The Dauphin Kings are in their 51st season and it's been a successful one. But, the season wouldn't have gone on without the support of the community and the team's many billets.
Today, we take a look inside the Perih's house. They've been a Dauphin Kings billet for several years in the past decade. That means every season, they open their home to young aspiring junior hockey players who hope to call themselves National Champions.
"After the RBC Cup year, my wife and I were moving into a new home, and we wanted to give back," said Blaine Perih. "So, we brought in one player that year and it's sort of been history since."
Since that year, the Perih's have taken a couple years off as billets. But, for the most part, they've been all in with giving several players a home to call their own during the hockey season.
"It's just great watching the kids and seeing how they get better and we get to be a part of their journey to the next level," said Perih. "It's a very rewarding experience for us to share the memories they make with them. One day, maybe our kids will need a spot to stay and they'll be in a great home as well."
This season, Blaine, his wife, and two kids are the billet home of Bryan Landsberger and Landon Russell.
"We were only supposed to bring in Bryan, but we brought in Landon to just sort help the team out and then he fit in really well with the family," said Perih. "We decided as a family that we wanted him to stay. The guys play video games with my kids and they'll come out and help with hockey practice when they can."
"This whole thing really hits home after what happened in Humboldt," he added. "These kids are away from home and we want to provide a great place to stay. We want them to enjoy their experience in Dauphin."
From family dinners to video games with the kids and everything else, the Perih's open up their home to give the Kings a chance at bringing high-quality players to town in the hope of winning it all.
Of course, there are so many other great Dauphin Kings billets as well. Stay tuned all season long to get to know some of the other ones.
