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He may be only knee-high to a grasshopper, but Craig Heisinger’s stature in the hockey world has grown with each passing year. And the amicable trainer of the Western Hockey League’s Brandon Wheat Kings has finally reached the pinnacle of his chosen field. Heisinger, better known as Zinger, has made it to the National Hockey League. He has landed his dream job right in his own hometown, being named the new assistant equip ment manager with the Winnipeg Jets. I couldn't be happier,’ says Heisinger. ‘‘When I left Winnipeg four years ago, my goal was to someday make it back there with the Jets. ‘It’s just a great opportunity. Heisinger has had more than his share of great opportunities during his tenure in Brandon. He has had temporary stints as equip ment manager for three national Mike Jones teams, most notably the Canadian junior team which won the gold medal at the 1987 world cham pionships. But it is not so much good luck that has had national programs seeking his services. It is because he’s good. They say he can make the sew ing machine sing, bring tattered old equipment back to life with a wave of his magic needle or hone a skate blade to a glistening edge. Those will be the duties he will handle with the Jets, who signed the 26-year-old to a one-year con tract. ‘In junior, you have to be a jack-of-all-trades,’’ says Heisinger, who tended to most minor injuries, tape jobs and even laundry with the Wheat Kings. There was even a time — when the Brandon front office was in chaos a few years back — that Zinger was being consulted about trades as a certain greenhorn gen eral manager sought to draw on his knowledge of the WHL. It is doubtful, however, that John Ferguson will be calling on Zinger for similar advice. At least, maybe, until he’s been in the league a few years. My job will be very defined with the Jets,’’ says Heisinger, “They have a head equipment manager, his assistant, a therapist and a dressing room co-ordinator.” Ironically, another former Wheat King trainer is the head equipment man in Winnipeg, that being Jack ‘Smokey’ Stouffer. His former assistant, Pat O’Neill, ac cepted a job as head man for the Vancouver Canucks. Heisinger had already turned down two offers recently. Last year he rejected an offer to work in the American Hockey League with Winnipeg’s affiliate team in Moncton. And most recently, he passed over a job with the Can adian Olympic team. And he’s glad he did. “If I had taken those jobs I might never have got this one,’’ he says. The move to Winnipeg will be a welcome one for Heisinger in more ways than one. Recently married, his wife was planning to give up her job in Win nipeg to move here. Now she won't have to and they'll both be living and working in their hometown. It’s strange the way things worked out. It’s a timely break. Heisinger, whose sharp wit and penguin-like waddle have become legendary around the Wheat Kings office, says he will miss Brandon. ‘I can tell you that I’ve worked some terrific people here. Even through the gloom-and-doom days there were great people around and you were always treated with class. I thought I always had a good relationship with the players. ‘When I clean out the training room, I’m going to leave a couple of those (toy) penguins around so they won’t forget me.” TIDBITS — Brandon general manager Bill Shinske says a new trainer will likely be named early next week ... After Craig Heis inger talked to Dave King about the Olympic job, he went to WHL presi dent Ed Chynoweth to seek advice about the position and eventually turned it down. ‘‘It’s pretty classy when a guy in his position will take the time to talk to the little guys in the league,’’ says Heisinger Heisinger also had to withdraw his commitment to return with the national junior team for world championship in Alaska. CRAIG HEISINGER career Jetting upward
Newspaper Details
Brandon Sun
Brandon, Manitoba, CA
Tue, Jul 12, 1988
Page 17
Full Page
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CA 03 Jun 2026
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