By Jeromy Corrigan

Career

Hamhuis reflects on 16 year NHL career

Sep 22, 2020 | 5:27 PM

Last month Smithers B.C product, former Prince George Cougar and current Cougars partial owner Dan Hamhuis officially announced his retirement from the NHL.

A 16 year NHL career split between Nashville, Vancouver and Dallas.

However, for every hockey play that plays in the NHL they have to start somewhere, and for Hamhuis, it started in the City of Prince George with the Cougars.

“The thing I remember about it was just being embraced by the community so early on,” stated Hamhuis to CKPG.

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“The crowds were so much fun to play in front of every night.”

He enjoyed his time with the Cats so much that in 2014 he became a partial owner of the club.

Hamhuis was drafted #14 overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft by the Nashville Predators.

He played 6 seasons with the Preds before signing with the Canucks in the summer of 2010.

After 6 seasons in his home province, Hamhuis played a pair of years in Dallas, and then spent his last 2 seasons back in Nashville with the Predators.

Not many players can say they played 16 seasons in the NHL and for Hamhuis, he made a number of memories over the years.

“I still remember my first shift quite clearly,” explained Hamhuis.

“In 2003 against Anaheim. I still remember jumping over the boards and couldn’t believe I was playing in the NHL.”

He also highlights the run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2011 with the Vancouver Canucks and the 2014 Olympics as other major highlights in his career.

Hamhuis also thought the experience inside the NHL bubble was unique and enjoyable as well, as it gave him the opportunity to visit with players he use to play with and all of the organizations which he was a part of.

“It was a really cool environment,” added Hamhuis.

“I was there for 12 days and got to have conversations and caught up with guys I knew throughout my NHL career.”

Now that the career is officially in the books, what does the 16 year NHL veteran have planned for retirement?

“The focus for the first couple of years is just to be as flexible as possible and be involved with whatever my girls are involved with here in Smithers. Over the years you miss a lot with the hockey schedule. We’ll do some family trips. Do some ski trips. Play some tennis. Do a lot of things that Smithers and Northern British Columbia has to offer.”