The Wood Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame Society is proud to announce the induction of Brian Shantz as the second of four inductees into the Class of 2011.
Shantz started playing hockey in Fort McMurray at the age of five and would advance up the minor hockey league ladder eventually playing for the hometown Junior “A” Fort McMurray Oil Barons of the Alberta Junior Hockey League. In 1987-1988 Shantz was fourth in league scoring with 34 goals and 80 assists over 57 games.
His talents did not go unnoticed, as he signed with the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League for the 1988-1989 season. He ended up third on the team in scoring that year with 62 goals and 33 assists in 62 games.
The following season the Blazers would make it to the Memorial Cup where the Oshawa Generals defeated the Kitchen Rangers 4-3.
During his tenure with the Blazers Shantz scored 33 goals and added 53 assist in 62 games during the 1988-1989 season and netted 39 goals while recording 75 assists in 71 games the next year.
Shantz re-joined the Oil Barons in 1990-1991 and would play in the AJHL All-Star Game, in a season where he scored 26 goals and added 55 assists to finish third in the league scoring race.
In 1992 Shantz turned pro, signing with the Erie Panthers of the ECHL. During the next 11 years he would pack and unpack while wearing the sweaters of 13 different franchises.
It may sound like a lot of teams but you must add into the equation that Shantz also played for four different teams – Edmonton Sled Dogs, Oakland Skates, Oklahoma Coyotes and Vancouver Voodoo – in the professional Roller Hockey League which ran after hockey season had concluded.
The majority of his career though was spent with the San Antonio Iguanas of the Central Hockey League where he played from 1994-1996 and 1998-2001. He also played 26 games with the San Antonio Dragons of the International Hockey League in 1996-1997.
Aside for his time in San Antonio, Shantz also suited up for the Tulsa Oilers of the CHL from 1993-1994; the IHL’s Utah Grizzlies in 1995-1996, the Quad City Mallards of the COHL in 1996-1997, the Fort Wayne Komets of the IHL in 1996-1997, the WPHL’s Shreveport Mudbugs in 1997-1998 and the Corpus Christi Icerays along with the Tulsa Oilers to wrap-up in 2001-2002.
But it was with the Iguanas that he made his mark, winning back-to-back Ken McKenzie Trophy’s for the top scorer in CHL.
From his centre position the 5’9″ dynamo scored 39 goals and added 80 assists during 66 games in 1994-199, following that up with 54 goals and 85 assists in 64 games the next season (still the CHL scoring record), a season in which he was awarded the Bill Levins Trophy for CHL MVP.
Shantz, 40, currently resides in San Antonio where he continues to develop the sport of hockey while also holding a career as a real estate agent.
Of his induction, Shantz said, “Being inducted into the Wood Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame is a tremendous honour. Playing for the Oil Barons and being inducted to their Hall of Fame was always a childhood dream and was a stepping stone to playing professional hockey. I am excited to return to Fort McMurray and very proud to be named one of the inductee’s for 2011.”
Last week the Wood Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame Society announced golfer Stuart Anderson as the first inductee, the remaining two inductees will be named over the next two weeks.
The Fifth Annual Induction Dinner is June 15, 2011 at the Sawridge Inn and Conference Centre. The event will feature guest speaker NHL legend Lanny McDonald. For tickets call 780-381-1213.
The Wood Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame is located inside the Syncrude Sport and Wellness Centre in Fort McMurray, Alberta.
