Local hockey icon Claude Piche reflects on his time in the Star City

ROANOKE, Va. In 1974, the Roanoke hockey team won the league championship for the first time. The Roanoke Valley Rebels were a tough team with French Canadian players, including Claude Piche, who became a Roanoke hockey legend.

My first year pro I signed with the Minnesota North Stars, Piche said in a recent sit-down interview.

In the man cave, you’ll find walls full of pictures and memories, but more importantly, the outline of a story that connects the love of hockey to the Roanoke Valley.

“And here’s the Montreal Junior Canadian, here’s when I signed with the Boston Bruins,” Piche said, pointing to a group of old photos.

Claude Piche has become synonymous with hockey in the Star City thanks to a decision he made in the second year of his professional contract with the Boston Bruins.

Tom Johnson said: Would you like to go to San Diego or Roanoke? I’ll tell you what’s going on in Roanoke. You have a bunch of French people there, is that okay with you? because I was in the second year of the contract and I said: Absolutely. So, Diego goodbye, Roanoke welcome baby.

The Montreal native helped the Roanoke Valley Rebels win 53 games in the 1973-74 championship season.

I got league MVP. We didn’t make any money then, but we had a good team, Piche laughed. Three of them went to the NHL and three to World Hockey, from now on.

The sport looked a little different in 1974. No helmets, limited padding and Piches skates?

I wear size 11. The skates were size eight. You didn’t wear socks, they were as tight as can be…I couldn’t even get into them today.

But the man nicknamed Mr. Smooth says one thing has stood the test of time.

It doesn’t matter when in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s the intensity is always there.

The intensity has been present at the Berglund Center, where the Rail Yard Dawgs, like the Rebels, won the league title in their seventh season.

A welcome sight after Roanoke went through a decade-long drought without a hockey team in the mid-2000s.

There was no reason not to have a professional hockey team here and we waited for the right person and sure enough he came in and signed with City and here we are today, Piche said.

He is principal owner Bob McGinn, who has developed a close relationship with Piche.

He first bought the team, I introduced myself and we clicked from day one, Piche said.

Another chapter in the Roanoke hockey history book with more pages to write and maybe some jewelry to go with it.

Yeah, give everybody a ring, they’re a well-deserved baby,” Piche said as he showed off a championship ring from 1974.

Although Piche is a champion in hockey, he is also a champion in life. Just two days after celebrating the SPHL Presidents Cup win with the Rail Yard Dawgs, Piche officially became a US citizen.

The fans here are 100% supportive, loud and know their game. I love Roanoke, Virginia and the people here. It’s like a big fish in a small pond.