Long time business head deserving of Wall of Honour induction
The sports world can be a superstitious one, and at times in hockey, superstitions can run wild. A short time after the Raiders began their off-season in May of 2001 they hired a keen, upbeat and positive new director of marketing in Bruce Vance, who came over from the WHL’s Lethbridge Hurricanes. Vance was with the Hurricanes from 1996 to 2001 including their WHL championship campaign in 1996-97.
While Vance paid astute detail to the business side of the Raiders, he lived the game night passion on his sleeve for the team. In his first few years with the team, it seemed like the Raiders would lose any time he accompanied the squad on a road trip, whether he rode with the club on the bus or drove up on his own accord.
During Vance’s early years with the Raiders, the team had a lot of great characters who had character on their roster. In absolute random order, the Raiders roster included the likes of Luke Fritshaw, Chris Schlenker, Kyle Chipchura, Rejean Beauchemin, Jeremy Colliton, Justin Cruse, Dane Byers, Seth Leonard, Aki Seitsonen, Mike Gauthier, Evan Schafer, Travis Young, Brett Novak, Mark Ardelan, Caine Pearpoint, Mike Hellyer, Jeff May, Riley Cote, Grant McNeill and the list could go on.
This column of mine appeared in the Prince Albert Daily Herald. To read the full article, feel free to click right here.
