In this episode, I speak with Ken Priestlay — former Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins forward, and two-time Stanley Cup winner.
Ken reflects on the 1985 NHL Draft, his disappointment at slipping to the fifth round, and a career-defining trade to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He shares memories of life at the Igloo, the depth of those Penguins teams, and gives his take on just how special Mario Lemieux really was during the club's back-to-back Stanley Cup triumphs.
Turning to the UK, Ken explains his move to the Sheffield Steelers, his impressions of British rinks in the 1990s, and revisits the unforgettable 1995 title-clinching win in Nottingham — a night etched into Steelers folklore.
After five hugely successful seasons in Sheffield, Ken returned to Vancouver and retired before moving into coaching. A call from former teammate Tony Hand tempted him back to the UK for one final spell, where he scored 31 goals in 33 games for the Dundee Stars.
The episode concludes with Ken recalling the proud moment in 2002 when the Sheffield Steelers retired both his jersey and Tony Hand's ahead of an exhibition game at Sheffield Arena.
