Hawgood back on blades

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
Greg Hawgood is back on the blades.
Hawgood, who spent most of last season as the head coach of the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers, has joined the Steinbach, Man., North Stars in their bid to win the Allan Cup as Canadian senior AAA hockey champions.
Hawgood, 40, last played in 2005-06 with TPS Turku in Finland.
He played for the Kamloops Junior Oilers/Blazers (1983-88). His number (4) was retired by the Blazers and hangs from the Interior Savings Centre rafters.
Hawgood replaced the fired Dean Clark as the Blazers’ head coach on Nov. 8, 2007. Hawgood was dropped from the coaching staff on July 18, despite having one year left on his contract.
A prolific offensive defenceman in his playing days — he split 474 NHL games among seven teams — Hawgood is expected to make his debut with the North Stars in a pair of weekend exhibition games.
The North Stars are coached by Ken Schneider, a former captain of the Brandon Wheat Kings and the father of former Blazers defenceman Mark Schneider.
Among the former WHL players on the roster are Dorian Anneck, Mark Dutiaume, Theo Fleury, Scott Hlady, Jamie Hodson, Kelly Glowa, Jeff Hoad, Mark Kolesar and Chris Low. Also expected to play are Aaron Goldade and Andrew Kaminsky.
The roster also includes Frank Lang, who played for the Wheat Kings in 1977-78, and his son, Jared, who played for the Prince George Cougars (2001-03).
The North Stars are in the Allan Cup as the host team. It will be held in Steinbach, which is located about 70 kilometres east of Winnipeg, from April 13-18.