Raiders' business manager Michael Scissons at their AGM. (Rob Mahon/paNOW Staff)

By Rob Mahon

Raiders AGM

Raiders show post-COVID financial bounceback at AGM

Sep 15, 2022 | 9:48 AM

On and off the ice, the Prince Albert Raiders fought through some bumps in the road to have what they viewed as a successful season in 2021-22. They put a bow on that season with their annual general meeting at the Art Hauser Centre on Wednesday night.

Financial statements showed just how different things were from the 2021 hub season to 2021-22 with an almost-normal campaign. The big number at the end of the night was excess of revenue over expenses, which totaled $152,191.

“When the numbers do turn out positively, it’s something we’re happy to see,” said Michael Scissons, Raiders business manager. “We’re only happy and we’re only able to stand up here today and say there are positive numbers because of the support that we got from everybody. It’s a win for everybody in the community when the Raiders are successful like this.”

Though the fans returned in force, giving the Raiders the best attendance record in the WHL, there was some concern about restrictions and whether the more cautious fans might stay away.

“The nervousness didn’t stop,” Scissons said. “There were some changes throughout, there were additions to the restrictions, there were some removals and there were the constant questions, there was the pause in the season.”

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General Manager Curtis Hunt spoke on the hockey side of the year. The team battled their way into the postseason and even gave some fits to an ultra-talented Winnipeg ICE squad, winning game four at the Art Hauser Centre to prolong their season.

“For those guys to get that win, it may seem insignificant when you see it on paper in the history books,” Hunt said. “But for the group that plays in that, that understand head-to-head every shift… it’s that mentality that will help drive or help separate out. There are kids that say ‘I don’t want to do that, that was hard.’ There are kids that say ‘I want that, that was fun, and I want to be better for it.’ That’s where I see the success.”

With a larger training camp this season (complete with two full drafts worth of players making their camp debuts), the team thought outside the box in terms of bringing invites in, doing different activities, and revamping the overall experience. That, coupled with an influx of young talent, left the team with a promising feeling ahead of the regular season.

“I felt, maybe this was one of the best camps we’ve ever had,” Hunt said. “Certainly, the feedback we get from parents and players was that was fun. It was hard, but it was fun.”

Hunt added the team ranked second in the entire Canadian Hockey League in terms of CHL Live viewership out of all 60 teams over the last year.