Darrell Davis: See ya, Slats

Glen Sather was the first NHL executive I ever interviewed. He was the Edmonton Oilers’ head coach/general manager when his team visited Regina for an NHL pre-season game against the St. Louis Blues.

I was one month into my first media job as a sports writer for the weekly Kindersley Clarion, intent on interviewing Wayne Gretzky. Downstairs in the Agridome, before the game, “Slats” was talking to my dad, an Oilers scout, when I walked by with a camera and notebook.

Sather called me over, said hello and a few nice things about Gretzky and the new goalie my dad had just drafted, Grant Fuhr. Then he told me to go into the Oilers’ dressing room and talk to Wayne.

“But it’s before the game,” I said.

“Tell Gretz it’s OK with me,” said Slats.

In I went. Gretzky was endearingly polite, even posed for a picture. The Clarion had an exclusive. And I had a long-standing, long-distance NHL connection until Thursday, when Sather stepped aside as president to become a senior advisor to the New York Rangers’ owner.