Huska on Super Series

Get me re-write!!

That's old newspaper jargon for rewriting press releases, poorly written stories, etc., and making them more relevant to the local market. Below is a rewrite of the CHL's Super Series release earlier today, plus comments from Rockets head coach Ryan Huska.

Ryan Huska’s already-busy hockey season just got a little busier.

On Monday, the Canadian Hockey League announced its coaching staffs for the six-game Subway Super Series that runs coast to coast in November. Huska, head coach of the Kelowna Rockets, was named the head coach of Team WHL, which will host games Nov. 17 in Kamloops, then the next night, Nov. 18, in Prince George.

“It’s exciting and it’s a nice honour,” said Huska, who was an assistant coach with Team WHL in last year’s Super Series stops in Kelowna and Victoria. “You get an opportunity to work with some great, young players in our league and you also get to spend time with some quality coaches that have a lot of experience.

“I’m really looking forward to it and I’m very honoured.”

In his fourth season as Kelowna’s head coach, Huska will also make his international junior debut later this season as an assistant coach with Canada’s national team at the 2011 World Junior Hockey Championship in Buffalo this December and January. Huska’s ties with Team Canada and the Super Series aren’t coincidental, as all three regional teams in the Super Series will be led by members of Canada’s national junior team coaching staff. National junior team head coach Dave Cameron, also the head coach of the OHL’s Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors, will guide Team OHL, while national junior team assistant coach Andre Tourigny (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies) was named Team QMJHL head coach.

All three regional league rosters will be announced individually this week.

“This event is a great opportunity for our coaching staffs and our head scout, Kevin Prendergast, to get to see the players who will attend the national junior team selection camp in December,” said Brad Pascall, Hockey Canada's vice president of national teams/hockey operations.  “This series is very important for us to evaluate players and make decisions on which players could represent Canada in Buffalo this winter.”

The QMJHL plays hosts to Game 1 on Nov. 8 in Saint John, N.B., then Game 2 on Nov. 10 at Drummondville, Que., while the OHL hosts Game 3 on Nov. 11 in London, Ont., then Game 4 Nov. 15 at Sudbury, Ont.

Assisting Huska for both Super Series games next month will be Calgary Hitmen head coach Mike Williamson. Also helping on the bench will be Kamloops Blazers head coach Guy Charron for the game in Kamloops and Prince George Cougars head coach Dean Clark for the game in Prince George.

Williamson, in his first season behind Calgary’s bench after spending 15 seasons with the Portland Winterhawks as a player and coach, led the Hitmen to a WHL title last season . Charron joined the Blazers in November 2009 with 13 years of NHL coaching experience. Clark, a former CHL coach of the year in 1998 with the Hitmen, earned bronze as an assistant coach with Canada at the 2000 World Junior Championship. 

Huska’s resume, of course, includes seven Memorial Cup appearances, three as a player and four as a coach. So, the question begs, what’s left when it comes to high-profile junior events? Just the Prospects Game?

“To be honest, I’m fortunate to be part of a good organization, where (president and general manager Bruce Hamilton) pushes us to do some other things,” said Huska. “I feel because of some of the success we’ve had here as an organization, it’s allowed myself to get these opportunities.

“Really, it’s an honour and these don’t come around very often, so I’m excited about it.”