Heward at home representing Canada
Jamie Heward is eager to continue his long-term relationship with Hockey Canada.
After representing his country on numerous occasions as a player, Heward is moving behind the bench as an assistant coach with one of Canada’s three entries in the 2015 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, to be played this fall at a yet-to-be-determined location.
Heward is slated to work under Erie Otters bench boss Kris Knoblauch, a former WHL player and coach who’s originally from Imperial.
“For me it was a no-brainer,” offered Heward, who has spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach and director of player development with the WHL’s Swift Current Broncos.
“When I first started working with Swift Current I never thought this was even something I would explore. But the more you get exposed to guys from Hockey Canada (who are scouting players for various tournaments) you start talking to them and one thing leads to another.”
Heward threw his name in the hat at the urging of Hockey Canada head scout Ryan Jankowski. The Regina native was eventually chosen from a group of around 100 applicants.
“I’m excited,” said Heward, a veteran of 394 NHL games. “It’s really the next step in my development as somebody who wants to stay in hockey for a long time.
“I’m still a rookie when it comes to a lot of things in the coaching world. If you can learn from somebody who knows a lot and has had a ton of mentors and has gone through the process, it can’t do anything but help.
“I’m very intrigued by what it’s going to bring.”
Heward already has deep roots with Hockey Canada, beginning in 1994-95 as a player with the national men’s team. His coach was Tom Renney, who’s now the president and CEO of Hockey Canada.
“Tom was kind of my mentor as a player,” said Heward, 44. “That year was my first true experience of being in the program.
“Once I was there I played in four Spengler Cups, four world championships, (numerous) tournaments when I was playing in Europe. Once I knew what the Team Canada process was about, any time they called, I went. There was no turning it down. It was one of those things where, once you get a taste for it, it’s the best thing ever representing your country.”
Heward, a former WHL star with the Regina Pats, won four medals at the world championships — two gold (2003 and 2004), one silver (2005) and one bronze (1995). His initial exposure to the national program came in 1988 when he and Pats teammate Mike Sillinger played in Montreal at the world under-17 championship, then known as the Esso Cup.
“I still remember going to that tournament and experiencing what it was like to play against the Russians and the Finns,” he noted. “For me that was the biggest deal in the world.
“You go from the year before playing in bantam and now all of a sudden you’re playing against Pavel Bure. At the time you don’t know who he is but when you look back you’re like, ‘Oh my god, that was amazing.’ ”
Heward enjoyed many experiences during his 18 pro seasons, playing for 16 different teams in the AHL, IHL, NHL, Switzerland and Russia before retiring in 2010.
He caught the coaching bug almost immediately and is eager to broaden his horizons with Hockey Canada, following a trail that was blazed by some of the biggest names in the fraternity, including newly minted Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock.
“Somebody said to me, ‘It really is amazing how a coach now can make 50 million dollars,’ ” added Heward. “But that coach started at the grassroots (level) with Hockey Canada. He moved up, paid his dues, did world championships, did Olympics, did whatever it took to learn, and now he’s reaping the rewards.
“A lot of great coaches have gone through the program. It really is the next inevitable step for somebody who wants to learn and move on in this game.”
“I’M EXCITED, IT’S REALLY THE NEXT STEP IN MY DEVELOPMENT AS SOMEBODY WHO WANTS TO STAY IN HOCKEY FOR A LONG TIME. I’M STILL A ROOKIE WHEN IT COMES TO A LOT OF THINGS IN THE COACHING WORLD.” JAMIE HEWARD