Hay returning to Kamloops as Blazers' head coach

Don Hay is returning as head coach of the Kamloops Blazers.
(Photo by Christopher Mast / www.mastimages.com)

Don Hay is going home.
And who knows . . . the Kamloops Fire Department may still be holding his job for him.
Hay, 60, began his coaching career with the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers in 1986, while he was a Kamloops firefighter. Ultimately, he took a leave of absence to pursue his coaching career; he never did go back to firefighting.
Today, though, he will be back in Kamloops as the new -- new old? -- head coach of the Blazers.
Hay, the second-winningest coach in WHL history, is leaving the Vancouver Giants after 10 seasons as their head coach to return to the Blazers.
Hay took over from Tom Renney as the Blazers head coach after the 1991-92 season and guided the team for three seasons, going 42-28-2, 50-16-6 and 52-14-6, and winning the 1994 and 1995 Memorial Cup championships.
He left after the second Memorial Cup title, choosing to join the NHL’s Calgary Flames as an assistant coach. He spent one season as head coach of the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes and one with the Anaheim Might Ducks as an assistant.
Hay was back in the WHL in 1998-99, spending two seasons as head coach of the Tri-City Americans.
He then spent most of 2000-01 as head coach of the Calgary Flames, followed by three seasons as head coach of the AHL’s Utah Grizzlies.
He joined the Giants for the 2004-05 season, as the third head coach in franchise history, following Milan Dragicevic and Dean Evason. Under Hay, the Giants won the WHL title in 2006 and the Memorial Cup in 2007 as the host team after they lost the WHL final to the Medicine Hat Tigers.
However, in the last four seasons, the Giants missed the playoffs once (2012-13) and were first-round casualties each of the other times. This season, they were swept by the Portland Winterhawks, who are to open the WHL’s championship final against the visiting Edmonton Oil Kings on Saturday night.
Still, the Giants won at least 40 games six times with Hay, whose 609 WHL career coaching victories trail only Ken Hodge’s 742.
Hay had one year left on his contract with the Giants that was signed on Aug. 26, 2010. The Giants, though, chose not to hold him to it or request compensation from Kamloops. Tom Gaglardi, the Blazers’ majority owner, approached Vancouver majority owner Ron Toigo about a week ago and asked for permission to speak with Hay.
“I’ve always made a point that I’m not going to stand in the way of what anybody wants to do regardless of what their contract says,” Toigo told Elliott Pap of the Vancouver Sun. “Don said he was comfortable with going home and they offered him a pretty good deal. I told him: ‘Great, I’m happy for you, I appreciate everything you did for us.’
“Ten years is a long time with one team and maybe it was time for a change for everybody. I think it’s a good scenario, although it kind of came out of left field. We certainly weren’t planning this a month ago.”
When the Giants start the search for a replacement, they will be looking for someone to take them at least through the 2015-16 season. The WHL will play host to the 2016 Memorial Cup tournament and Toigo has said the Giants plan on bidding for it.
Hay is the third-winningest head coach in Blazers history, his 144 victories in Kamloops behind only Ken Hitchcock (291) and Guy Charron (148).
Charron finished up this season, when the Blazers finished 14-53-5, good only for the poorest season in franchise history. Charron replaced Dave Hunchak on Jan. 12.
Hunchak, in his first season as head coach after working as associate coach alongside Charron for two seasons, left the team on Jan. 10 while it was in Spokane. The Blazers later said Hunchak was on a leave of absence.
The team has yet to clarify Hunchak’s situation, although it’s believed the two parties reached a contract settlement of some kind last month. Hunchak had been signed through the 2014-15 season.
Hay becomes the seventh or eighth head coach -- depending on whether you count Charron twice -- of the Blazers since the franchise was purchased in 2007 by Gaglardi and ex-Kamloops players Shane Doan, Jarome Iginla, Mark Recchi and Darryl Sydor.
In returning to the Blazers, Hay will be rekindling a relationship with Craig Bonner, who is the team’s general manager. Bonner was the Giants’ assistant coach/assistant GM when he signed as the Blazers’ GM in the summer of 2008. Bonner also played one season (1992-93) under Hay with the Blazers.
