Dean McAmmond played most of his major junior career with the P.A. Raiders. (Submitted photo/Prince Albert Raiders)

By Nolan Kowal

Visiting Sask

Ex-NHLer McAmmond imparts wisdom on current hockey generation

Feb 8, 2024 | 1:00 PM

Dean McAmmond is giving back to the sport he grew up playing.

The former NHL forward spent the past few days touring around north-central Saskatchewan, talking to young hockey players about his experience playing the game.

“I came out to Saskatchewan to do a couple Faith Nights, one in Nipawin and one in Tisdale,” said McAdmmond, who played most of his major junior career with the Prince Albert Raiders. “They wanted me to meet with their boys…it was just basically a 20-minute talk with their chapel just to share kind of the testimony of my life and how I grew up and what it was like as a young hockey player coming through, very similar to them.”

“I just wanted to share a bit of my faith and how God impacted my career and my life. I think it’s really important nowadays to share that message with them.”

McAmmond held a similar talk with the Raiders and their team chaplain Shane Acorn.

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“It’s always great to hear different stories and to hear Dean’s story of his hockey career and everything he’s been through,” said Raiders forward Aiden Oiring.

“It was awesome…it’s great to hear different perspectives on things and Shane runs a pretty good show there with the chapel so it’s awesome,” added Raiders forward Cole Peardon.

McAmmond, who played for nine NHL teams during his pro career, said the passion for hockey is still evident in small Saskatchewan communities.

“Everybody’s congregating at the rink, and it’s not just P.A,” he said. “In Tisdale when the Trojans were playing, the arena was full and it’s their community event, and that’s major midget. And when I was in Nipawin [with the Hawks], that arena was full…there were probably about 750 people there that night. The atmosphere was just awesome.”

“It’s a passion. You get to the NHL, it’s a passion for some people but a huge business for others. It’s refreshing to be out here and watching good old Saskatchewan farm boy hockey at the grassroots level.”

McAmmond spent parts of three seasons with the P.A. Raiders from 1989 to 1993 before winning a WHL championship with the Swift Current Broncos in 1993 to end his major junior career.

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nolan.kowal@pattisonmedia.com