Raiders legend Viveiros’ son plays in PA

“It’s pretty exciting,” said Layne. “My dad came here and did pretty good here for four years and I just want to live up to his expectations—maybe even break his records one day.”

Because Manny is busy as the director of hockey operations with a professional hockey team in Austria, Klagenfurt AC, he unfortunately couldn’t return to Prince Albert to witness his son skate on the same ice he did 26 years ago.

“It is a very special moment that we wish we could be there and see that,” said Manny in a phone call with paNOW.com Thursday from his Austrian home. “Every time I walk into that rink, it brings back good memories.

“Layne obviously wasn’t a guy that was born (then) but he’s certainly full of knowledge of what Prince Albert is as a community and also the history of the Raiders. He spent a lot of time in Prince Albert growing up in the summer time.”

Although his PA playing days stopped in 1986, Manny still tightly linked to Hockey Town North.

“Prince Albert is such a special place for me, it’s where I met my wife (Laurie),” said Manny. “My in-laws and my wife are from Prince Albert so obviously there’s a strong connection to Prince Albert there.”

“Those years that I had in Prince Albert to play hockey, it helped shape me not only in my hockey career, but becoming a young man going into the world.”

Layne has found himself in a very good program in Portland, where he was a part of the Winterhawks’ WHL finals appearance last year, the team’s second in the last two years. Layne got in 39 games last year as a defenceman, registering three assists as a 16-year-old.

“Last year was a learning experience, coming in as a 16-year-old not sure what things are like and just learning what to do and how things run,” said Layne. “This year, I hope to have a breakout season and hopefully my draft comes up and I get drafted and see what happens there.”

Winterhawks general manager and head coach Mike Johnston, as well as assistant coach Kyle Gustafson keep a constant watchful eye, but so does Manny all the way from Austria.

Manny streams all the Winterhawks’ games on the internet and gives Layne feedback on a regular basis.

Although he’s grateful for the free advice, Layne wishes he could have those hockey talks and others in person instead of through a phone or a screen.

“It gets tough at times, you get a little homesick and you miss your parents and your family, friends, everything, but I talk to him almost every day on the phone, just giving me advice and how things are going, what I have to do better,” said Layne. “He watches the games on (the internet) there so he follows along.”

The distance between Manny and both his sons Layne and Landan, who plays with the Olds Grizzlys in the Alberta Junior Hockey League, is especially tough as a parent.

“My wife in the last few years spends more times in airports going back and forth visiting the kids (than anything),” said Manny. “It’s so difficult because I wish I could be there to watch them on a daily basis but the reality is, our work keeps us over here.”

“But today with modern technology, we’re in contact as we speak all the time through either texting or on the internet all the time talking. That makes it easier.”

Along with his memorial cup, Manny is no stranger to winning the American Hockey League’s Calder Cup in 1991 with the Springfield Indians, won two Austrian championships with EC VSV and two with Klagenfurt AC. He also won a league championship as a coach with Klagenfurt and now remains with the team as the director of hockey operations.

He was recently named as the head coach for the Austrian senior men’s national team, who will compete in the top division of this year’s IIHF World Championships and will be in the same tournament as Canada, Russia and the United States to name a few.

It’s been a fun ride for Manny in Austria, one he won’t soon forget.

“Absolutely love it, absolutely love it, it’s been a great experience,” said Manny. “Hockey’s meant something like that all my life and to take an opportunity to be in that position when you’re coaching at the World Championships level against Team Canada and the Russians, it’s very exciting.”

But Manny will never forget his time in PA. In fact, he still visits his own stomping ground from time to time.

“My time in Prince Albert was and still is a lot of fun,” said Manny. “When I go back, we always meet a lot friends we’ve had in Prince Albert and can’t wait to go back in the summer again.”

jdandrea@panow.com

On Twitter: @jeff_dandrea

by Jeff D'Andrea

Raiders legend Viveiros’ son plays in PA

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