Hoping “Ozzy” will be spiritually hanging in with the Raiders, team mainstay is missed

Mark Odnokon raises the Ed Chynoweth Cup in 2019.

I can still hear Mark Odnokon’s laugh when I told him Terry Simpson was selling up his captains and players again saying he didn’t have anything to do with the success of the Prince Albert Raiders.

During this particular chat, I was talking to Odnokon, who was often referred to as “Ozzy,” about the 1981-82 Raiders that won the team’s final SJHL and Centennial Cup national junior A championships before the team graduated to the major junior ranks the next season. Odnokon, who was a feisty winger in his playing days, served as an assistant captain with that 1981-82 Raiders team along with Robin Bartel, while Bob Lowes was the captain.

Of course, Simpson is the iconic head coach and general manager of the Raiders, who has been retired from the game for some time now. Simpson always tried to deflect credit to his captains and players for the many successes the team had. He was trying to sell that he really didn’t need to do anything for a Raiders team that went 57-3 in the regular season and 20-3 in the post-season in that 1981-82 campaign saying the captains ran the show.

“Stanks,” said Odnokon, giving a pause before going on. “You’ve been around for a long time.

“You know better than that. Don’t let him (Simpson) get away with that.”

This column of mine appeared in the Prince Albert Daily Herald. To read the full article, feel free to click right here.