HABBY TO THE RAIDERS

The Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League are pleased to announce that Marc Habscheid has been hired as the 14th Head Coach in the team’s history and will make his debut in Prince Albert tonight when the Raiders host the Saskatoon Blades at 7:00 PM. Habscheid has been signed for the remainder of the 2014-15 season.
    
Habscheid, who hails from Swift Current, Saskatchewan, has an extensive playing and coaching career at many levels, including the NHL.

As a player, he was a member of the Blades and Kamloops Junior Oilers from 1979-83 and was a 6th round NHL draft pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 1981.

Habscheid would play 345 games in the NHL for the Oilers, Minnesota North Stars, Detroit Red Wings and Calgary Flames from 1981-92. As a player he also represented Canada twice internationally at the 1988 Olympics and 1992 World Championships. He also played in the AHL and overseas before retiring in 1996.
Habscheid’s coaching career started in the SJHL with the Melfort Mustangs. He then went on to be the Head Coach of the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL from 1997-99 before taking over the Kelowna Rockets as Head Coach from 1999-2004 including winning the Memorial Cup in 03-04 with current Raider Assistant Coach Kelly Guard as his goalie.

In 2003 he was named the CHL Coach of the Year, the same year he coached Canada at the World Junior Championships. He was then named by Hockey Canada as an international coach, winning gold at the World Championships in 2004 and silver in 2005. He served as an assistant coach for the 2006 Olympics. 
Habscheid then was an Associate Coach with the Boston Bruins of the NHL in the 06-07 season before returning to the WHL to be the Head Coach and GM of the expansion Chilliwack Bruins from 2009-12 including the transition year of that organization when they moved to Victoria to become the Royals in 11-12. 

After the 2012 season he joined the Royals parent company GSL Holdings in an executive role and has been ranching south of Swift Current.

“This is a very exciting day for me as I look forward to returning to coaching in my home province”, said Habscheid. “I am very grateful to have the opportunity to join the Raiders and be part of this community”.
“The Raiders are pleased to hire a person who has had a successful playing and coaching career in Marc Habscheid”, said General Manager Bruno Campese. “We welcome Marc and his family to PA.”