Some notes from BC Hockey today...
BC Hockey named former NHL'er Robert Dirk, father of current Ice defenseman Jagger, 17, as head coach for Team Pacific which will compete at the World U-17 Challenge in Winnipeg this December-January. Current Ice assisant coach Kris Knoblauch will serve as the club's assistant coach.
BC Hockey also announced the 56-man roster invites for the U-16 Provincial Camp and among them was Ice first round pick Sam Reinhart of West Vancouver. Reinhart is the younger brother of Ice forward Max. This camp is specifically for the Canada Winter Game roster of Team BC that will compete in February in Halifax in 2011.
Forward Jared Jerome, formerly of Cranbrook but now of Lethbridge, was named to the Hockey Alberta U-17 Southern Roster camp. Jerome played Minor Midget with the Lethbridge Midget Hurricanes this season.
D Tanner Faith, Kootenay's second round pick last month, will attend Saskatchewan's U-16 camp.
D Cole DePape, (4th round, 77th overall) along with F Jonathon Martin were named to Hockey Manitoba's U-16 Camp that will vy for a spot on Manitoba's entry to the Canada Winter Games in 2011. The roster notes that DePape has an injury exemption and as such won't participate in the camp due to the injury.
There are a swack of Alberta kids on Kootenay's list that will likely get U-16 consideration once they release their camp invite lists.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
Holick speaks....
For the Daily Townsman...
Holick to coach AHL’s Syracuse Crunch
by Jeff Bromley
Mark Holick isn’t used to letting fate step into his coaching career but on this occasion he’ll make an exception. Confirming a week full of spectulation the 41-year-old was introduced Friday morning as the new head coach of the Anaheim Ducks AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch. The announcement finished up a whirlwind process that wound up last weekend with an offer by Duck GM Bob Murray. “The offer came last Sunday,” said Holick from Vancouver where is son was in a spring hockey tournament. “I was quite flattered, real humbled and excited at the opportunity.”
Like any head coach not in the NHL Holick was always game for the chance to move to the next level but in this instance, he wasn’t looking for it. That’s where fate had a hand in the equation. Following his club’s disappointing exit from the WHL Playoffs in the first round courtesy the Medicine Hat Tigers Holick was named as one of the WHL coaches, along with Bruno Campese (Prince Albert), Dean Clark (Prince George) and Rich Preston (Lethbridge) that would run the WHL’s fifth annual U.S. Prospects camp in Anaheim, California. That’s where he met Murray for the first time. If Kootenay gets into the second round of the playoffs the meeting likely never takes place. “You’re right, I wouldn’t be down in Anaheim for the prospects camp but I don’t know if that would’ve deterred anything or not.”
“He came and talked to me about interviewing for the job and through the process it worked out. But beforehand I didn’t apply for anything and didn’t send a resume to any pro team at all. I was the coach of the Kootenay Ice and that was where my focus was. This came right out of the blue.”
Then again, more playoff success likely would’ve put Holick on the radar for a pro job anyways, looking or not. This past season with the Ice he led them to a 43-25-5 record and compiled a stellar 120-75-21 record in three campaigns behind the Kootenay bench after replacing Cory Clouston in August of 2007, good for a .604 winning percentage. “With 16 years of coaching experience, Mark Holick has the proven track record we were looking for,” said Ducks GM Bob Murray in a release. “He had three great seasons in the WHL, including earning Coach of the Year honours in 2009-10, and is certainly qualified to take the next step.”
Looking back on his tenure Holick named the club’s regular season results, including three straight playoff appearances to extend the club’s streak to twelve straight years, singling out the likes of the complete rebuild the club went through last season while stile managing 35 wins and a playoff berth when no one expected it, along with the club-record 14-straight wins achieved last December and January as highlights. His only regret was the lack of a championship. “Cranbrook is a great little city and we were proud to call it home for three years. It’s a great place to live and raise a family and we’ve made some great friends. But if anything, not being able to bring some more playoff success back here. This year, getting a 2-0 lead (against the Tigers), it was devastating for us a team not to close that out.”
When he joined the Ice in 2007 Holick had spent the prior 13 seasons at a coach, assistant and GM at the Junior A level. With his success with the Ice, and perhaps a little of the club’s penchant for developing professional coaches thrown in for good measure, that timeline was shortened to three seasons before he made the jump to the professional ranks. “Getting a job in the WHL, for a coach, you have to go through that path,” said Holick. “It’s a great league and I was fortunate to be a part of it. The way the Chynoweth’s have been to me and the organization, it’s a class organization and was a great fit for me.”
For Chynoweth, as he watched the club’s fourth coach move on to the pro ranks after Cory Clouston (Ottawa), Brad Lauer (assistant, Ottawa Senators) and Ryan McGill (assistant Calgary Flames), all of which headed to the AHL after their stop here, the search begins for a new bench boss. “It’s a day of mixed emotions for our Hockey Club,” said Chynoweth. “Our job is to develop both players and coaches for the next level and for that we are extremely proud of the opportunity given to Mark. He has been with our organization since 2007 and has grown into one of the top coaches in the WHL. We wish Mark and his family all the best in his new job and thank him for his loyalty and friendship.”
