Dane Jackson

Dane Jackson (born May 17, 1970, in Castlegar, British Columbia) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey right wing who spent parts of 4 seasons in the National Hockey League between 1993 and 1998.

A gritty, hard-working winger, Jackson was drafted in the third round, 44th overall, by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft. He would attend the University of North Dakota the following season, and although his college career would get off to a slow start, he showed steady improvement and recorded 23 goals by his senior year. Joining him at North Dakota was fellow 1988 Canuck pick Dixon Ward, the first of 4 different stops where the two players would play together.

Jackson would turn pro in 1992, and spent most of the next three seasons with the Canucks' AHL affiliates. He performed well in limited NHL action, scoring 6 goals in 13 games, but struggled to crack a deep Vancouver squad. He became a free agent in 1995 and signed with the Buffalo Sabres.

In 1995–96, Jackson would have his longest NHL audition, registering 5 goals and 9 points in 22 games for the Sabres. He would also (along with his old college linemate Dixon Ward) help the Rochester Americans, Buffalo's AHL affiliate, to the Calder Cup Championship. He would sign with the New York Islanders in 1997, and play 8 more NHL games in the 1997–98 season, recording a goal and an assist.

Jackson would continue on in the AHL until retiring in 2003. He finished his NHL career with 12 goals and 6 assists for 18 points in 45 career games. He added another 199 goals in 11 seasons in the AHL.

Following his playing career, Jackson served as an assistant coach with the Manchester Monarchs, the same team he played his final two seasons with, from 2003–2005. In January 2006, he was named head coach of the Adirondack Frostbite of the United Hockey League following the death of coach Marc Potvin.

Jackson is currently an assistant coach at his alma mater, the University of North Dakota, who advanced to the NCAA Championship Game during his first season in 2006–07.