HASEK’S HEROES NAMES FORMER NHL PLAYER AS GENERAL MANAGER
Buffalo Sabres alum John Tucker to manage the Hasek’s Heroes
operations for the Riverside and Cazenovia rinks
BUFFALO, NY—Local non-profit Hasek’s Heroes (www.haseksheroes.org) has named former National Hockey League (NHL) center John Tucker as the organization’s new general manager. Tucker—who was recently named head coach and assistant general manager of the Buffalo Jr. Sabres Junior A team—will take the reigns in his new role with the organization on August 18.
“We are thrilled to welcome John to the Hasek’s Heroes team, and are looking forward to him helping bring both our programs and our rink management to the next level,” said Chris Fattey, President, Hasek’s Heroes. “John’s experience building a rink from the ground up in Tampa coupled with his unmatched experience running on-ice youth hockey programs made him the perfect fit for this position. We look forward to the positive impact we know John will have on the organization, and, most importantly, on the Hasek’s Heroes kids.”
“As a former player, I’ve been fortunate to remain close to the game through coaching both professionally in Europe and at the youth level in Florida,” said John Tucker. “Being involved with Hasek’s Heroes and having the ability to exert a positive influence on so many kids is exciting to me. It was very generous of Dom to endow the organization, and it’s wonderful to have the support of the Sabres as well. I look forward to making an impact on both the program and the kids. The prospect of coming full circle in my hockey career by returning to Buffalo is surprising and satisfying. I’m thrilled that my son will have the opportunity to play hockey here and experience an extraordinary hockey town.”
As General Manager for Hasek’s Heroes, Tucker will oversee and manage operations at two of the three City of Buffalo-owned ice rinks under the responsibility of Hasek’s Heroes: Timothy J. Burvid Ice Rink, c. 1947, located within Cazenovia Park; and Rueben “Bud” Bakewell Ice Rink, c. 1952, located within Riverside Park. At both rinks, Tucker will be responsible for managing on-ice and off-ice programming through Hasek’s Heroes, as well as concessions and facility maintenance and upgrades. Further, Tucker will be involved with Hasek’s Heroes youth hockey programs, providing hands-on instruction and mentorship to children ages 4 through 17 enrolled with the organization.
A former standout center and 30-goal scorer for the Buffalo Sabres, Tucker was drafted by the Sabres 31st overall in 1983. He played 12 seasons in the NHL, and wore the Blue and Gold for 345 of his 656 career games played. Tucker took his hockey playing and coaching career to Japan and Italy, where he spent several years after his NHL career. Since 2000, Tucker has been living in the Tampa area, where he was instrumental in the founding of the Tampa Bay Lightning Alumni Association, and was most recently the General Manager and Director of Hockey for Xtra-Ice Hockey Training Center, a facility he helped build from its inception.
Over the past decade, Hasek’s Heroes has served thousands of underprivileged children from throughout the City of Buffalo, including several high school student-athletes who compete for their respective high school’s championship. Participants are taught the lifelong values of sportsmanship, hard work and strong character.
Hasek’s Heroes provides children in need throughout Western New York the foundations of athletic, academic and character development within a fun and rewarding hockey-centered program. The organization provides any interested, eligible child with the opportunity to learn basic skating and hockey skills and, for those with the aptitude and commitment, the opportunity to participate in the tiered hockey development program. The organization’s vision is for the game of hockey to serve as a catalyst for underprivileged children to realize their full potential. For more information about Hasek’s Heroes and its programs, visit www.haseksheroes.org or follow along on Facebook and Twitter.