Holick to coach AHL’s Syracuse Crunch
by Jeff Bromley
Mark Holick isn’t used to letting fate step into his coaching career but on this occasion he’ll make an exception. Confirming a week full of spectulation the 41-year-old was introduced Friday morning as the new head coach of the Anaheim Ducks AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch. The announcement finished up a whirlwind process that wound up last weekend with an offer by Duck GM Bob Murray. “The offer came last Sunday,” said Holick from Vancouver where is son was in a spring hockey tournament. “I was quite flattered, real humbled and excited at the opportunity.”
Like any head coach not in the NHL Holick was always game for the chance to move to the next level but in this instance, he wasn’t looking for it. That’s where fate had a hand in the equation. Following his club’s disappointing exit from the WHL Playoffs in the first round courtesy the Medicine Hat Tigers Holick was named as one of the WHL coaches, along with Bruno Campese (Prince Albert), Dean Clark (Prince George) and Rich Preston (Lethbridge) that would run the WHL’s fifth annual U.S. Prospects camp in Anaheim, California. That’s where he met Murray for the first time. If Kootenay gets into the second round of the playoffs the meeting likely never takes place. “You’re right, I wouldn’t be down in Anaheim for the prospects camp but I don’t know if that would’ve deterred anything or not.”
“He came and talked to me about interviewing for the job and through the process it worked out. But beforehand I didn’t apply for anything and didn’t send a resume to any pro team at all. I was the coach of the Kootenay Ice and that was where my focus was. This came right out of the blue.”
Then again, more playoff success likely would’ve put Holick on the radar for a pro job anyways, looking or not. This past season with the Ice he led them to a 43-25-5 record and compiled a stellar 120-75-21 record in three campaigns behind the Kootenay bench after replacing Cory Clouston in August of 2007, good for a .604 winning percentage. “With 16 years of coaching experience, Mark Holick has the proven track record we were looking for,” said Ducks GM Bob Murray in a release. “He had three great seasons in the WHL, including earning Coach of the Year honours in 2009-10, and is certainly qualified to take the next step.”
Looking back on his tenure Holick named the club’s regular season results, including three straight playoff appearances to extend the club’s streak to twelve straight years, singling out the likes of the complete rebuild the club went through last season while stile managing 35 wins and a playoff berth when no one expected it, along with the club-record 14-straight wins achieved last December and January as highlights. His only regret was the lack of a championship. “Cranbrook is a great little city and we were proud to call it home for three years. It’s a great place to live and raise a family and we’ve made some great friends. But if anything, not being able to bring some more playoff success back here. This year, getting a 2-0 lead (against the Tigers), it was devastating for us a team not to close that out.”
When he joined the Ice in 2007 Holick had spent the prior 13 seasons at a coach, assistant and GM at the Junior A level. With his success with the Ice, and perhaps a little of the club’s penchant for developing professional coaches thrown in for good measure, that timeline was shortened to three seasons before he made the jump to the professional ranks. “Getting a job in the WHL, for a coach, you have to go through that path,” said Holick. “It’s a great league and I was fortunate to be a part of it. The way the Chynoweth’s have been to me and the organization, it’s a class organization and was a great fit for me.”
For Chynoweth, as he watched the club’s fourth coach move on to the pro ranks after Cory Clouston (Ottawa), Brad Lauer (assistant, Ottawa Senators) and Ryan McGill (assistant Calgary Flames), all of which headed to the AHL after their stop here, the search begins for a new bench boss. “It’s a day of mixed emotions for our Hockey Club,” said Chynoweth. “Our job is to develop both players and coaches for the next level and for that we are extremely proud of the opportunity given to Mark. He has been with our organization since 2007 and has grown into one of the top coaches in the WHL. We wish Mark and his family all the best in his new job and thank him for his loyalty and friendship.”
