Brandon Manning never did play hockey for the Prince George Cougars but the Cougars alumni group was wise to invite him to last week's charity golf tournament.
He's almost as good at golf as he is at hockey.
NHL hockey players born and raised in Prince George are a rare breed indeed and Manning's star power as a regular on the blueline last season for the Philadelphia Flyers, not to mention his eight-handicap, made him a natural choice to join the Cougars' club swingers.
Manning, 26, is back for the summer living in the house he bought near the Hart ski hill, not far from where he grew up with his parents, Paula and Leroy, and he still has to pinch himself sometimes that he's made it to the world's best hockey league.
"The biggest thing for me is to try to not be complacent," said Manning. "This will be my second full year (with the Flyers), hopefully. I want to continue to move up the depth chart and I'm just trying to prove myself as an everyday hockey player.
"When you come back and do stuff in the community it's fun. Seeing the guys I grew up watching (while they played for the Cougars), it's a fun weekend. Prince George is always special to me. It was home growing up and it's home to me now. I come back here for the summers to train and my family's here."
After plying his trade for four seasons in the American Hockey League, Manning started last season in the NHL in Philadelphia. He played in spurts until his life changed for the better in mid-February. He played 15 straight games to end the season and the Flyers thrived, winning 20 of their last 35 games to finish seventh in the East with 96 points.
Manning scored his first NHL goal on March 21 in Brooklyn, notching the game-winner in a 4-1 triumph over the New York Islanders, while the Flyers were cooking on an 11-3-2 hot streak. In 56 games he collected a goal and six assists for seven points, with 66 penalty minutes.
In April, Manning also got his first taste of the NHL playoffs when the Flyers pushed the first-overall Washington Capitals to six games in the first round. He was a top-six defenceman in all six games of the series and picked up one assist.
"Just to be a part of a playoff run like that, in an up-and-down year when you're in and out of the lineup, in a city like that, was really exciting," Manning said. "The tempo picked up and it was super-exciting playing in the playoffs."
Originally signed by the Flyers as a free agent in November 2010, Manning's one-year contract with the Flyers expired and he has an arbitration date set for Aug. 2 but doesn't think he'll need that hearing.
"I think between my agent and the Flyers, we'll have something done within the next two weeks - we've had some good talks so far, so it's just a matter of figuring out some numbers," he said. "I'll be back in Philly next year and I'm excited for that."
Manning started his junior career in the BCHL, and played one season with the Prince George Spruce Kings before he joined the WHL. For the next three seasons he played in Chilliwack for the Bruins (now the Victoria Royals), where he and Ryan Howse were teammates. Howse got drafted by the Calgary Flames (third round, 2009) and Manning was passed over in the draft.
Howse is now retired as a player but has discovered he has a knack for coaching. He's back in his hometown as an assistant coach with the Spruce Kings, coming off a provincial midget Tier 1 title as head coach of the Coast Inn of the North Cougars.
"Ryan has done a great job the last couple years and you can see his love for the game is still there," said Manning. "Especially a guy who doesn't have any other investment - kids or anything - he's just doing it out of his own time. It's great to see him moving on to the Spruce Kings and I can just see him keep moving up from there and continue coaching for a long time."
Manning skates with Eric Hunter's summer group and says he'll join the Spruce Kings for their conditioning camp in late August. On the golf course, Manning usually has about 25 rounds behind him by now but says this year he's been out only about eight times to work on his game.
"It's not where I want it to be, but it's coming," Manning said.
That it is. Manning combined with the Sullivan Motors team of Houston to win the Cougars' alumni tournament with a best-ball score of 15-under.
"I really appreciate the Cougars having me out there and supporting Prince George," he said.
