Keane awarded Order of the Buffalo Hunt

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This article was published 12/02/2011 (5663 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Hockey player Mike Keane will be inducted into Manitoba’s Order of the Buffalo Hunt in a ceremony at tonight’s Manitoba Moose game at the MTS Centre.

Premier Greg Selinger made the announcement hours before the game. The hockey club had already planned a ceremony tonight to retire Keane’s jersey.

“Mike Keane was always regarded as a hard-working, competitive player who was equally respected for his tireless work ethic on the ice and his off-ice commitment to the community,” Selinger said in a prepared statement.

“The Order of the Buffalo Hunt is a fitting tribute to someone who has served as a tremendous role model to demonstrate what can be achieved through hard work, perseverance, loyalty and dedication.”

Keane’s hockey career started in Winnipeg at the Sir John Franklin Community Centre. He began his official NHL playing days with the Montreal Canadiens in 1988. He is one of only 10 players in NHL history to have won Stanley Cups with three different teams: the Canadiens in 1993, the Colorado Avalanche in 1996 and the Dallas Stars in 1999. His other NHL teams included the New York Rangers, St. Louis Blues and the Vancouver Canucks.

Keane joined the Moose in 2004 and played for six years, often serving as the team’s captain, and wore number 12 on his jersey through much of his career.

The Order of the Buffalo Hunt was founded in 1957 to recognize the contributions of leaders in areas such as politics, business, sports and entertainment.

Keane joins other notable Manitoba athletes inducted into the Order of the Buffalo Hunt including Jonathan Toews and Milt Stegall.