The Colorado Avalanche pose with the Stanley Cup after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals on Sunday, June 26, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack)

By Logan Lehmann

Stanley Cup Ties

Prince Albert has many connections to this year’s Stanley Cup Champions

Jun 27, 2022 | 2:06 PM

Over 1,600 kilometres separate Prince Albert and Denver, Colorado, but this year’s Stanley Cup Champions have some close ties to P.A. hockey.

Players, coaches, and members of the organization have connections to the city while many more have ties to Saskatchewan, like Darcy Kuemper and Ryan Murray who are from Saskatoon and Regina, and general manager Joe Sakic who played junior hockey in Swift Current, among others.

Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar and defensemen Josh Manson both played in Prince Albert at some point in their hockey careers, while Director of amateur scouting Wade Klippenstein was a part of the Raiders coaching staff in the early 2000s.

Here is a brief in-depth look at Bednar’s, Manson’s, and Klippenstein’s ties to Prince Albert and their road to their first Stanley Cup:

Jared Bednar:

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Before becoming the head coach of the Avs, Bednar played in the SJHL for the Humboldt Broncos before being drafted into the WHL by the Saskatoon Blades. He was then dealt around the league, playing for the Spokane Chiefs and Medicine Hat Tigers before playing his final year in junior hockey for the Raiders in the 1992-93 season.

He never suited up in the NHL and spent his professional career in the ECHL and AHL. After retiring from playing in 2002, he switched to coaching where he spent time in the ECHL and AHL before being hired by the Avalanche in 2016.

Josh Manson:

Son of former NHLer Dave Manson, Josh was born in Hinsdale, Illinois where he lived until he was 10 years old. Following his father’s retirement from pro hockey in 2002, the Mansons moved from Chicago to Prince Albert where Dave is originally from.

Josh grew up and played minor hockey in P.A. and started his junior hockey career with the Prince Albert Mintos where he played from 2007-2009 and was named captain of the team for the 2008-09 season.

He went on to play in the BCHL and WHL before making his NHL debut in 2014 for the Anaheim Ducks. He was traded to Colorado this past season just before the trade deadline.

Wade Klippenstein:

Klippenstein played junior hockey in the SJHL for the Yorkton Terriers before committing to the University of Alaska-Fairbanks where he played for four years.

He bounced around the ECHL and AHL before altering his career path and became an assistant coach for the Saskatoon Blades in 1997.

In 2000, the Prince Albert Raiders hired him as an assistant coach and promoted him to head coach in 2002. He then spent the next 14 years as a coach for the Moose Jaw Warriors, Univ. of Alaska-Fairbanks, and Prince George Cougars before becoming the director of scouting for the Brandon Wheat Kings.

Klippenstein was hired by the Avs in 2016 as an amateur scout and was named Colorado’s director of amateur scouting this past season.

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logan.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @lloganlehmann