So what happened to the relationship between Hay and the Giants?
Here’s Steve Ewen, who covers the Giants for the Vancouver Province:
“The Giants . . . obviously felt he wasn’t the right guy for that 2016 Memorial Cup push. There was an apparent disconnect between player development, led by Hay, and player recruitment, led by general manager Scott Bonner.
“Hay wanted to continue to play a crash-and-bang style, but the Giants were bringing in smaller, puck-possession skill guys.”
Ewen also pointed out that in recent seasons the Giants “have had several players ask to be traded.”
That included, Ewen wrote, “2011 sixth-rounder Taylor Vickerman, 2010 first-rounder Anthony Ast, 2009 second-rounder Matt Bellerive and 2009 third-rounder Blake Orban. There were others, including veteran Craig Cunningham in 2010-11. Those were all tied to Hay.”
Interestingly, Bellerive, who was traded by the Giants to the Red Deer Rebels prior to the 2012-13 season, was dealt by Kamloops to Vancouver on Thursday. The Blazers had acquired him from Red Deer on Jan. 9.
According to Ewen, Bellerive had asked the Giants to trade him after Hay “made him a scratch on opening night” of the 2012-13 season.
In return for Bellerive, the Blazers got a 2014 sixth-round bantam draft pick and a fourth-rounder in 2015. The Blazers selected F Kyle Bosch of Kindersley, Sask., with the sixth-round pick on Thursday.
In 29 games with the Blazers, Bellerive, from North Vancouver, had 19 points, nine of them goals. He is heading into his 20-year-old season.
In another deal, the Blazers reacquired D Brady Gaudet, 20, from Red Deer, giving up a third-round pick in yesterday’s draft. Gaudet began his career with the Blazers, who selected him 10th overall in the 2009 bantam draft, before being traded to Red Deer in October 2012 for a third-round pick in the 2013 draft.
In 241 career games, Gaudet, who is from Redvers, Sask., has 85 points, including 17 goals. He played 117 of those games with Kamloops, putting up 34 points, seven of them goals.
Gaudet played well for Red Deer in 2012-13, but struggled this season.
“He had a tough year,” Red Deer GM/head coach Brent Sutter told Greg Meacham of the Red Deer Advocate, “but I talked to Kamloops after the season and they were interested in bringing him back.
“Kamloops had a tough year and asked that if I acquired another 20-year-old would I give them the first opportunity for (Gaudet) to go back there.”
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Elliott Pap’s piece is right here.
Steve Ewen’s story is right here.

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THE MacBETH REPORT:
F Richard Mueller (Brandon, Saskatoon, Calgary, 1998-2003) signed a one-year contract with Lausitzer Fuchse Weisswasser (Germany, 2. Bundesliga). He had no points in seven games with the Straubing Tigers (Germany, DEL) and seven goals and 11 assists in 41 games with Tingsryd (Sweden, Allsvenskan) last season. . . .
D Keith Seabrook (Calgary, 2007-09) signed a one-year contract with Val Pusteria (Italy, Serie A). He had three goals and 10 assists in 45 games with the San Antonio Rampage (AHL) and two goals and one assist in nine games with the Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL) last season. . . .
F Kris Hogg (Kamloops, Lethbridge, 2002-07) signed a one-year contract with the Fife Flyers (England, UK Elite). He had 13 goals and 11 assists in 50 games with the Missouri Mavericks (CHL) last season. There is more on the Hogg signing right here.
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Teams throughout the WHL are on tenterhooks as they watch, like the rest of us, as the NHL and NHLPA continue to negotiate a CBA.
But it looks more and more as though that deal won’t be reached by the Sept. 15 deadline, at which time the NHL has said it will lockout its players.
But what happens to WHL teams and their drafted players if there is a lockout?
The Vancouver Giants, for example, have four drafted players — D David Musil, D Brett Kulak (Calgary), F Marek Tvrdon (Detroit) and F Jordan Martinook (Phoenix).
Of that bunch, only Martinook, who is 20, is able to play anywhere other than the NHL or the WHL.
