A former Yorkton Junior Terrier has a new challenge in the world of hockey ahead of him.
Dan Hursh, who played with the local Junior franchise from 1997 through into 2000, has taken on the role of vice-president, AHL Operations with the recently relocated Manitoba Moose.
Hursh, a native of Calgary said he still remembers Yorkton fondly.
鈥淭here are obviously at lot of great hockey memories from my time in Yorkton but, as I鈥檝e gotten a little older, there are two things that stand out the most for me now,鈥� he told Yorkton This Week, 鈥渢he relationship I built with the Kozak family who I billeted with for all three years in Yorkton. I was extremely fortunate to be paired with such a wonderful family and we still keep in touch (including attending my billet-sister鈥檚 wedding in Yorkton last summer).
鈥淎nd, the community support we received as a team. I wish every hockey player could experience playing hockey in small-town Saskatchewan 鈥� it鈥檚 something I truly enjoyed and I feel very lucky to have lived and played hockey in Yorkton.鈥�
At the conclusion of his Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League career with the Terriers Hursh attended Princeton University on a hockey scholarship.
鈥淎fter graduating from Princeton, I was relegated to the beer leagues and have been there ever since,鈥� he said.
Through his playing days a couple of moments remain sharp for Hursh.
鈥淭he first game of the 1999 Royal Bank Cup in Yorkton was a pretty special moment,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e had a an early exit from the playoffs that year so there was a lot of build up between then and when the RBC got going. We beat Estevan handily in the first game and playing in front of such an excited home crowd was a lot of fun.鈥�
For the second memory moment Hursh turned to his college days.
鈥淪coring my first goal in my first NCAA game is up there too,鈥� he said. 鈥淯nfortunately I blew out my knee the following shift so it was a little bittersweet.鈥�
While at Princeton Hursh studied law, and was not thinking of a career in hockey.
鈥淣ot initially coming out of law school; however, after working for a few years I started to lean towards combining my legal background and my passion for hockey,鈥� he said, adding 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 have any courses related to sports and entertainment available to me through my undergrad degree or law school; however, my law degree has certainly helped open some doors along the way.鈥�
Hursh鈥檚 first job in a hockey office was with his current employer, True North Sports & Entertainment. 聽
鈥淚 was brought in as Associate General Counsel back in the fall of 2011,鈥� he said.
The new role with the Moose was just a progression in his career with the organization, said Hursh.
鈥淓nding up in my current role as VP, AHL Operations with the Moose really just evolved over time,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 had been working primarily in a legal capacity since joining TNSE in 2011 (first as Associate General Counsel then General Counsel), but my legal role provided a lot of involvement and insight into various areas of the organization and the hockey business is an area I have always been very interested in.鈥�
Today Hursh has a varied role within the organization, and with the Moose.
鈥淚n my General Counsel role I oversee the legal aspects of TNSE both on the hockey side (Jets and now Moose) and the entertainment side (as TNSE owns and operates the MTS Centre),鈥� he explained.
鈥淚n my added role with the Moose, I will be overseeing the business operations of the Moose as we reintroduce AHL (American Hockey League) hockey to the Manitoba market.鈥�
Winnipeg had an AHL franchise (also called the Moose), but with the return of the National Hockey League (Jets), the Moose relocated.
Now back, the franchise relocated from St. John鈥檚, NL, they must find their niche in a city where the Jets will be the number one hockey draw.
Hursh said he believes the Moose can find an audience and thrive.
鈥淭he overall vibe has been extremely positive,鈥� he said. 鈥淢anitobans followed and supported the Moose for 15-years, (1996-2011), before the return of NHL hockey to Winnipeg, so there are a lot of people who are very excited to have the Moose back and to have professional hockey made available in Winnipeg at a lower price point.鈥�
That said Hursh and the Moose have to compete for attention whether media, or fan base.
鈥淚 think there will certainly be overlap between Jets fans and Moose fans, but bringing AHL hockey back also provides an opportunity for families, groups, teams, classes, etc. to attend professional hockey games,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t also provides an opportunity for those who would like to attend Jets games but can鈥檛 either because the Jets are sold out or because the Jets price point doesn鈥檛 fit within their budget.鈥�
From a hockey operations perspective the Moose being in the same city as the parent Jets means the NHL team will be able to keep a close eye on the development of their prospects. It is a situation Hursh said is generally positive for both the Jets and their prospect players.
鈥淗aving our prospects getting to know the city, getting exposed to the environment here and getting to know the community are all advantages of having the Moose in the same city as the Jets,鈥� he said.
鈥淭he players will certainly be in the spotlight at times and will be subject to some scrutiny which may take some getting used to; however, ultimately these are players aspiring to play for the Jets where the spotlight is even brighter, so this provides an opportunity for them to experience what it鈥檚 like and to get accustomed to it.鈥�
The Manitoba Moose, (http://www.moosehockey.com), will begin their on-ice return to Winnipeg in the fall as part of the AHL Central Division.
