Kilrea’s top five are easy, but the rest ... not so much

The Ottawa 67’s are in the process of selecting a Top 50 players list to celebrate the 50th year of the storied franchise in 2017-18.

The top of the list is easy. Or so it would seem,

“It’s Denis Potvin ... then Bobby Smith and Peter Lee, and Doug Wilson, and don’t forget Jimmy Fox ... and then the rest,” said legendary 67’s head coach Brian Kilrea, who saw just about every 67’s player play in his 43-year association with the club.

The only really big stars Kilrea didn’t coach were Potvin, Pierre Jarry, Gary Doyle, Murray Wilson and Terry Murray from the lean early years before the 67’s roster really started to get deep with talent. Then how do you leave a Bryan McSheffrey or a Peter Laframboise off a list of Top 50? Or Jean Potvin and others?

“The first five names are easy,” said Kilrea. “That’s just my opinion. But try naming a top 10.

“It get’s really tough from No. 6 on. There’s just been so many great players play here, It’s almost impossible past that group of five.

“How do you leave certain names out of a top 10? Even a top 50 is tough because there’s going to be guys left out who played great here.”

The 67’s have solicited advice from others, but no one is better qualified than Kilrea to narrow it down.