Where are they now NHL style

    They may no longer play NHL hockey, but former players seem to try and find a way to stay with the game when they hang up the skates.

    I caught up with six former NHL players during this past hockey season, and all but one still had a life that involved the NHL.

Kelly Buchberger

(Right-winger for Edmonton Oilers, Atlanta Thrashers, Los Angeles Kings, Phoenix Coyotes and Pittsburgh Penguins from 1987 to 2004)

    “Once an Oiler, always an Oiler” definitely describes the Langenburg product.

    Buchberger spent the majority of his NHL career in Edmonton earning two Stanley Cup rings. These days, the graduate of the WHL’s Moose Jaw Warriors is the manager of player personnel with the Oilers.

    He worked closely with Scott Howson, who is Oilers senior vice-president of player personnel, and the two will spend a large chunk of time evaluating the college ranks in the United States.

    Buchberger is upbeat about what lies ahead in the future for the Edmonton franchise.

    “It has been a huge change here this year,” said Buchberger. “There are a lot of different people coming in and out. We have good days coming in Edmonton.”

    Buchberger appeared in 795 regular season games as a member of the Oilers and became the club’s career leader in penalty minutes with 1,747. He also potted 82 career goals and 158 career assists with the Oilers.

Guy Carbonneau

(Centre for Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues and Dallas Stars from 1980 to 2000)

    Carbonneau was one of the most popular players in Montreal, when he played for the Canadiens, so it is only fitting he settled back into the largest city in “La Belle Province.”

    “I am back living in Montreal, and I work on TV with RDS, which is like the French version of TSN,” said Carbonneau. “I do some of the games for the Montreal Canadiens, and I do a sports talk show a couple of times a week.”

    During his career, Carbonneau won the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the NHL’s top defensive forward three times. In February of 2011, he became the head coach of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, but resigned that position in July of 2011.

    Carbonneau is happy to be back in broadcasting, which was a field he worked in before becoming Chicoutimi’s coach.

    “It is a lot of fun,” said Carbonneau, who was the Canadiens head coach from 2006 to 2009. “It keeps me involved in hockey. It keeps me interested in watching the game.

    “As a hockey player, I think we’ve always been passionate about the game. I enjoy watching it. I enjoy going to the game. It just keeps me close.” 

Kelly Chase

(Right-winger who played for the St. Louis Blues, Hartford Whalers, and Toronto Maple Leafs from 1989 to 2000)

    Chase started his NHL career with the Blues, spent the majority of his time in “The Show” with the Blues and is still hooked in with the franchise in his post-playing days.

    The graduate of the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades was known as an enforcer piling up 2,017 career penalty minutes in 458 NHL regular season games. In the WHL, he had 800 penalty minutes in 195 regular season games with the Blades.

    The Porcupine Plain product found a home behind a microphone after he finished playing.

    “I left the game, and I got into broadcasting,” said Chase. “I work for ESPN and NHL Network now as well as working for the St. Louis Blues doing radio and TV.

    “If you can stay in game and still be fortunate enough to enjoy the successes of the others because you appreciate it and it is part of our culture, than you have been pretty fortunate. I feel really lucky that I have been able to do that.”

Bernie Federko

(Centre with St. Louis Blues and Detroit Red Wings 1976 to 1990)

    Federko became a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame playing 1,000 career regular season games in the NHL piling up 369 goals and 761 assists.

    He played all but his final NHL season with the Blues, and he is still connected with the club that retired his #24.

    “I actually still work for the St. Louis Blues in Fox Sports Midwest,” said Federko. “I am one of the TV analysts on the Blues hockey games, and I do some promotional work for the Blues as well.”

    Federko said he had been doing television work for over 20 years.

    “It is a way to stay in the game and be involved with the game,” said Federko. “I get to travel with the team and do all kinds of stuff. I don’t think there is anything anymore fun.

    “I played the game for a living for all those years. I played junior, and all of a sudden, I can continue to be a part of it and to do the analysis on TV is really a lot of fun.”

    Way back in the 1975-76 campaign, Federko set the Saskatoon Blades’ club record for points in a season at 187 coming off 72 goals and 115 assists in 72 games. That record still stands to this day.

