “the players have success, getting their degrees and contributing in the
community” are the rewards for his indefatigable efforts to assist hundreds of student athletes
be able to succeed on the ice. When informed that he was to be honoured for his many acts of assistance to the team with the 2015 Award of Recognition,” he responded: “I should be giving them the award!” For his outstanding commitment and his undying passion over the years for Huskie Men’s Hockey, Paul “Puff” Cyr was a truly worthy recipient of the 2015 “Off the Leas Luncheon” Award of Recognition” and this 2023 formal recognition upon his retirement is equally deserved.
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