Click here to sign up for our free daily newsletter
The Peekeekoot's outside of the drive-in theatre in Ahtahkakoop. (Garth Peekeekoot/Facebook)
Driving in for Peeks

Ahtahkakoop blares their horns to support Raider rookie Peekeekoot

Apr 9, 2021 | 5:00 PM

Shortly after scoring his first WHL goal this past Saturday, Prince Albert Raiders call-up Dallyn Peekeekoot said the support he’s received from the entire Ahthahkakoop community did a lot to “bring up my spirits.”

According to his great uncle Garth Peekeekoot, that feeling is reciprocated by everybody back home.

The band actually went as far as broadcasting Thursday’s Raider game on a big drive-in screen, with people cheering on Dallyn from the comfort of their own vehicles. They sure picked a great game, as Dallyn scored a goal and assisted on the Raiders’ other two. He also mixed in a fight as he got the better of Saskatoon Blades’ defenceman Wyatt McLeod, who is four years his senior. He now has two goals and four points in five games for the Raiders.

“When he was introduced in the starting lineup, the horns blared. When he was on the ice and he made a hit, the horns blared,” Garth said. “I thought I’d get out and record it, because this is probably not something we’re going to experience for a while, especially in the pandemic. So, I thought I get out and record, especially when he scored his goal. It just happened naturally…the atmosphere was amazing.”

Like everywhere else in Canada, people in Ahtahakakoop were getting sick of being trapped in their homes and losing that sense of community.

But Dallyn’s quick emergence onto the Raiders has given the community something to rally around and something to be excited about.

“And far as the community setting with the pandemic, the spirits in our community have been low. We can’t do normal things as a community. With Dallyn and the success he’s having, he’s created a buzz,” Garth said. “With the drive-in last night [Thursday], it’s one of the ways we thought of to get together as a community. And people could get out.”

Garth doesn’t see that buzz fading away anytime soon. Whenever the WHL can return to the Art Hauser Centre, Dallyn Peekeekoot could likely fill an entire section by himself.

“This could get pretty big. I’m sure the Raider organization is going to see an influx of season ticket purchases and individual games. I’m sure I’ll get my own,” Garth said. “Dallyn has a big family, so there will be a lot of Peekeekoot’s, Ahenakew’s, Hyman’s going to games.”

Peekeekoot is far from the only hockey player to come from Ahtahakakoop. Fred Sasakamoose, who is credited as being the first player from a First Nation to make it in the NHL, hailed from Ahtahakakoop—in fact, the hockey rink there is named after him.

Dallyn spent a big part of his life either in the rink or working on the farm. Garth said it’s a great place to get prepared for life.

“It’s probably the best training ground for anything in life, in terms of your career, your future, job or whatever you choose to do. It’s probably the best training ground to keep you grounded,” Garth said. “It teaches you discipline, it gives you work ethic, all that goes hand in hand. If you see the effort Dallyn put into his training and discipline…if anybody earned their chance to where he got, it’s Dallyn. He’s really, really worked his butt off. And he’s a good kid. He stays out of trouble and stays away from the bad stuff. He’s all-around a good kid and we’re really super proud of him.”

Garth said there could be more games broadcasted at the drive-in theatre. He added Raider fans from Prince Albert could possibly attend it, as well, as long as everybody stays in there vehicle.

With files from Trevor Redden.

Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW