The Heritage Junior Hockey League, and all its teams, awoke to the shock and disbelief of a single-vehicle rollover that claimed one of its own Dec. 20. As waves of grief swept through the community of High River upon hearing Flyers captain Eli Gosselin had perished in the crash, the ripples reached the Cochrane Generals dressing room.
Generals captain Chris Hugo spoke in thoughtful, measured tones, as he tried to reconcile the incident while recalling the player who wore the ‘C’ for a Flyers team Cochrane last played Dec. 6.
“It definitely hits us. It’s a reality check that it can happen to anyone,” Hugo said outside the Generals dressing room Dec. 21. “One day we’re having fun with a team and the next day . . . you never know where you’re going to be.”
For Gosselin, 20, and buddy Carter Corrigan, 19, it ended up southeast of Aldersyde in a Chrysler Sebring that had come to rest upside down in the backyard of a rural residence. Both occupants in the vehicle were wearing seatbelts. The crash is being investigated by police.
“We gave our condolences to the family and the team,” Hugo continued. “We wish them the best in coping with this situation. But it is tough. I mean, the hockey community, it hits everyone. Whatever else is not as important as stuff like that. I just hope the best for everyone moving forward.”
While not friends with Gosselin away from the game, Hugo remembers an honest competitor who put the game ahead of himself.
“He was a good guy on the ice. Really reasonable. Every time we played against each other he’d always ask me how I was doing. Stuff like that. Just respects everyone. Respects the game. Respects everything that’s going on.”
