WHL Comm’r Dan Near opens season in P.A., talks future of league and its players
With the 2024-25 WHL season underway, the newly minted Commissioner of the league Dan Near opened the season by dropping the puck here in Prince Albert as the Raiders opened the season against the Regina Pats. Near was announced as the new Commissioner in November of last year, started acting in January, and officially took over full time in February where he was able to make it to 17 of the 22 markets in the WHL last season.
For Near, getting to be in Prince Albert for the start of the season was important as he hadn’t been here yet, but he was impressed with the welcome he received from Hockey Town North.
“I know it’s such an important community for the league and one that I wanted to get to before the winter started, and Gord Broda and Curtis Hunt were kind enough to say, ‘Hey, come on. We’ll do some pregame ceremonies, you’ll have a chance to drop the puck’, and so I’m thrilled to be here. I’m thrilled to see what the team looks like this year.”
Since stepping in for the exiting Ron Robinson, who still serves as an advisor to Near, it’s been busy for Near to continue the work already being done in the WHL office. In his first six months as Commissioner, Near has had a new format to the top prospects game, a player committing to NCAA hockey when the current rules don’t allow for it, getting reacquainted with the WHL after spending nearly two decades working with the NHL and Adidas, and more all added to his plate, but he’s enjoyed the experience of getting to know the league and learn how to help carry it forward.