Ottawa 67's mourn passing of former player Lance Galbraith
The Ottawa 67’s and Ottawa’s hockey community are mourning the death of a former star player.
Lance Galbraith died in a car crash in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont. Friday at the age of 42, according to the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).
Galbraith played five seasons with the 67's in the late 1990s and early 2000s, winning a Memorial Cup in 1999 and an OHL championship in 2001.
“When you think of the guys we have had here, Lance was right up there with the most popular Ottawa 67’s of all-time,” said former Coach and GM Brian Kilrea in a statement from the team. “It’s very sad and all of our thoughts are with his family, friends, and former teammates.”
Galbraith also played for other pro leagues in the U.S., including the ECHL, where he won Kelly Cup championships with the Idaho Steelheads in 2004 and 2007.
“It’s a sad day for sure,” said former teammate Dan Tessier. “He was a big part of our Memorial Cup team. Lance is one of the guys that his heart was always for the players and on the ice.”
Tessier says he spent four years with Galbraith at the Civic Centre with the Ottawa 67’s.
“There’s not one team in the OHL that wouldn’t have loved to have had Lance Galbraith those years,” former Ottawa 67’s owner Jeff Hunt said.
Galbraith’s former billet says news of Lance’s death was “gut-wrenching.”
“Lance is our family, he's part of our family.. He was just the light at the end of every day,” Louise Logue said on Saturday.
Logue says while Galbraith’s play on the ice is what captivated fans, his actions away from the rink are what she’ll remember.
“I remember my nephew being bullied at school and he told Lance about it,” Logue said. “Lance started going and having lunch with him at school and all the kids were like, ‘Wow, Andy has Lance Galbraith here having lunch with him.’ He calmed that whole situation down with just his mere presence.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.