The Vancouver Whalers. One of the oldest and most decorated teams in the junior league. Countless legends and 13 championship banners hang from its rafters. Like all teams, its had its ups and downs, its golden ages and dark days. The period of time I wish to talk about today featured a player that would not only change the course of the teams fortunes but would go on to be considered one of the teams finest ever players. It all began with one announcement:

“With the 9th overall pick, The Vancouver Whalers are pleased to select from the Trois-Rivieres Pegasi, Alexis Saint-Michel.”

A moment in time that ASM will always remember. On that day, the just turned 17 year old Alexis Saint-Michel would achieve the biggest milestone of his life at that point. He had been drafted into the SMJHL. A lot of hardships and pain had gone into making it this far but he had made it. The Whalers had hoped that with their newly drafted star of the future would make the kind of impact you would expect from a highly touted 1st round pick. Little did anyone know what this young player from Quebec would do for this franchise.

From the first time he stepped on the ice as a rookie, Alexis got to work proving Vancouver right to draft him. He caught fire almost immediately, recording an incredible 38 point season. By the end, he would lead all rookies in Goals and Points In one memorable two game set, Alexis would score two hat tricks in a row, a feat that has yet to be replicated in the junior leagues. These performances would earn him a nomination for the Esa Anrikkanen Rookie of the Year award. Many around the league thought that the award would go to the Prodigal Winger but instead, the committee gave the award to Aleksanders Balcers, the prototypical defenceman from Newfoundland. There was no denying Balcers pedigree or stats as a defenceman but some argued that he benefitted from being on a championship winning team like Newfoundland while ASM was playing on a rebuilding Vancouver team.

Season 60 would be a special year for the league and the Whalers and this season, as they were both celebrating their 60th anniversary. The Whalers core of the time would make this season count. At that point in time, only one player have ever breached the 70 point mark, Zdeno Beranek. That season, three players would join him, Robert Black of Newfoundland and two Vancouver Whalers, Markus “The Tater” Jaeger and ASM. The Whaler duo in particular would go back and forth for the lead in total points with Jaeger ultimately winning out by a 1 point margin, 73 points to ASM’s 72. Regardless of that, this season would show ASM at some of his absolute best. He would score an incredible 38 goals, leading the league by 6 over the next player and would have the 2nd highest goal tally ever by an SMJHL player. Only Kynwyl Pearce of Kelowna had ever scored more. Though the season would end in heartbreak with a second round loss in the playoffs, it was clear to all that ASM had come leaps and bounds since his rookie year, winning the Roberto Martucci award and the Raymond Lindsay award as MVP as voted by the players.

All this progress and all these efforts lead to arguably the finest performance for ASM. The Season 61 playoffs. This would be the last playoff run he would ever have as a Whaler and he wanted to make it count, he would rally the troops as best as he could. He wanted to finish career with his best friend and his team mates the right way, with the four star trophy.

The team would respond in earnest by racking up impressive series wins over Great Falls and then conquering one of their old rivals in Colorado to make it to the finals. Their opponent would be the Newfoundland Berserkers. This finals match-up went from being the most important matchup of the year to being the most personal match up of ASM’s life. It was Newfoundland that took Aleksandrs Balcers at the first overall pick when ASM had been in contention for that spot (which would cause him to fall to the 8th pick). It was that same player from Newfoundland that would rob Saint-Michel of the rookie of the year award despite ASM leading the league in points and goals for rookies. It was Newfoundland that had been a thorn in his side since his first day and now here, in this most glorious chance of redemption, the Whalers would get their chance at the title.

In a series that would go down as one of the most memorable in franchise history, the Whalers faced off against the team that many considered their hardest finals opponent match up and would sweep the series 4-0. In a series that had amazing goalie duels and incredible one man performances, the most memorable moment for many on the team was the final few moments.

The entire team spilled out of the benches to hug each other, even with the jeers reigning down from the Newfoundland crowd, the team didn’t care. They had finally reached the top of the mountain. After four seasons of trying and pain, Alexis Saint-Michel and his fellow class of Season 58 prospects finally had their championship.