Here’s Giants GM Scott Bonner, talking to Elliott Pap of the Vancouver Sun: “The scariest scenario for us could be if, let’s say, Jordan Martinook starts the season with us, then the NHL starts up Dec. 1 and some of Phoenix’s players in the American League go back up to the NHL. Then Phoenix has to fill their Springfield roster and we might lose Marty. That would be a tough blow. Here’s your first-line centre . . . see you later. So there is definitely some grey area there.”
Pap’s story is right here.
Or consider the case of the Kamloops Blazers. They have four 20-year-olds on their roster at the moment — D Austin Madaisky, F Jordan DePape, F Brendan Ranford and F Dylan Willick.
Of those four, only Madaisky is tied to an NHL team; in fact, he has signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
So what happens if there is a lockout and Madaisky ends up back with the Blazers? Obviously, they would keep him as he would be one of the WHL’s top defencemen. So let’s say they keep him and trade one of the three forwards.
And, as Bonner suggested in his example, let’s say the lockout ends on Dec. 1 and the Blue Jackets decide to assign Madaisky to their AHL affiliate, the Springfield Falcons.
All of a sudden, Kamloops is out its top defenceman and a top-six forward who was traded away to make room for Madaisky.
Scenarios like this are certain to be played out across the WHL over the next few weeks.
It almost makes you wonder why the WHL doesn’t allow teams to carry five 20-year-olds throughout the season.
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It really was no surprise Monday when Brent Sutter, who owns the Red Deer Rebels, announced that he was moving back into the general manager’s office. Hey, when Willie Nelson had his own golf course, par was whatever he wanted it to be. This is Sutter's team so he can be whatever he wants to be.
Seriously, you had to know that if he wasn’t coaching somewhere in the NHL, he would be back with the Rebels.
Jesse Wallin, who had been GM/head coach, will stay on as head coach, with Bryce Thoma as his assistant.
Sutter was the club’s GM/head coach from 1999-2007 before going on to the NHL and coaching stints with the New Jersey Devils and Calgary Flames. His contract wasn’t renewed by the Flames after last season.
Wallin, one of the game’s bright young coaches, is preparing for his fifth season as head coach.
Here, from a news release, is Sutter’s explanation:
“After an evaluation of our hockey operations department throughout the summer, it became evident to me that we needed a separate general manager and head coach. Jesse Wallin will continue to be our head coach. After going through this portion of the evaluation, there were two options: Bring in someone from outside the organization to be the general manager, or I do it myself. With the familiarity I have with the coaching staff, scouting staff, players, and all other personnel inside hockey operations, I made the decision that I was the right person to take over this position at this point in time.”       
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F Keegan Iverson of the Portland Winterhawks plans on sticking with the WHL team this season at the age of 16. And he also plans on wearing No. 13 to honour his friend Jack Jablonski. Interestingly, according to the Winterhawks’ media guide, no player in franchise history has ever worn No. 13.
Paul Buker of The Oregonian has more right here.
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The Swift Current Broncos have apparently signed F Tanner LeSann, 17, who played the last two seasons with the midget AAA Yorkton Harvest. Last season, he had 42 points and 100 penalty minutes in 40 games. . . . LeSann announced his signing via Twitter (@TLeSann12): “officially signed with the swift current broncos #greatfeeling”
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The community-owned Lethbridge Hurricanes held their annual general meeting on Monday night, with more than 120 people in attendance.
The team announced a loss of $602,284 for 2011-12. The biggest chunk of that came from a lack of ticket sales — they had budgeted for $1.5 million, but, in fact, the number ended up being $984,000. . . . For 2012-13, the Hurricanes’ board is budgeting for a loss of $179,000. . . . For more on the meeting, check out Pat Siedlecki’s blog over there on the right.
I would like to thank Dylan Purcell of the Lethbridge Herald for his tweets from the Hurricanes’ annual meeting. Reading those was better than being there.
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The OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads have hired veteran coach Jason Nobili, 38, as assistant GM and assistant coach. He’ll work with GM/head coach James Boyd. . . . Nobili has been coaching for 16 years.

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Eberle signs with Warriors

By the time the Swift Current Broncos’ 3-1 loss to the visiting Spokane Chiefs was in the books on Saturday night, the home team was down to four defencemen.
