Dante Hannoun holds the Ed Chynoweth Cup after scoring the winning goal. (File photo/paNOW Staff)

By Jeff D'Andrea

Hangin' banners

Remembering the Raiders that got them there, but can’t be here for the banner raising

Sep 19, 2019 | 2:00 PM

Friday is going to be another big day in the Prince Albert Raiders hockey program.

It will be the first time they’ll raise the WHL Championship banner in 34 years, and the first time they’ve raised a non-jersey retirement banner since they hung the 1999 East Division pennant banner.

Spencer Moe, Jakob Brook, Ozzy Wiesblatt, Eric Pearce, Cole Fonstad, Cole Nagy, Justin Nachbaur, Jeremy Masella, Kaiden Guhle, Max Martin and Boston Bilous will be on the Raiders to start the year on their way to defending the title. Brayden Pachal (Vegas), Zack Hayes (Anaheim) and Aliaksei Protas (Washington) are all on the current roster, but are away at NHL camps and could miss opening day. Protas is on his way back from the Washington Capitals, which could be a welcome opening day boost for the Raiders on Friday when they take on the Saskatoon Blades.

But when asked about the banner raising ceremony coming up on Friday, Raiders Head Coach Marc Habscheid immediately thought of the players that won the championship, but won’t be able to attend as they’ve graduated or moved up to other hockey programs.

“The kids did a good job. We’re champions, but the only bad part with it is you don’t have everyone here. That’s disappointing, even for me,” Habscheid said. “You get attached to these guys, like Parker Kelly, Lease and Monty, they’ve been with me a long time and they’re not here. Scotty, same thing, he’s not here. To have opening night, full building, probably have the milk crates and step ladders and sawhorses out again and the banners’ being raised, the trophy, hopefully the rings. It’s what these guys worked for, it’d be nice to have everyone together. We won’t, but it will still be a special night.”

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Now is as good of a time as ever to reflect on the accomplishments of the players that helped get those banners in the first place, as they can’t be in the Hauser to see them rise with their own eyes.

Dante Hannoun, 21, graduated, Atlanta Gladiators

Dante ‘the Hero’ Hannoun will forever go down in Raiders history as the player that scored the overtime-winning goal in Game 7 to defeat his hometown Vancouver Giants 3-2 May 13, 2019 at the Art Hauser Centre.

He led the Raiders with 14 goals in the playoffs and was a huge boost to the Raiders since arriving to the team from the Victoria Royals. Hannoun attended rookie camp with the Boston Bruins and turned some heads while he was there. Just on Thursday, Hannoun signed with the Bruins’ ECHL affiliate, the Atlanta Gladiators.

Noah Gregor, 21, graduated, San Jose Sharks pre-season

The man that gave Hannoun that puck in Game 7 was Gregor. He danced around the Giants’ zone and found Hannoun for the glory goal. The Raiders acquired his rights during the off-season from the Royals, even though it looked pretty likely that Gregor was going to start his professional hockey career with the Sharks organization. Instead, Gregor led the Raiders with 45 goals in the regular season and scored 13 goals and 24 points in 23 play-off games. He also led the Raiders with two goals and five points in the team’s three games at the 2019 Memorial Cup Presented by Kia. Gregor is a drafted and signed prospect of the San Jose Sharks.

Sean Montgomery, 21, graduated, University of Western Ontario

Snipin’ Sean Montgomery set the Raiders’ record for games played with 345, a feat that may never be broken. He saved his best season for last, setting career highs by a country mile with 29 goals, 59 points and a +41 rating. He’ll be continuing his career at the USports level with the Western Mustangs.

Ian Scott, 20, Toronto Marlies pre-season

It can’t be understated how crucial ‘Great’ Scott was to the Raiders’ championship winning season. CHL Goaltender of the Year, five Raider team records and countless other weekly and monthly league awards. Scott represented our country at the World Juniors and even scored a goal. Scott is a drafted and signed prospect of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and was assigned to their AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies, this pre-season.

Brett Leason, 20, Washington Capitals pre-season

Raiders General Manager Curtis Hunt has made more than a handful of deals that have helped out the Raiders, but none for better value than Brett ‘the Reason’ Leason. Hunt gave a third round pick to the Tri-City Americans and in return, the Raiders received one of the better breakout seasons ever as Leason went on to lead the Raiders with 89 points in the regular season and 25 points in the playoffs. The Washington Capitals noticed, drafted him in the second round of this year’s draft, signed him and put him on the same line as superstars Alexander Ovechkin and Niklas Backstrom on Wednesday.

Parker Kelly, 20, Ottawa Senators pre-season

‘Pesky’ Parker Kelly was a fan favourite ever since he willed his way onto the Raiders as a seventh-round pick in his true rookie 16-year-old season 2015-16. Kelly scored 35 goals and 67 points for the Raiders last year and finished his WHL career with 93 goals and 188 points in 273 games. Just like he did with the Raiders, Kelly is now fighting his way into the Ottawa Senators’ organization as an undrafted, signed player and has twice won their hardest working player award for the team’s development camp.

Sergei Sapego, 20, Toronto Marlies

Sergei ‘Snipego’ came to the Raiders for free. After being released from the Tri-City Americans as they had a crowd of talented European imports, Sapego found his way onto the Raiders. He had 43 points in 58 games as a defenceman for the Raiders, and 13 points in 23 playoff games. He also represented his native Belarus, along with Protas, at the Division 1A World Juniors.

Loeden Schaufler, 19

It might be easy to overlook Loeden Schaufler, but he had a difficult task. After Bryce Bader left the team, defenceman Schaufler was the forced into a Swiss Army Knife-like role off the bench. Blueliner Schaufler played in 16 games with the Raiders and six in the post-season—many of which he was out of position as a forward.

Brian Harris, 20, University of Manitoba

Harris was called up to the Raiders during the final series against the Vancouver Giants. The former Edmonton Oil King had spent the year with the Swan Valley Stampeders of the MJHL. He didn’t get into a game with the Raiders. He’ll start his CIS career with the University of Manitoba.

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Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW