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Huseby achieves career highlight with Memorial Cup assignment

May 16, 2018 | 2:29 PM

As it is for players, earning your way onto the ice at the Memorial Cup is a goal for many officials across the country. 

That includes Chad Huseby, one of three WHL linesmen who’ll be making calls when the 100th Mastercard Memorial Cup gets underway Friday in Regina.

The 32-year-old branch manager for Servus Credit Union in Red Deer says it’s a tremendous honour.

“To be considered one of the best officials in the WHL, because there are so many, the league attracts the best of the best from western Canada; it’s an extremely high compliment to be included in that group,” he said Wednesday.

Huseby has been officiating hockey for 20 years and worked the RBC Cup and World Junior ‘A’ Challenge in 2015. He’s been in the WHL for seven seasons and has been on the ice for the league final each of the last three years, including games three and four of this year’s series between Swift Current and Everett. He feels that has him well-prepared for the Memorial Cup.

“I think the playoffs in the WHL are as tough as you’re going to find in the Canadian Hockey League. All of the teams battle extremely hard, so I think we’re [officials] pretty well set up based on how close the teams in the western league are, and how the rivalries are.”

Huseby attended several games at the 2016 Mastercard Memorial Cup in Red Deer, giving him even more of a taste of what to expect in Regina.

Though it’ll be an extremely busy and intense 10 days, Huseby says he’ll still find time to have fun and soak in some of the electric Memorial Cup atmosphere.  The only bittersweet part is that his twin brother Cody, also a WHL linesman, isn’t joining him in Regina.

“That’s the tough part of the business – a lot of tough decisions have to be made. I think very easily it could be Cody going to Regina, he’s very deserving as well,” he remarked. “Once you get this far everyone is so close. There are a lot of good officials in the Western Hockey League and not a lot of give between guys.”

Now that’s he’s been assigned to the Memorial Cup, Huseby plans on taking it, much like players do, one game at a time.

“I just want to go to Regina and do a solid job there, and then we’ll see what opportunities present themselves in the future. It’s a national stage so there’s definitely a lot of exposure, for sure.”

Does that mean he’s looking at a career in officiating professional hockey?

“I’ve got a family and a career outside of hockey. Right now, at this point I’m just thankful to be working games in the Western Hockey League and for the assignment to the Memorial Cup. Plus, I’m on the other side of 30, now.”

The host Regina Pats, Swift Current Broncos, Hamilton Bulldogs and Acadie-Basthurst Titan will battle for this year’s Memorial Cup title.