By Trevor Redden

‘Timing was right’ for Manson to accept AHL position

Jun 5, 2018 | 8:00 AM

Sixteen years after he stepped away from the National Hockey League as a player, Prince Albert’s Dave Manson is returning to the professional ranks as a coach.

The Bakersfield Condors of the American Hockey League announced Monday morning that Manson would be joining the team as an assistant coach, leaving his role as associate coach with the Prince Albert Raiders. Manson told paNOW he was sad to be leaving, but the timing worked out.

“I think that the timing was right, family-wise. Our kids are all doing their own thing, and I think it’s time,” said Manson, who spent the last six seasons with the Raiders. “I was happy that the Raiders are in good hands. [Marc Habscheid] has done a good job, and [General Manager Curtis Hunt], and I think it’s maybe time to give it a shot.”

After his retirement in 2002, Manson and his wife Lana returned to Prince Albert to raise their four children Josh, Meagan, Ben, and Emma. Shortly after returning home, Manson said he found himself once again involved with his hometown Raiders, the team he patrolled the blueline for from 1983-1986, winning a Memorial Cup and earning an eleventh-overall selection by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1985 NHL entry draft.

“When I first retired, I came to P.A. and the coach of the Raiders had been relieved. Donny Clark, who I owe a lot to for getting me started in it, asked me if I could help out for a little bit and that turned into five good years with Donny Clark and Pete Anholt, who helped me out a lot,” Manson said.

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After those five years, Manson stepped back from the Raiders to focus on family and was able to coach the midget AAA Mintos with Tim Leonard, before re-joining the Raiders along with Leonard and Steve Young under general manager Bruno Campese in 2012-13. Since then, Manson has been a constant on the Raider bench alongside head coaches Young, Cory Clouston, and now Habscheid.

Manson stressed that it was a difficult decision to step away from a great situation in Prince Albert alongside Habscheid, Hunt, Athletic Therapist Duane Bartley, and the rest of the Raider staff.

“It’s really tough to leave, because we had a real good thing in the office and our team was headed in the right direction. It would be nice to finish it, but the timing we thought was right to give this a go and we’ll see where it goes,” Manson said.

Now a part of the Edmonton Oilers organization, Manson said he will be working with a pair of good friends in former Raider teammate Emanuel Viveiros, who recently took a role as an Oilers assistant after two years with the Swift Current Broncos, and Trent Yawney, who was a teammate of Manson’s with the Chicago Blackhawks and will also be an assistant with the Oilers.

Raiders General Manager Curtis Hunt said the team is thrilled for Manson to receive this opportunity, as the role of major junior hockey is to advance people to the next level, whether it be players or staff. The timing of the announcement gives the Raiders the opportunity to conduct a thorough search for Manson’s replacement on the bench, he said.

trevor.redden@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Trevor_Redden