WHL Announces Honourary Captain for 2008 ADT Canada Russia Challenge
CALGARY, AB – The Western Hockey League in association with the Canadian Hockey League today announced that former Prince Albert Raider forward Dan Hodgson will serve as Honourary Captain for the ADT Canada Russia Challenge game between Team WHL and the Russian National Junior Team being held in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan on Thursday, November 27th.
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Hodgson played three seasons with Prince Albert Raiders (1982-1985) which culminated with him leading the Raiders to the 1985 WHL and Memorial Cup Championship. Following the 1985 Memorial Cup tournament he was named Tournament MVP and All-Star. Following the 1984-85 season Hodgson was also named the Most Valuable Player in the entire Canadian Hockey League. In his three years spent in a Raiders uniform Hodgson played 202 games accumulating 188 goals and 305 assists for a staggering 493 points. He still holds Prince Albert Raider Club records in the following categories: most goals (career) 188, most assists (career) 305, most points (career) 493, most goals (season) 70, most assists (season) 119 and most points (season) 181.
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Hodgson, originally from Fort McMurray, Alberta, was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 1983 NHL Entry Draft in the fifth round – 83rd overall. Following his WHL career in 1985, he split his time between the NHL and AHL for the next four years, appearing in 114 NHL games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks, scoring 74 points. For the 1989-90 season Hodgson chose to make the jump overseas and played in some of Europe’s premiere Hockey Leagues. After a couple of years he found his footing in the Swiss National League ‘A’ where he played on perennial power houses HC Davos and the Zurich ZSC Lions winning League Championships in 2000 and 2001.
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Hodgson now resides in Edmonton, Alberta.
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The 2008 ADT Canada Russia Challenge Series begins Monday, November 17th with Team QMJHL taking on the Russian National Junior team in Sydney, NS then again on Wednesday, November 19th in Saint John, NB. The series will then shift to the Ontario Hockey League with games between Team OHL and the Russians on November 20th in Guelph and November 24th in St. Catherines.
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The two WHL games will be hosted in the province of Saskatchewan by the Swift Current Broncos on Wednesday, November 26th and the Prince Albert Raiders on Thursday, November 27th. Game tickets are available at the Prince Albert Raiders office (306) 764-4263 and at the Swift Current Broncos office (306) 773-1509 Ext. 1.
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2008 ADT Canada Russia Challenge Schedule of Games
Game 1 – Monday, November 17 in Sydney, NS
Game 2 – Wednesday, November 19 in Saint John, NB
Game 3 – Thursday, November 20 in Guelph, ON
Game 4 – Monday, November 24 in St. Catherines, ON
Game 5 – Wednesday, November 26 in Swift Current, SK
Game 6 – Thursday, November 27 in Prince Albert, SK
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All six games will be broadcast nationally on Rogers Sportsnet with RDS televising both games from the QMJHL.