Blazers like their Guy

By GREGG DRINNAN
Daily News Sports Editor
It was late October and Guy Charron was enjoying semi-retirement.
A former NHL player and a veteran of the coaching wars, Charron, at 60, was keeping busy with things like the Calgary Flames alumni group. He also was inquiring about various coaching vacancies as they arose.
And as he has done for years, Charron was maintaining his routine of going to a gym six days a week. Which is where he was when his life in hockey took another turn.
“An old neighbour of mine from my previous marriage . . . he came to the gym and said there’s another job that just came available,” Charron said Wednesday.
Which is how Charron found out that the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers had fired Barry Smith, who was in his second season as their head coach.
Charron called Kelly Kisio, the general manager of the Calgary Hitmen, to get Kamloops general manager Craig Bonner’s phone number and the rest, as they say, is history.
“We couldn’t be more excited and happier with the job he has done to date,” Bonner said Wednesday in announcing that Charron has signed a two-year contract that will take him through 2011-12. “He has brought a real veteran leadership to our group.”
Charron’s original deal took him through the end of this season, with both parties having agreed to talk about the future depending on how things progressed.
Unlike many major junior coaching contracts, this one doesn’t include a window allowing Charron to leave for a professional job.
“I really don’t believe that Guy is interested in moving,” Bonner said. “If an NHL head-coaching opportunity arose, I’m sure he would look at it. And I would never hold him back.”
The Blazers, one of the WHL’s youngest teams after Bonner traded away a number of veteran players, are 21-19-0-3 under Charron, who took over on Nov. 23. The Blazers were 8-7-2-0 when Smith was fired on Oct. 26, and they went 3-6-0-1 under interim head coach Scott Ferguson.
Ferguson is signed through 2010-11, with the club holding an option on his services for 2011-12. Geoff Smith, the other assistant coach, and goaltending coach Dan De Palma are on one-year contracts that will expire with the end of this season.
Charron is the 16th head coach in franchise history and one of two French-Canadians to have filled the role. The other, Ron Harris, was the franchise’s second coach, taking over from Lyle Moffat during 1981-82 and going 12-32-0.
Charron and Harris both grew up in Verdun, Que., and later played together with the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings.
“He’s a really super guy,” Charron said of Harris.
It became apparent early on in Charron’s tenure that he is a good fit here so, as Bonner said, signing him to a longer contract “was a very easy decision for us.”
Bonner especially liked the way Charron dealt with the player moves.
“We made a lot of changes and he was very receptive,” Bonner explained. “He said, ‘You bring in the players and it’s my job to work with them.’ The result has been very positive and we are very encouraged. The dynamics and the attitude of our team have changed for the positive.”
What made signing Charron a whole lot easier was the willingness — nay, the eagerness — of Charron and his wife, Michele, who is from Regina, to become a part of the community.
In fact, Bonner admitted, Michele’s role in Charron’s life played a large role in negotiations in November and again over the last few weeks.
“It was one of the main questions — one of the first things I asked — in the interview,” Bonner said. “I told him it was very important that his wife be part of it and that she be here in Kamloops.”
That discussion took place in November, shortly after Bonner had fired Smith, whose wife and family stayed in Whitefish, Mont., rather than relocate to Kamloops.
“As much as the stress is on him and the stress is on all of us to do well, it’s important to have someone to go home to,” Bonner said. “I think it’s tremendous (that the Charrons want to live here year-around). I think the people in Kamloops appreciate that the coach wants to live here and wants to be part of Kamloops. It’s critical from the Blazers’ point of view because it’s nice to have your coach around if there are events or things we need to do in the community.
“He and his wife have become Kamloopsians and I know that their plan is to be full-time Kamloopsians. We’re excited.”
Charron said that he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“One of the interests I had in pursuing something in the WHL was to be close to my kids and grandkids,” he said. “And Michele is a big part of that.”
Charron’s two children from a previous marriage — Erik and Renee — and Renee’s three children live in Calgary.
“Craig indicated he was hoping that Michele would join me, versus being here by myself,” Charron said. “Of all the time I’ve been involved in hockey . . . I think you need your family next to you.
“Michele is very excited, probably more so than I am, because finally we’ll be able to think about settling somewhere. She has really enjoyed the city.”
Shortly after the announcement was made, Charron had to leave the boardroom that is located off the Blazers’ office at Interior Savings Centre. With the Blazers preparing to play host to the Prince George Cougars on Friday, he had a practice to run. Just don’t call it work.
“I’ve been very fortunate throughout all of my career. . . . I don’t think I’ve ever worked a day in my life because I’ve always been doing something I enjoy doing,” he said.
And it looks like he’ll be doing it here for at least two more seasons.

gdrinnan@kamloopsnews.ca
gdrinnan.blogspot.com