Brandon product and former Wheat Kings’ trainer Darren Granger has hoisted Lord Stanley’s mug and looks to add Olympic gold to his resume.
Granger, the longtime head equipment manager with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, will be heading to Sochi to serve on staff with Team Canada at the Winter Games.
"It is a bit of a dream come true," Granger told CKLQ’s Tyler Crayston. "I put a lot of time in with Hockey Canada to work some of these events and it’s the only one I haven’t worked. Just like the players, they get to pull that uniform on and play for their country. If I can do a little part and work for that team it is special."
Granger has worked with Hockey Canada at numerous world championships, the 1996 World Cup and the 1992 world juniors.
He’s in his eighth season with the Kings and celebrated a Stanley Cup championship with the club in 2012.
Granger also got to soak in the experience at the first-ever warm-weather outdoor game between his LA Kings and Anaheim Ducks at Dodger Stadium last Saturday night.
Hockey Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky dropped the puck at the ceremonial opening faceoff in front of more than 54,000 fans.
"When Wayne got to the bench after he made that walk to open the game, he got to the bench and he stood beside me for the anthem. He said to me he would have never thought 20 years ago that he would have seen this," said Granger. "For a guy like that, who pretty much started the movement down there, that’s something to say."
Darren’s full chat with Tyler is below…
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