Manitoba Moose emphasizing team name with trip to Steinbach
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The Manitoba Moose try to embrace the location in their team name, which is why the American Hockey League affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets will be in Steinbach for their intrasquad game Oct. 5 at the Southeast Event Centre.
Moose broadcaster and communications manager Daniel Fink said it’s a chance for the team to connect with fans from outside the Perimeter Highway.
“We are the Manitoba Moose. Wherever we can, it’s important for us to stretch a little further afield,” Fink said.
“It’s so valuable to us to get out and stretch out a bit more… These communities all support us and come in. If we’re going to reach out to communities to come to us, we have to be willing to do the same.”
Fink added he notices plenty of support coming from Steinbach.
“To be able to bring our game to them directly, it gives us a new perspective in some ways,” he said.
“For the players, it’s a bit of a different look. We traditionally have our intrasquad games at the Hockey for All Centre and it might be a little quiet out there, it’s just another day of camp… (In Steinbach) they’ll get a different look and a rowdy atmosphere.
The newly constructed building was always on the team’s radar, with quality amenities and more than enough space to host a professional team.
“You can come to a facility where you know those needs are being met, that’s so important,” Fink said.
“Obviously there are things like glass regulations and stuff like that you have to adhere to, and in a newer building those are never an issue.”
American Hockey League camps look different than NHL or even junior camps, with rosters growing as players are cut from the top team’s camp.
“It starts off small, gets bigger, then trims right back down,” Fink said.
Fink noted with a limited pre-season slate of games in the American league, fans should expect a competitive, fiery game when the puck drops at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
“These players don’t have a lot of time to show off what they can do,” Fink said.
“This isn’t a situation where guys are taking it easy through these intrasquad games.”