Vaasa Sport’s Canadian coach Brad Hunt says he enjoyed wearing the Eagles jerseys. He gives his opinion on Doug Shedden.
Brad Hunt is an NHL seasoned defenseman. Vesa Pöppönen / AOP
In September, Vaasan Sport made an exceptional player acquisition, when the veteran defender of almost 300 NHL games Brad Hunt37, scratched his name on the contract paper.
The purchase of Hunt, who won World Cup gold with Canada in Finland 2023, was special because the kit arrived in Vaasa with the help of a campaign. The Vaasa fans collected more than 90,000 euros and thus contributed to the acquisition of Hunt in Ostrobothnia.
Now, in the middle of November, the NHL konkar has 14 games under his belt, in which the results 1+8 have been created. Hunt lutes on the back lines of the eagle jerseys for about twenty minutes night after night.
Playing for Hunt in Vaasa at this point in his career is an exception to a long continuum. After his university games, his entire career was spent in the NHL and AHL bowls. This season is the first time in a long career outside of North America. Pakki says he enjoyed himself in peaceful Vaasa.
– I’m from Vancouver, Canada. The weather here is not much different from there. It is dark and rainy in winter. My wife is from Minnesota, it’s a bit the same thing there, and it snows in the winter.
– It’s worth traveling to Vancouver in the summer. If you go in winter, it’s the same as staying here in Finland, Hunt laughs about his experiences in the frost so far.
Big bang
The sport season has started Juuso Hahl in command, but in October there was a ruckus when the club unexpectedly announced that they were hiring by Doug Shedden as head coach.
Shedden was seen in Finland in 2005–08 behind the bench of HIFK and the Jokers and finally the Lions in the World Cup. The jokers won silver at the World Championships in 2007, and Finland won bronze at the World Championships in 2008.
Now Sport is at the tail end of the League, but only a third of the regular season has been played.
– He [Shedden] has been great. Of course, it’s nice to have more Canadians in the locker room. And I don’t mean that Juuso wasn’t good. The team just didn’t play at the level we expected. It’s part of the business in hockey, and it was also about timing, Hunt says to Iltalehte.
– Doug has entered the group well, and the players respect him. At least he has been fair to me. It’s nice to talk to him and it’s nice to listen to his NHL stories, Hunt continues, referring to Shedden’s own playing career in the 80s and early 90s.
Shedden played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs. Hunt is familiar with the Edmonton Oilers, St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators, Vegas Golden Knights, Minnesota Wild, Vancouver Canucks and Colorado Avalanche.
According to Hunt, Canadians are united by commitment to the team and hard work ethic.
– For him, teamwork is important, and the fact that it’s fun. However, we are serious on the ice. I would believe that he is the kind of person I will still be in touch with in five, ten years. A connection was quickly established with him. I think my teammates might say the same, Hunt describes Shedden.
“Great guy”
Viljami Nieminen is playing his third season in Vaasan Sport. VESA PÖPPÖNEN / AOP
Before the EHT national team break, a video from Sport’s booth spread, for example, when Shedden met the players and gave his first speech to the players.
A little later, a former Stanley Cup winner also took a spin in the booth Ville Nieminenwhose son Cereal plays in Sport.
Hunt remembers the visit well, because “Nemo” stepped on it several times over the Sport logo. Experienced NHL players are well aware that this is a breach of etiquette.
– It was fun. After he had given his speech, everyone went to grill Vilu (Viljam). We teased that, hey, Vilu, how much is the fine for your father walking over the logo.
– But it was great when he came to speak. Everyone respects him, as he has been a tough puck player in his time, Hunt continues.
In his speech, Nieminen listed Sport’s opening pitch. “What a beauty”, Nieminen said when presenting the sparsely toothed kanukki pack.
– The fact that he called me beautiful made me laugh. I’m a pretty relaxed guy and that kind of banter hits me, says Hunt.
– I chatted with him quickly. He’s a great guy, and his son is a really good guy, Hunt finally praises.