Former Steelhead, fan favorite, Lance Galbraith dies at 42

BOISE, Idaho — This text initially appeared within the Idaho Press.

Lance Galbraith, a two-time Kelly Cup champion with the Idaho Steelheads who was extensively recognized for his crowd-pleasing antics throughout his taking part in days, died April 15 in a single-vehicle automobile crash in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.

In keeping with the Ottawa Solar, the crash occurred when his pickup truck hit a culvert near the place he lived. Galbraith died on the scene. He was 42.

“Lance was the center and soul of our championship groups and a larger-than-life persona and character that touched so many lives inside our Steelheads household,” Steelheads president Eric Trapp stated in a press release launched on the workforce’s Twitter account. “He was a fan favourite for a few years, even after his taking part in time ended with the Steelheads.”

He performed for Idaho in components of 4 seasons between 2004-08, placing on a Steelheads uniform for 295 video games, scoring 83 objectives and recording 127 assists. The ahead was a member of Idaho’s Kelly Cup championship groups in 2004 and ‘07.

“We’re all in shock with the devastating information of the sudden passing of our nice buddy and teammate, Lance Galbraith,” John Olver, who coached the Steelheads throughout the 2004 championship season, stated by means of the workforce. “The ‘Rooster’ was one in every of our fiercest opponents to ever don a Steelheads uniform. He had a one-of-a-kind persona and each time he walked into the locker room, the enjoyable meter received turned method up.”

Galbraith was not solely a participant who might rating however was also referred to as a bodily participant. He was not afraid to face up for his teammates and because of this accrued 2,104 penalty minutes throughout his eight-year ECHL profession, which ranks sixth all-time in league historical past.

“Lance was the most effective teammate you could possibly ask for and the man that you just like to have in your workforce and hated to play in opposition to,” former Steelheads captain Marty Flichel stated in a press release.

However maybe Galbraith’s recognition among the many followers was as a lot about his antics off the ice as what he did on it. Throughout the Steelheads’ Kelly Cup playoff run in 2004, Galbraith and linemate Zenon Konopka, who performed junior hockey with Galbraith with the Ottawa 67’s, would famously troll opposing groups with costumes.

Throughout a playoff sequence in opposition to the Gwinnett Gladiators, the pair dressed as Roman emperors for media interviews. When the Steelheads traveled to Florida to tackle the Florida Everblades within the Kelly Cup finals, they wearing safari outfits, dragging an inflatable alligator pool toy behind them.

“If that they had Instagram or Fb again then, Lance Galbraith and Zenon Konopka can be known as heroes,” teammate Darrell Hay advised the Idaho Press in 2020. “They had been 2004’s Biznasty and whoever else. The stuff was comical, however it wasn’t tasteless stuff. They had been doing it to spark our group.”

Along with his time in Idaho, Galbraith performed within the ECHL with the Augusta Lynx, Dayton Bombers, Alaska Aces and Utah Grizzlies. He additionally performed 19 video games within the American Hockey League with 5 totally different groups. He retired after spending the 2010-11 season with the Wichita Thunder, who had been members of the Central Hockey League on the time. Over the course of his skilled profession, he had 450 factors.

Throughout Idaho’s 2007 playoffs, Galbraith led the workforce in objectives (11), assists (16) and penalty minutes (64).

“Lance was an all-in participant,” Derek Laxdal, who coached the Steelheads throughout the 2007 championship season and is now an assistant coach with the Dallas Stars, stated in a press release. “He cherished the sport and he cherished taking part in the sport. Most of all, he cherished being round his teammates. I actually loved teaching Lance and he was an enormous a part of our championship workforce. I nonetheless saved in touch with Lance over time. To listen to of his passing away is simply tragic.”

This text initially appeared within the Idaho Press, learn extra on IdahoPress.com.

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