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North Stars coach a legend

Earlier this week, the Moose Jaw Warriors and Conexus announced the 2011 Warriors and Legends Hall of Fame Inductees. Blair Atcheynum, assistant coach for the Battlefords North Stars, is one of the three nominees.
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Earlier this week, the Moose Jaw Warriors and Conexus announced the 2011 Warriors and Legends Hall of Fame Inductees.

Blair Atcheynum, assistant coach for the Battlefords North Stars, is one of the three nominees.

The induction banquet is set for Aug. 19 with a golf tournament following Aug. 20 to wrap up the alumni weekend.

Atcheynum spent three seasons with the Warriors from 1986 to '89. During that time he played in 143 games notching 105 goals and 84 assists. Atch, as he is known around the North Stars' dressing room, has developed great relationships and provided great insight to players who passed through the Battlefords since joining the team in the summer of 2006.

Atcheynum still holds the Warriors' record for most goals in a season with 70, which was in the 1988-89 campaign.

Atcheynum went on to a long professional career in the ECHL, IHL, AHL and NHL. He played 196 NHL games, which included stops in Chicago, St. Louis, Nashville and Ottawa. Atcheynum notched 60 points and 36 penalty minutes in his NHL career. The Estevan-born forward also played with the Binghamton Whalers, Springfield Indians, New Haven Senators, Portland Pirates, Worcester IceCats, Cape Breton Oilers, Hershey Bears and Norfolk Admirals of the AHL.

Atcheynum was drafted twice in the NHL, first in the third round of the NHL entry draft by the Hartford Whalers in 1989. The second time was by Nashville in the 1998 expansion draft.

Derek Kletzel, a four-year Warrior veteran and captain is also going to be inducted. Kletzel played 190 games, banking 83 goals and 100 assists during his WHL career and, after a college career, returned to Moose Jaw. He is the colour commentator for the Warriors' home games.

In the builder category, Rob Carnie, the 15-year radio broadcaster, will be inducted.