Dan Hodgson (left) looks on as his number 16 is lifted to the rafters inside the Art Hauser Centre during a pregame ceremony against Moose Jaw on Nov. 25, 2023. (Mark Peterson/Prince Albert Raiders)

By Logan Lehmann

hanging with the greats

Hodgson immortalized in Raiders organization with jersey retirement ceremony

Nov 26, 2023 | 12:20 AM

Dan Hodgson is now one of the few players from the Prince Albert Raiders organization to have their number retired by the club.

During a pregame ceremony Saturday night against the Moose Jaw Warriors, Hodgson witnessed his number 16 get raised to the rafters of the Art Hauser Centre next to Dave Manson’s number 4 and Mike Modano’s number 9.

Hodgson was joined alongside family, friends, former teammates and coaches during the pregame ceremony which included a short speech from Raiders General Manager Curtis Hunt and video messages from some of the people in attendance and others from family, friends, and teammates who were unable to attend.

“Congratulations on [your] retirement of the jersey in Prince Albert. I was sick of chasing you around in the old barn in Saskatoon and then in the rink in Prince Albert,” joked former Team Canada teammate Wendel Clark in one of the messages. “I couldn’t find my [Saskatoon] Blades jersey so I found this World Junior jersey you and I played in, best captain I’ve ever had… go Raiders go.”

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Hodgson is not just known for being the best player the franchise has ever seen, but one of the greatest players to suit up in the Western Hockey League.

Hodgson scored 493 points in 204 regular season games over his three seasons with the Raiders, which included 130 points (56g, 74a) in his first year, 181 points (62g, 119a) in his second year, and 182 points (70g, 112a) in his final year. His 182 points was enough to get him into the WHL record books as the total ranks ninth all-time. His efforts also earned him Rookie of the Year honours in 1982-83 and CHL Player of the Year in 1984-85, which was his final junior hockey season. Additionally, the Fort McMurray product was a member of Team Canada at the 1985 IIHF World Junior Championship, helping Canada win gold.

During the 1984-85 season, Hodgson captained the Raiders to the league’s best record at 58-11-3 (W-L-T). Through the playoffs, the team continued to dominate as they went on to win the franchise’s first WHL championship. The success continued through the Memorial Cup as Hodgson and the Raiders would bring the crown of junior hockey back to Hockeytown North.

Dan Hodgson receives the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy (MVP) after winning the 1985 Memorial Cup. (Prince Albert Raiders/Facebook)

During the first intermission of Saturday’s contest, Hodgson joined Nolan Kowal and Marty Ring on the broadcast and shared his thoughts on the incredible honour.

“The emotions are running high,” he said. “It was nice to be back on the ice here in Prince Albert, lots of great memories out there. It was nice to look around there, but it’s such an honour to go up [into the rafters] with a few other great players, Modano and Manson. It’s quite emotional, it might not hit me until tomorrow sometime when I can actually sit down and try to bring in and think about everything that’s being transpired here.”

“With the rich history here and all the great players that have come through here, there’s been so many great players and people to look up to,” continued Hodgson when asked about joining Modano and Manson in the rafters. “To see all their greatness as they went on to play and to look up there and see that up there – actually I smile every time I look at it to be honest. That’s why it probably won’t hit me until tomorrow, because it’s kind of fresh and that’s pretty good.”

Hodgson was a fifth round pick in the 1983 NHL Draft, getting selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs where he spent one season. He then played parts of three seasons as a Vancouver Canuck before spending the rest of his playing career in Europe, mainly in Switzerland. He ended his NHL career with 29 goals and 45 assists in 114 career games.

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loganc.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com