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Rochester Americans

Amerks.com Visits With Dane Jackson

July 16, 2009 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Rochester Americans News Release


Every day Dane Jackson sits in his office at the University of North Dakota, there is a constant reminder of his playing days with the Rochester Americans. On his desk at Ralph Engelstad Arena is a photo of the 1996 Amerks celebrating the team's Calder Cup championship.

"It's the one I look at every day," said Jackson. "It has Dixon Ward with a stogie, Houds (Doug Houda) without his teeth and Torts (Head Coach John Tortorella) with a champagne-drenched shirt. It's a great photo. I have good memories of that team."

Jackson spent nearly half of his 11-year professional playing career with the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League (1995-2001). He still ranks in the Top 40 point producers in team history with 83 goals and 87 assists in 246 regular-season games. Jackson also had the distinction of being the Amerks team captain for two seasons (1995-96 and 1996-97). In 1996, he became only the second Amerk captain to raise the Calder Cup on home ice, in a Game Seven victory over the Portland Pirates at the Rochester War Memorial.

These days you can find Dane working as an assistant coach at his alma mater: North Dakota. The native of Castlegar, British Columbia, launched his playing career with the Fighting Sioux, playing college hockey from 1988-92. The former third-round selection of the Vancouver Canucks still gets the urge to play when he plays "shinny" with the kids, but he is far removed from his AHL and NHL playing days. It was a career that allowed him to make stops with National Hockey League teams in Vancouver, Buffalo and New York (Islanders). He also played with AHL teams in Rochester, Syracuse, Lowell, Manchester and Hamilton.

Jackson now focuses on his other career: coaching. The 39 year old made the transition into the professional coaching ranks in 2003, serving as an assistant for the AHL's Manchester Monarchs (2003-05). In 2005-06, he took over the Adirondack Frostbite of the United Hockey League and guided the team to a 25-12-3 record. That led him back to campus in 2006 as an assistant with the Fighting Sioux. His return to his roots has been largely successful as North Dakota won the 2009 WCHA title and has made the NCAA Tournament every season that Jackson has been behind the bench.

"We are the biggest thing in the state," said Jackson. "We sell out every game (and get) 12,000 fans a night."

This past season, North Dakota won the WCHA and finished the season 24-15-4 overall and 17-7-4 in the WCHA. The title was the college's 14th, moving UND into first all-time in WCHA championships. Their streak of seven straight NCAA appearances is also the third-longest streak in the nation. The Fighting Sioux advanced to 2009 NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament but lost 6-5 in overtime to the University of New Hampshire in the Northeast Regional Semifinals. It was a heartbreaking loss with UNH tying the game with 0.3 seconds to play and winning it in the opening minute of OT. The loss was tough, but Jackson put the season into perspective.

"It was a hard one to take. It seems to happen more and more in hockey because all the teams are so well coached," said Jackson, who works under Head Coach Dave Hakstol. "It was a tough way to lose but we accomplished a lot of good things and had a successful year."

Currently, Jackson is helping run a youth hockey camp in North Dakota and recruiting for the 2009-10 season. He couldn't be happier to be back in North Dakota where he played his college hockey and met his wife, Carrie.

"I am pretty happy where I am," said Jackson, as he took a break from a summer hockey camp session. "We built a house on a golf course and Grand Forks is a safe, university town. The winters are darn tough but I am in an environment where everyone is into the team. There is also a lot of stability (in college hockey) and with three kids that's important."

Dane and his wife, Carrie, have a five-year-old son Dillon and 18-month-old twins, son Dallas and daughter, Lila. Their home is also just three away from Carrie's family, which provides the Jacksons with support when Dane is out recruiting and traveling with the Fighting Sioux. Some of those recruiting trips take him back to Rochester.

"I get back to Rochester quite a bit," said Jackson. "I was at ESL (Sports Centre) just a couple of weeks ago. I saw ‘Sharky' (Craig Charron), ‘Cippy' (Jason Cipolla) and (Scott) Nichol. It's nice to come back."

Jackson also keeps tabs on his old team through chats with Amerks Assistant Coach, and former Rochester teammate, Jason Cipolla. The duo played in Rochester together from 1999-00 to 2000-01 and founded the Rochester Youth Camps together in 2004.

"I talk to ‘Cippy' a lot and even talk about coaching strategies," said Jackson. "I definitely keep track of it and every week I see what's going on."

After two disappointing seasons, Jackson was encouraged to hear the news of the recent veteran signings of Clay Wilson, Jeff Taffe and Graham Mink by the Florida Panthers/Rochester Americans. He made comparisons with the veteran-laden teams that once played for the Amerks.

"I am excited to hear that they are getting veteran guys back. I think that's a great model," he said. "You need strong leadership from the veteran guys to teach the young guys. I remember when I first got there and I was 24/25 and I was still learning from guys like ‘Frawls' (Dan Frawley) and the ‘Metter' (Scott Metcalfe). You have to learn how to win and create a positive environment."

Jackson should know. He was the last captain of an Amerks Calder Cup championship team. A team he still immortalizes in a wooden frame on his desk over 1,300 miles away from Rochester in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

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