Sun Valley Suns show off Idaho’s hockey culture

HAILEY, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — Hockey may not be the most popular sport being played in Idaho, however, the sport’s culture is alive and well in the Wood River Valley, and KMVT caught up with the Sun Valley Suns.

“You know when I think of the game and how much it’s ingrained into my life and the passion, I’ve always had for it, I feel grateful for it,” said John “Cub” Burke, the Suns President of Hockey Operations.

“It’s really special being a Sun Valley Sun and a member of that fraternity, and it’s been so long, and there’s so many alumni that people all over the country know about us. That’s special in itself, but it’s just the game, appreciating and loving the game.”

The Sun Valley Suns are a semi-pro hockey team that got their start in the 1970s when future San Jose Sharks owner George Gund purchased a plot of land to develop an ice rink in Hailey.

When the rink was completed in 1975, a group of men met up to skate, not knowing that this group of eight would become the founding fathers of the Sun Valley Suns hockey team.

Nearly half a century later, some inaugural team alumni continue to be a big reason why the team has been around for nearly half a century.

“How tight-knit those alumni stay together, how much they back us and are benefactors in the community for jobs and just looking out for one another and giving back to the community, the youth hockey program watching that grow here. Just the whole culture, the family that’s kind of expanded beyond this game to be a very integral part of this valley. That’s what’s so special and keeps all of us coming back and going,” said Max Tardy, an eighth-year forward for the Suns.

Many of the alumni and current players alike are transplants to the Wood River Valley having originated in more typical hockey markets like Minnesota or Massachusetts, and many have experience playing Division One college hockey or professionally, whether in Europe or the United States.

The old guard of Sun Valley Suns helped grow the program into the team they are today and continues to attract and recruit players from nationwide to suit up for the squad, some for upwards of ten years like defenseman Mike Curry.

“I get to work remotely, which is nice and has allowed me to be out here as long as I can, and the experience out here has been great,” Curry said.

“I didn’t know much about this place, and I had a mutual friend who had been out here before and I was living in Minnesota and wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do, and so I heard about this and got to play hockey and come out and snowboard and obviously get to work out here so it seemed like a no-brainer.”

Every team needs a coach, and for the Suns, that distinction belongs to former player Ryan Enrico, who took over the job from current President of Hockey Operations and Suns legend John “Cub” Burke in 2021

“I played for 17 seasons, and you get older, and new younger guys come in, and then COVID hit, and we canceled the season, so that was a year lost, and that was a good time for me to step aside.

our old coach, John “Cub” Burke, he had been doing this a long time and wanted to step aside, so it was a natural transition for me,” Enrico said.

While the players and coaches make up the product on the ice, no team would continue to exist for almost 50 years if it wasn’t for the fans.

On most game nights, the Suns boast capacity crowds of nearly a thousand people.

Something defenseman and team general manager Sean O’Grady enjoys the most about being a Sun.

“I think one of the things I’m most excited about is seeing people from all different walks of life show up to enjoy hockey. That’s something that really kind of embodies the whole reason why we do this in the first place,” O’Grady said.

“It’s a blast for one, all the guys are having fun, and then seeing all different kinds of people show up to the games is really a special time for all of us.”

The Sun Valley Suns play their games on Friday and Saturday nights and have ten total games remaining, eight of which are at home. If you have never seen a hockey game in person going to a Sun Valley Suns game is a great way to get your feet wet with the sport and a lot of fun as well.

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