Keane to return for 21st pro season
May 29, 2008 19:15:58 GMT -5
Post by Mr. Hockey on May 29, 2008 19:15:58 GMT -5
The Manitoba Moose, the AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks, today announced they have re-signed captain Mike Keane to an American Hockey League contract. As a result, the Winnipeg, MB native will return for a fourth season with the Moose and his 21st season in professional hockey.
In his third season as Moose captain last year, Keane, 41, appeared in 73 games where he scored eight goals and eight assists for 16 points and 36 penalty minutes. In six Calder Cup playoff games last year, Keane collected six penalty minutes. At the end of the year, he was named the winner of the team’s Toyota Never Quits Hardest Working Player award. Back in 2006-07, he was the recipient of the American Hockey League’s Fred T. Hunt Award for sportsmanship, determination, and dedication to the game of hockey. He appeared in 74 games with the Moose that season where he scored eight goals and 17 assists for 25 points and 46 penalty minutes. Keane was also selected as the captain of the Canadian team at the 2007 Rbk Hockey AHL All-Star Classic in Toronto, ON. In 2005-06, Keane scored three goals and 14 points in 69 games with the Moose and was named co-winner of the team’s Julian Klymkiw Award for community service. As a result, Keane has scored 19 goals and 36 assists for 55 points and 148 penalty minutes in 216 games with Manitoba. In 31 Calder Cup playoff games with the Moose in three seasons, he has four goals and three assists for seven points and 17 penalty minutes.
In his previous 20 seasons, Keane has won three Stanley Cups (Montreal ‘93, Colorado ’96, Dallas ’99) and played in 1,230 NHL games where he’s scored 171 goals and 484 points as well as 947 penalty minutes with Montreal, Colorado, Dallas, the New York Rangers, St. Louis, and Vancouver. He has seen action in 294 career AHL games where he’s scored 44 goals and 123 points and collected 218 penalty minutes. Prior to joining the Moose, Keane also appeared in the American Hockey League with the Sherbrooke Canadiens back in the 1987-88 season. He made his professional debut with the Canadiens in 1987 and helped them advance to the Calder Cup Final.
The Manitoba Moose are also pleased to highlight a number of highwater marks for the organization, of which Keane was an instrumental part, this past season.
“This past season was another outstanding one for the Moose as a whole both on and off the ice” said True North Sports & Entertainment Limited President & CEO Jim Ludlow “Head Coach Scott Arniel achieved a great deal with one of the youngest Moose teams ever and the organization reached new heights at the box office highlighted by the following:”
· For the first time ever, the Moose ranked second in the American Hockey League in average attendance in 2007-08 with an average attendance of over 7,800 fans per game.
· Since playing their first game in November 2004, the Moose have played 180 games at the MTS Centre and seen a total of over a million and a half fans pass through the turnstiles.
· The Moose reached the 40-win plateau faster than any other squad in franchise history in 2007-08
· 46 wins was tied for the second-most in franchise history
· 23 road wins was tied for the most ever in franchise history
“We are proud of the efforts of Coach Arniel and the players led by captain Mike Keane, as well as all the staff who work hard each and every day to raise this franchise a new level every year”, said Ludlow.
In his third season as Moose captain last year, Keane, 41, appeared in 73 games where he scored eight goals and eight assists for 16 points and 36 penalty minutes. In six Calder Cup playoff games last year, Keane collected six penalty minutes. At the end of the year, he was named the winner of the team’s Toyota Never Quits Hardest Working Player award. Back in 2006-07, he was the recipient of the American Hockey League’s Fred T. Hunt Award for sportsmanship, determination, and dedication to the game of hockey. He appeared in 74 games with the Moose that season where he scored eight goals and 17 assists for 25 points and 46 penalty minutes. Keane was also selected as the captain of the Canadian team at the 2007 Rbk Hockey AHL All-Star Classic in Toronto, ON. In 2005-06, Keane scored three goals and 14 points in 69 games with the Moose and was named co-winner of the team’s Julian Klymkiw Award for community service. As a result, Keane has scored 19 goals and 36 assists for 55 points and 148 penalty minutes in 216 games with Manitoba. In 31 Calder Cup playoff games with the Moose in three seasons, he has four goals and three assists for seven points and 17 penalty minutes.
In his previous 20 seasons, Keane has won three Stanley Cups (Montreal ‘93, Colorado ’96, Dallas ’99) and played in 1,230 NHL games where he’s scored 171 goals and 484 points as well as 947 penalty minutes with Montreal, Colorado, Dallas, the New York Rangers, St. Louis, and Vancouver. He has seen action in 294 career AHL games where he’s scored 44 goals and 123 points and collected 218 penalty minutes. Prior to joining the Moose, Keane also appeared in the American Hockey League with the Sherbrooke Canadiens back in the 1987-88 season. He made his professional debut with the Canadiens in 1987 and helped them advance to the Calder Cup Final.
The Manitoba Moose are also pleased to highlight a number of highwater marks for the organization, of which Keane was an instrumental part, this past season.
“This past season was another outstanding one for the Moose as a whole both on and off the ice” said True North Sports & Entertainment Limited President & CEO Jim Ludlow “Head Coach Scott Arniel achieved a great deal with one of the youngest Moose teams ever and the organization reached new heights at the box office highlighted by the following:”
· For the first time ever, the Moose ranked second in the American Hockey League in average attendance in 2007-08 with an average attendance of over 7,800 fans per game.
· Since playing their first game in November 2004, the Moose have played 180 games at the MTS Centre and seen a total of over a million and a half fans pass through the turnstiles.
· The Moose reached the 40-win plateau faster than any other squad in franchise history in 2007-08
· 46 wins was tied for the second-most in franchise history
· 23 road wins was tied for the most ever in franchise history
“We are proud of the efforts of Coach Arniel and the players led by captain Mike Keane, as well as all the staff who work hard each and every day to raise this franchise a new level every year”, said Ludlow.
