(Release courtesy Nipawin Hawks)
The Nipawin Hawks are proud to announce that the club will retire Greg Classen’s number 9 in a pregame ceremony on Oct. 25 when they host the Notre Dame Hounds at the Centennial Arena.
This will open an exciting weekend for Hawks fans as we celebrate the 40th anniversary season. Following Friday’s game, Classen will be the guest of honour in a banquet Oct. 26 at the Evergreen Centre. There, he will take part in a fan-friendly interactive question and answer with former Hawks broadcaster Brian Munz. Comedian Kelly Taylor will follow provide entertainment as well.
Classen will be the fourth player in Hawks franchise history to have his number retired joining Terrance Boland (27), Graham Christie (15) and Derek Crawford (25).
“The Classen name is synonymous with the Nipawin Hawks. We are thrilled Greg has accepted this honour and will be returning to Nipawin for a truly special weekend,”Hawks President Shayne Pickering said.
“Watching Greg’s smooth style as an elite player in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) was special for all of us. The way he carried himself both on and off the ice and as a representative of our organization in the community is exactly how we believe a Nipawin Hawk should be.”
“I am so grateful to have my number retired by the Hawks” Classen added.
“Growing up down the road in Aylsham, it was a dream come true to wear the black and gold inside the Cage. To have my parents Gord and Marj, sister Lori and other family in the stands, and then my brother Bryce and cousin Cris along for the ride as teammates was truly special. Also, being able to build so many lifelong relationships over the four years, I can’t imagine a better junior career anywhere else. I am looking forward to seeing everyone in October and can’t wait to share this special time with my family, friends, former teammates, coaches, and Hawks fans.”
Classen played four seasons with the Hawks, registering 73 goals and 125 assists for 198 points in 223 regular season games. In three of those seasons, he was named the Hawks Most Gentlemanly Player and in 1997-98 was named the Hawks regular season and playoff MVP, helping lead the Hawks to the 1998 SJHL League Final. That same year, he was named an SJHL All Star, and was also selected to play in the Viking Cup International Tournament with the SJHL Selects where they won the tournament championship and Classen was named the tournament’s top left winger.
Classen received a scholarship to Merrimack College where he would play two seasons in the NCAA, making the Hockey East All-Rookie team in 1998-99 and being named the teams’ MVP in his sophomore season of 1999-2000, before signing an NHL contract with the Nashville Predators in March of 2000.
Classen made his NHL debut Oct. 6, 2000 with the Predators registering an assist in Tokyo, Japan against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Over the next 19 seasons, he played in the NHL, IHL and AHL as well as professional hockey in Finland, Switzerland and Germany. His professional career was highlighted by winning the American Hockey League’s Calder Cup Championship with the Milwaukee Admirals in 2004 and the Deutsche Eishockey League Championship with the ERC Ingolstadt Panthers in 2014.
In 25 years of combined junior, college and professional hockey Classen registered 306 goals and 539 assists for 845 points in 1,452 games played along with 1,174 penalty minutes.
Classen was inducted into the SJHL Hall of Fame in 2019.
To purchase tickets, contact the Hawks office at (306) 862-4878, Shayne Pickering at (306) 812-8891 or Lana Burton at (306) 862-6947.
