Ex-Canuck Returns

I continued to get asked about the hockey played by the Heat at the ASEC and what it is like. Let’s face it, while this is not the Canucks farm team, it’s hockey at one-step under the NHL.

When you can see players sent down so to speak, that does not mean they are going to retire, but in most cases it’s as simple as a conditioning stink to work out the “kinks” with their game.

Head Coach Troy Ward enjoys working with all the players sent his way and never has any second thoughts about the role the Heat play.

Former Canuck now Calgary Flame player Shane O’Brien is one such player and will be in Abbotsford till he is recalled, so plan on attending an upcoming game, such as the one January 31 against Hamilton Bulldogs.

The former Port Hope resident has played 528 career games with Colorado, Nashville, Vancouver, Tampa, Anaheim and Calgary.

This season with the Flames, in 45 games he has recorded 3 assists and 58 penalty minutes.

SHANE O’BRIEN – DEFENSE

BORN:    Port Hope, ON       DATE:       August 9, 1983

HEIGHT: 6’3”                                     WEIGHT:  230 lbs.

SHOOTS: Left

DRAFTED: ANA – 8^th round, 250^th overall, in the 2003 NHL Draft

HOW ACQUIRED: Traded along with David Jones from Colorado in exchange for Alex Tanguay and Cory Sarich on June 27, 2013