Tuesday is ‘Fred Sasakamoose Day’; ceremony to be held at SaskTel Centre

Fred Sasakamoose is getting his own day.

The late Indigenous hockey trailblazer will be honoured by many local dignitaries along with Indigenous elders and leaders during a ceremony Tuesday at 10 a.m., at the SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon.

Sasakamoose played 11 games with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1953-54, becoming the first treaty-status Indigenous hockey player to skate in an NHL game.

Both the Province of Saskatchewan and the City of Saskatoon have proclaimed May 18 as “Fred Sasakamoose Day.”

Guests such as the Sasakamoose family, Saskatoon Mayor Charlie Clark, Saskatchewan Party MLA Ken Cheveldayoff, Saskatoon Tribal Chief Mark Arcand, Sen. Jenny Spyglass and various chiefs and Indigenous leaders are expected to be in attendance.

In November, Fred’s son Neil spoke to 650 CKOM about his father’s statue, which will be unveiled in October at the SaskTel Centre. Neil also talked about who his dad was, and how much he has been missed.

“He always placed people higher than him (who) played longer years … In his mind, ‘I only played 10 or 11 games.’ … He didn’t want to be out front, but his story, (people) would just draw to the story — and it was someone from here that had that experience …,” Neil said.

“He knew it took two people to walk together all the time … He always wanted other people to feel that trust for, as he would say, ‘white people.’ He always wanted to walk hand in hand with First Nations and non-First Nations people. He really believed that.”

The statue will be placed at the SaskTel Centre, facing Mr. Hockey, Gordie Howe — one of Fred’s idols, according to Neil.

Fred Sasakamoose passed away on Nov. 24 following a short battle with COVID-19.

The event Tuesday is to be live-streamed on the Fred Sasakamoose “Chief Thunderstick” National Hockey Championship Facebook page. Only invited guests will be in attendance.