The Temiskaming Shores Minor Hockey Association remembers the late Don ‘Shep’ Shepherdson, the man behind the New Liskeard Cubs Hockey Team for 57 years as coach, manager and president. The New Liskeard Cubs are for many of the youth of our region the ‘end goal’ – as it is the highest level of hockey our community has to offer. Many parents of players and current coaches of our association played at some point for the Cubs.
Don was known throughout the community not only for his association and leadership with the Cubs, but as a founding member of the Great North Midget League in which the Cubs play. In the NHL's pre-expansion days, Don was even Northern Ontario's scout for the NHL’s Boston Bruins.
There is no doubt he was ‘Mr. Hockey’ and in recognition of this, the New Liskeard Arena has been renamed the Don Shepherdson Memorial Arena.
Don Shepherdson’s devotion to hockey has not gone unrecognized by the NOHA, who have awarded him several times during his career: In 1980 the THE KEN NEEB MEMORIAL AWARD for having made an outstanding contribution to minor hockey in Northern Ontario, in 1991 the RICK F. ALBERT MEMORIAL AWARD for being instrumental in the area of development within the NOHA and in 2005 the ANGUS CAMPBEL MERIT AWARD for outstanding service to the game other than as a player.
Finally, Canada’s highest authority in hockey, the Canadian Hockey Association, presented Don with their Order of Merit in 2003.
The memory of Don and his hockey spirit live on with his wife Ruth Shepherdson, TSMHA’s current serving president.
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TSMHA will be providing a 'Super' Goaltender 3-day clinic on Sept. 24th. For details, download the clinic pamphlet: Download goalie clinic.pdf |
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