The WHL's Western Conference may boast the most recognizable group of ex-players & coaches in junior
The coaching carousel in junior hockey is starting to become a bit of an oxymoron.
There once was a time where the coaching path was scripted similarly as it was for the players: first came junior, then came pro. But after a recent trend has emerged, a junior hockey head coaching job description might as well now read something like this: professional coaching or professional playing experience required.
It seems the foundation upon which junior hockey was built is slowly going the way of the dinosaurs.
And why shouldn't it? In an era where it's all about gaining a competitive edge, there's no reason why junior teams should shut the door to those with professional background.
It's just now becoming so commonplace, one can't help but wonder if gone are the days where a coach works his way through the junior ranks, rather than coming back down from the professional ranks.
The Seattle Thunderbirds could soon become the next junior team to seek professional reinforcement. The team fired head coach Rob Sumner on Tuesday, signaling the end of what was a long-standing relationship between team and coach. Sumner spent 15 seasons with Seattle, the last seven as its head coach.
Sumner was one of those very few homegrown talents in the coaching ranks, but a second-straight season out of the playoffs made the difficult decision easier to make for general manager and part-owner Russ Farwell.
"I just thought we had reached a point that we weren't moving forward," Farwell said. "I think a lot of things come into that. I don't think our draft a couple years had been as good as we would have liked and I don't think it all comes down to the coach.
"I'm not blaming Rob Sumner that we're not in the league final or anything like that."
Farwell doesn't expect to name a replacement prior to the National Hockey League draft, which takes place June 24 and 25 in Minnesota.
It's hard to imagine the Thunderbirds won't go with experience with Sumner's replacement. The Western Hockey League's Western Conference may boast the most recognizable group of former players and coaches in the junior circuit.
Within the U.S. Division alone, all four competitors feature a bench boss that either played or coached in the NHL. Former Ottawa Senators head coach Craig Hartsburg holds the same title in Everett; Mike Johnston spent 10 years as a coach in the NHL before becoming Portland's head coach and GM; Spokane Chiefs head coach Don Nachbaur played in the NHL and was the bench boss of the Binghamton Senators of the American Hockey League last season; and Tri-City Americans head coach Jim Hiller enjoyed a journeyman career as a player.
"I think there's some career guys that build very impressive resumes and history that overcome that, but having experience in pro, be it as a player or as a coach, generally is a real plus for a coach," Farwell said. "There are a lot of guys in our league now that have that and certainly on this side of the mountain (in the Western Conference)."
Although Farwell says professional experience isn't absolutely necessary, the recent trend would indicate the next coach in Seattle won't need much of an introduction.
End of the "Cele-Bray-Schenn"?
A rumour began to float around on the weekend that could bring an end to the "Cele-Bray-Schenn" in Saskatoon.
The rumour was that the Los Angeles Kings, so completely decimated by injuries, could call up Saskatoon Blades forward Brayden Schenn for the stretch run of the NHL season.
The news came so far out of left field it even caught the Blades forward by surprise. When informed by Saskatoon Star Phoenix beat reporter Cory Wolfe, Schenn shot the rumour down himself.
"I highly doubt anything like that would happen," Schenn said, "especially because we're in the playoffs now and I'm pretty sure they know we're building up for a run here."
Wolfe indicates that the Kings are at least one more serious injury from being able to call up Schenn, due to NHL rules on emergency call-ups.
Far be it for a junior columnist to comment on the inner workings of a National Hockey League team, but this rumour can be put to rest. Although the Kings sent Schenn back to junior mostly due to a lack of options (since he's not eligible for the AHL on a full-time basis until next season), it would be in poor taste on their part to call him up now.
The Blades essentially mortgaged their future to acquire Schenn from the Brandon Wheat Kings at January's trade deadline and are the odds-on favourite to win the league title.
An NHL team certainly wouldn't need to consider the ramifications for a junior team when it is suffering through injury troubles of its own. Aside from being a bad PR move in junior circles, the Kings would be well within reason for doing it.
But if Schenn wasn't good enough to earn a full-time job in October, what makes him more qualified now? And besides, isn't there an entire team in Manchester with call-ups in mind?
Americans stalling history
Someone forgot to tell the Tri-City Americans records were meant to be broken. Vancouver Giants head coach Don Hay continues to sit on the brink of the all-time wins record for a head coach in WHL playoff history. Hay's 101 playoff victories are tied with Ken Hodge for most all-time.
Hay will need to wait another year after the Giants were swept by the Americans on Wednesday at Pacific Coliseum. The Americans have now beaten the Giants in seven straight playoff games dating back to last year's post-season.
Hay tied the record when his Giants took a 2-1 series lead over the Americans in the Western Conference final a year ago. Tri-City won the next three to eliminate Vancouver and has now given Hay another "wait till next year" mantra to stand alone as the playoff win record-holder.