Shane Hnidy

(Defenceman who played for Ottawa Senators, Nashville Predators, Atlanta Thrashers, Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins and Minnesota Wild from 2000 to 2011)

    The Neepawa, Man., product finally got his hands on a Stanley Cup ring closing his career during a second stint with the Boston Bruins in the 2010-11 campaign.

    These days Hnidy can often be found in the broadcast booth in the capital city of his home province.

    “I retired with Boston, when we won the (Stanley) Cup in 2011,” said Hnidy, who played in the WHL with the Swift Current Broncos and Prince Albert Raiders. “Since then, I’ve got on with the broadcasting crew covering the Winnipeg Jets.

    “I do television there with former assistant GM here with the Blades way back Dennis Beyak. He is my play-by-play man, and I do colour on TV. We cover the Jets all year long.”

    Hnidy felt lucky to have been in the right place in his life at the right time.

    “To me, it is the second best job you can have,” said Hnidy. “First is playing, and second is staying in the game in whatever capacity.

    “This is something that just came about. It worked out. I am a Manitoba kid. Jets came back right at the same time, and it kind of all worked together.”

Clarke Wilm

(Centre for Calgary Flames, Nashville Predators and Toronto Maple Leafs from 1998 to 2006)

    The Central Butte product played five seasons of professional hockey in Europe after leaving the NHL.

    A graduate of the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades, Wilm settled down in “The Bridge City” after hanging up his skates.

    “I started an eavestroughing, exterior company,” said Wilm. “I have been doing that here working in the housing market, and it has been good.”

    Wilm admitted life in his post-hockey profession is a lot different from life during his playing days.

    “It is night and day,” said Wilm. “Hockey is an amazing lifestyle, and I had a great time playing hockey.

    “Now it is time for phase two in life in the real working world, but it is fun. I get to be around the kids all the time and be a part of their hockey, so it has been a good transition.”

    In his final season with the Blades in the 1995-96 campaign, Wilm collected 49 goals and 61 assists in 72 games.

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

Perfect night in Prince Albert

Raiders retire Manson’s number and win

Brendan Guhle, right, gives his No. 4 jersey to Dave Manson, left.

    PRINCE ALBERT - In Hockey Town North, he is “The Man,” and “The Prince Albert Raider.”

    Dave Manson stands as the symbol of everything that is good about Prince Albert’s WHL hockey team. He is to the Raiders what Roger Aldag is to the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders.

    On Friday night before a standing room crowd of 2,852 spectators at the Art Hauser Centre, the Raiders retired Manson’s No. 4 jersey in a pre-game ceremony before they faced and beat the Regina Pats 3-2. It was a long overdue honour for the local product, but the wait might have made the emotion of the night that much more special.

    Growing up in the small Saskatchewan Centre that is called the “Gateway to the North,” Manson endeared himself to the citizens there because he is genuine and has always been a first class person. He also excelled in many sports growing up, and if you look up the back issues of the local Prince Albert Daily Herald at the local library, you can uncover stories of Manson ripping up the local minor football league that existed in his youth or setting records that would stand for over 25 years at high school track and field meets.

    Of course, his story settled around the fact he focused on hockey. He came to the Raiders on a six-game call up during their first season in the WHL in 1982-83, but he wasn’t the best player on the ice. Manson worked hard and improved with great grit and determination.

    The citizens of Prince Albert have always loved their lunch pail characters who brought it every day, and in the following three seasons after the 1982-83 campaign, they developed great pride in watching one of their own reach star status with the Raiders patrolling the blue-line.

Dave Manson shouts out orders from the Raiders' bench.

    In total, Manson played 218 regular season games for the Raiders between 1982 and 1986, recording 24 goals, 72 assists and 666 penalty minutes. After the franchise’s third season in the major junior ranks, Manson helped the Raiders win junior hockey’s ultimate prize in the Memorial Cup in 1985. Also that year, he was selected in the first round and 11^th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the NHL Entry Draft.

    Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 202 pounds, Manson played with great heart and passion, which can still be easily seen when he stands behind the team’s bench these days as an associate coach. The Raiders are a team that is viewed as having a hard working image with a rough and tumble physical edge, and Manson was the living example of that.

    He was also the man who stepped up and took care of business when something underhanded went down on the ice, and those moments really brought the Prince Albert faithful out of their seats. Around hockey, the Raiders are viewed as a franchise where honour still matters and it is likely no one has more honour than Manson.

