Ex-NHLer gets down to business for hockey, COHA
Kelowna’s Brent Gilchrist among Montreal Canadiens alumni playing in game to raise funds for Central Okanagan Hospice Association
Saying Kelowna’s Brent Gilchrist has the Midas touch is almost true. But rather than gold, the exNHLer appears to have a way with silver.
During a career in which he played nearly 800 professional games with five teams, Gilchrist lifted the silver-clad Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings in 1998.
After retiring in 2003, he moved from investment banking to mining. He’s now president of JDS Resources and, in that role, helped JDS launch the Silvertip Mine in Northern B.C.
JDS just agreed to a deal with an American private equity firm to sell Silvertip, a deal which could be worth $250 million.
“People ask me all the time, how did I get involved in the mining business,” says Gilchrist, 50. The answer? “I have no idea,” he says with a laugh.
Well, it’s thanks to a friendship with mining exec and engineer Jeff Stibbard, CEO and founder at JDS. Gilchrist helps the JDS team identify and develop mining assets. He’s the guy who helps organize the business end of a mine or project by developing the structure and finding the financing.
Gilchrist says hockey was invaluable to honing those skills. Consider, too, that Gilchrist played for some of hockey’s greatest coaches and franchises: Scotty Bowman in Detroit, Pat Burns in Montreal, Bob Gainey and Ken Hitchcock in Dallas.
Hockey and business are one in the same, says Gilchrist: a group of individuals with unique skills have to work together to accomplish something much greater than themselves.
“I draw on it every day,” he says. “Business is not a lot different than hockey . . . . (Hockey) gives you everything you need. It gives you the work ethic. It gives you the confidence. It’s such an education.” He must still play a lot, then. “Not at all,” he says, laughing again.
Considering the travel associated with his day job, and raising two sons with his wife, there’s not much time for Gilchrist to devote to a game that gave him so much.
Born in Moose Jaw, Sask., but raised in Vernon, Gilchrist made his junior hockey debut as a 16-year-old centre for the old Kelowna Wings. He played two seasons for the Wings, scoring 35 goals in 1984-85 for the shortlived Western Hockey League franchise.
That was enough for the Montreal Canadiens, who drafted Gilchrist 79th overall in 1985. He went on to play two more seasons in the WHL for the Spokane Chiefs before turning pro with the AHL’s Sherbrooke Canadiens the next year.
From there, he flirted with the Stanley Cup his entire career. He was a rookie on the Montreal
team that lost to Calgary in 1989. After a breakout season with the Habs in 1992 in which he scored 23 goals and 50 points, he was traded alongside Shayne Corson the next year to the Edmonton Oilers in the much-hyped Vincent Damphousse deal.
It was Damphousse who helped Montreal win the 1993 Stanley Cup.
The next year, Edmonton traded Gilchrist to Minnesota just prior to the North Stars’ move to Dallas. He spent five productive seasons with the Stars before Detroit claimed him off waivers. Gilchrist thrived in Detroit, helping the Wings win their second straight championship in ’98.
That’s when injuries began to take their toll, however, and after playing parts of three seasons with Detroit, Dallas (again) and Nashville, Gilchrist retired. Life didn’t slow down. “I knew long before I retired that I wanted to be in the investment business,” Gilchrist said.
He eventually joined RBC Dominion Securities, which led him to JDS.
Hockey remains part of the Gilchrist household, however. He often plays charity games, especially with the Canucks considering he spends most of his work days at the Coast.
Gilchrist was also part of a JDS partnership with BNA Brewing over Christmas that raised $50,000 for the Central Okanagan Community Food Bank. On Feb. 17, he’ll suit up against the Montreal Canadiens alumni for a charity game to raise funds for the Central Okanagan Hospice Association.
Gilchrist said he didn’t know much about COHA before he was invited to take part in next month’s game. But now he understands just how vital the organization is.
“I hope this event helps other people realize the good they’re doing.”