Ernie Waldner, who follows the Broncos, noted on waldner.com: “The Broncos entered the game without D Joel Rogers, F Dillon Wagner, F Brenden Silvester, D Jordan Evans, F Taylor Vause, and F Killian Hutt, all out with injuries. . . . . The latter three were hurt (Friday) in Prince Albert. . . . . But wait . . . the news gets worse. . . . D Tanner Muth and D Ryan Aasman left (Saturday’s) game with injuries as well. . . .”
The Broncos are at home to the Portland Winterhawks on Tuesday night.
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One more note from Waldner.com:
“What's with the small crowds this year? . . . There is almost no one in the rink in time for the anthem and sometimes it's downright embarrassing. . . . How long can the Broncos survive in Swift Current with the fan support dwindling?”
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The Vancouver Giants, also hit hard by the injury bug, are “officially entering the trade market.” Or so general manager Scott Bonner told Elliott Pap of the Vancouver Sun over the weekend.
Pap reported that F Marek Tvrdon (shoulder) needs surgery and is gone until perhaps April. F Randy McNaught, who suffered a badly sprained ankle during a game in Kamloops on Oct. 11 has re-injured the ankle and now may need surgery. Either way, he’s out until mid-December or later.
And don’t forget that D Zach Hodder and F Connor Redmond both had offseason shoulder surgery and have yet to play. They should return after Christmas.
By the way . . . it's been a while since the Bonner boys have made a deal, hasn't it?
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Congratulations to the Saskatoon Blades.
It doesn’t matter whether or not you like the Canadian tuxedo jerseys — you know, the ones that look like denim — they are a huge success.
The jerseys, which the Blades will wear Friday when they play the visiting Portland Winterhawks, are a promotional deal that involves Wrangler and the Professional Bull Riders, who will wrap up their season with the finals in Saskatoon, Nov. 20.
The jerseys have gotten a lot of publicity in newspapers and blogs, and even got a mention on the ESPN SportsCenter.com blog.
Check it out right here.
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The Moose Jaw Warriors have signed F Tanner Eberle, 16, of the midget AAA Tisdale Trojans. Eberle, a seventh-round pick in the 2009 bantam draft, has 14 points and 30 penalty minutes in 11 games with Tisdale. No, he is not a brother of former Regina Pats F Jordan Eberle. . . . The host Moose Jaw Warriors ran their winning streak to six games with a 2-1 shootout victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds on Sunday. F Quinton Howden was the only skater to score in the six-shooter shootout. Howden’s shot went off the cross-bar, hit Seattle G Calvin Pickard in the back, and trickled into the net. . . . Through OT, Pickard stopped 43 shots. . . . Matthew Gourlie of the Moose Jaw Times-Herald reports that the last time the Warriors won six in a row was Dec. 1-11, 2007. . . . The Warriors now are carrying four 20-year-olds and must get down to three by midnight on Nov. 19. F Brendan Rowinski returned to action Saturday for the first time this season, with F Dylan Hood the odd-man out. On Sunday, F Spencer Edwards, the team captain, drew the short straw. The other 20-year-old is G Thomas Heemskerk. . . .
G Mark Segal stopped 25 shots as the host Vancouver Giants blanked the Everett Silvertips, 3-0. It was Segal’s first shutout this season and the fifth of his career. . . . The Lethbridge Hurricanes made it three victories in as many nights as they doubled the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers, 4-2. Pat Siedlecki, the radio voice of the Hurricanes, says the last time the Hurricanes won three in a row was in October 2009. . . . The Hurricanes, at 9-6-0-3, are almost half way to last season’s victory total of 20. . . . Lethbridge continues to play without F Austin Fyten (foot), too. He has missed 12 games. . . . In Regina, F Chandler Stephenson scored his first two WHL goals as the Pats dumped the Brandon Wheat Kings 4-1 to avoid losing three times in as many nights. The Pats had been swept in a home-and-home series with Moose Jaw on Friday and Saturday nights. . . . Brandon F Mark Stone’s six-game goal-scoring streak came to an end Sunday in Regina.
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SUNDAY’S CHECKING-FROM-BEHIND COUNT:
One minor:
Vancouver D Wes Vannieuwenhuizen

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