    If Manson’s story with the Raiders had ended there, he was assured of legendary status in Prince Albert. After his playing days with the Raiders, Manson went on to play in 1,103 career regular season games in the NHL from 1986 to 2002 collecting 102 goals, 288 assists and 2,792 penalty minutes with the Blackhawks, Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets, Phoenix Coyotes, Montreal Canadiens, Dallas Stars and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Dave Manson's No. 4 in the Art Hauser Centre rafters.

    Having always been a strong family man, Manson returned to the Prince Albert area to settle down after his playing days were finished due to the fact he has numerous family members there. Part way through the 2002-03 campaign, he became an assistant coach with the Raiders, and he has remained a key part of that team since that time. From that moment, his status elevated from legendary to iconic in Prince Albert.

    When he takes up position behind the Raiders bench, he can look into the stands and he seemingly knows all the faces that are in the crowd. It is a regular occurrence for him to walk the halls of the Art Hauser Centre, approach someone who you would think would be a stranger, address them by their first name and have some good-natured conversation with that person.

    Manson has also been a big influence in helping the Raiders players on the ice with their games, and their personal lives. Those that have played under Manson are pretty unanimous in agreeing he was one of their favourite coaches.

    The hometown boy had helped the Raiders win a national title as a player, went on to a great career in the NHL and returned home to be an integral part of the community.

    On Friday night, old friends from both his long ties with the Raiders and his NHL days like good buddy Kelly Buchberger arrived in Prince Albert for his jersey retirement ceremony. If Manson’s family and friends couldn’t be there, like his 24-year-old son Josh who was playing that night with the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks, they sent in moving video tributes.

    Defenceman Brendan Guhle, who will go down as the last Raider to wear No. 4, gave his jersey to Manson and donned a new No. 7 uniform. WHL commissioner Ron Robison presented Manson with the league’s Alumni Achievement Award and the Raiders brass presented him with a silver stick engraved with the names of all the teams he has played on during the festivities.

    When game time rolled around, the Raiders actually had a bit of a slow start, but hit stride when Yorkton midget AAA call up Carson Miller, who just turned 16, scored to give the hosts a 1-0 lead at the 10:28 mark of the first period. The Raiders lunch bucket work ethic got going as standout right-winger Reid Gardiner scored on the power play and rearguard Dalton Yorke potted what would be the game winner.

Brendan Guhle drives a shot on goal wearing his new No. 7 jersey.

    Pats starting netminder Jordan Hollett was chased at the 5:37 mark of the second period turning away nine of 12 shots fired his way. Tyler Brown stopped all 13 shots he faced in relief.

Austin Wagner and Connor Hobbs replied with singles for the Pats (23-23-3-4) in what was an outstanding hockey game.

    Playing with great structure and powered by Rylan Parenteau’s 24 saves in goal, the Raiders were able to clamp things down defensively and close out the victory. It was an effort that was a fitting tribute to Manson.

    The Raiders also improved to 31-18-5-1. Many in junior hockey circles look at the Raiders record this season and say they are overachieving. On the other side of that observation, the Raiders are showing what can be achieved when you play with good focus, hard work and passion, which are the traits Manson brought to his game every day.

    After the contest during a media scrum, Guhle reflected on handing his No. 4 jersey to Manson.

The Raiders celebrate their 3-2 win over the Pats.

    “It was actually really special,” said Guhle. “We actually looked at each other in the eyes, and he actually had little tears in his eyes. Don’t tell him I said that.

    “It was pretty special for me and for him. We’ve known each other both for four years now and him mentoring me and coaching me through the whole process in the WHL. It was a real special moment for both of us.”

    For Manson, he has enjoyed watching the players he has coached grow and mature, and he thought it was cool to receive Guhle’s No. 4 jersey.

    “It is very nice,” said Manson. “It is something for sure I know I will remember.

    “He (Guhle) has been a big part of the Raiders success this year. It was good that he could be a part of that.”

    Now Manson’s No. 4 hangs in the Art Hauser Centre rafters along with Mike Modano’s No. 9.

    However when one thinks of the Prince Albert Raiders, Manson is always the first player that comes to mind.

    If you any comments you would like to pass along about this blog post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.