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
If it looks like a Duck
It might be a Duck, but nobody's talking. Mum's the word so far on anybody going on the record about Mark Holick's impending acceptance of the Anaheim Ducks AHL job in Syracuse. There's a few stories that don't add much but basically tell us the inevitable both here and here. But it's a done deal, nonetheless.... So the search for a new bench boss begins in earnest for Ice GM Jeff Chynoweth. Both the Spokane Chiefs and Edmonton Oil Kings are also in the market for a new coach after Hardy Sauter and Steve Pleau were let go by their respective teams. In Spokane, Cranbrook product Jon Klemm isn't ready to take the reigns yet but is hopeful to remain with the Chiefs in his present role as an assistant... The Edmonton Oil Kings are looking at both Steve Hamilton of the AJHL's Spruce Grove Saints - a team Holick formerly coached - as well as Derek Laxdal of the ECHL's Idaho Steelheads... So the search begins in earnest in Cranbrook for a new bench boss. Is it current assistant Kris Knoblauch? He applied in Edmonton and will obviously put his name forward here.... Though you'll usually see the list of usual suspects put out for a coaching vacancy both on the net and in print, I won't do that here, not unless I get a good tip or a source. I will go out on a limb here and say that those bigger names, like former NHL coaching names, such as Ken Hitchcock, whose name was bandied about for the Edmonton job, you'll likely not see on any list for the Ice. Big names command big salaries and in a small-market like Cranbrook I'd doubt you'll ever see it... That said, the way this organization develops coaches - arguably as good or better than the players, at least on a per capita basis - to coach at the next/pro level is amazing. There is no doubt that every Junior A coach in the West will drop his resume off, and hey, with that record, why wouldn't you?... On top of that this club, with 19 of 22 players returning - though one of the 20's, three forwards King, Boomer and Fraser along with goaltender Mathews, will have to go - the club should contend in an Eastern Conference that will look very different than this past season. In such a critical juncture in the Junior Hockey cycle for the Ice, do you go with what you know or someone new? If anything, it's another off-season that will be anything but dull.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Holick to the AHL
Further to Gregg Drinnan's scoop this evening on his blog at Taking Note at the Memorial Cup sources are now confirming those statements that Mark Holick has
indeed accepted the head coaching job with the AHL's Syracuse Crunch, the affiliate of the NHL's Anaheim Ducks.
More later tomorrow morning.
indeed accepted the head coaching job with the AHL's Syracuse Crunch, the affiliate of the NHL's Anaheim Ducks.
More later tomorrow morning.
Is Holick leaving the Ice?
Just read on Gregg Drinnan's blog - over on the left with the fantastic coverage of the Memorial Cup that you won't read anywhere else - that his sources have told him that Ice head coach Mark Holick has told the Ice that he's going to accept the job of head coach for Anaheim's AHL affiliate in Syracuse, New York where the Crunch play.
I spoke to Holick this morning but will try to confirm later tonight or tommorrow morning.
I spoke to Holick this morning but will try to confirm later tonight or tommorrow morning.
Holick tries for CHL version of Coach of the Year/Reinhart
For HockeyNow - some rehashed stuff as I was in Florida for two weeks. Back with some thoughts later...
Holick Coach of the Year; Kootenay nabs another Reinhart
by Jeff Bromley
Personal awards are never a supplement to a club’s on-ice success but once the sting of the first round loss to the Medicine Hat Tigers subsided, the recognition of some things this season that went right for Ice head coach Mark Holick and his hockey club helped in the healing.
Looking to begin his fourth year in the WHL this September Holick was named the WHL's Coach of the Year over Everett’s Craig Hartsburg April 29 in Edmonton. This week Holick will go up against the CHL’s best for the national award at the Memorial Cup in Brandon. “You don’t start out at the beginning of the year and say hey, I want to be coach of the year,” said Holick as he prepared to head to Brandon for the CHL Awards May 22. Holick will stand against London’s Dale Hunter (OHL) and Saint John’s Gerard Gallant (QMJHL) for the CHL honour. “You want to go out and do the best job you can and whatever happens, happens. Fortunately we as a staff were recognized for our efforts. For me (the nomination) was a feather in the cap and everything else that comes after is just gravy.”
Keying in on the underdog theme – not unlike his hockey club this season – Holick didn’t think he’d get past the accomplishments of Everett’s Hartsburg and going forward thinks it’ll be pretty tough to stand against the likes of Hunter and Gallant this weekend. “If you want to compare resumes, you’ll find a little bit more on (Hartsburg’s) than mine,” said Holick. “His successes with the World Junior program and being in the NHL for a number of years, I’ve got a lot of respect for him and all coaches that have held a job at this level. Not many people see what goes on and how hard you have to work to be successful. Going forward (to the CHL award), I don’t anticipate anything more but I’m certainly happy that it happened. I’m just flattered to be included in that company.”
Guiding the Ice to a 43-24-3-5 record this season and a fourth-place finish in the Eastern Conference before bowing out to the Medicine Hat Tigers in six games in the first round of the WHL Playoffs, Holick’s club certainly didn’t start the season on a coach-of-the-year pace. Getting out of the gate 5-11 the Ice were at one point 12th in the 12-team conference before rallying from October 30 to finish the season with a 38-13-2-2 record from that point on. On the WHL-champion Calgary Hitmen had more (40) from the same point. “After the start I had my realtor on speed-dial,” Holick quipped. “And we knew coffee-row would be a little upset but at the end of the day we knew our club. Did we think we’d rebound like that? Probably not, but we had some injuries early and a goaltending issue we had to sort out in which Todd (Mathews) grabbed the bull by the horns.”
“The start obviously wasn’t planned but we knew once we had our ducks in a row, we could compete.”
Quick Hits– Since joining the club as head coach in 2007 Holick has amassed a 120-75-10-14 record... Holick is the third Kootenay coach to capture coach of the year honours. Cory Clouston (2005, 2007) did it twice and was the CHL coach of the year in '07 while Ryan McGill was the Western Conference nominee in 2001. He lost out to Regina's Bob Lowes... Ice forward Matt Fraser also took home some WHL hardware at the league awards banquet April 29, winning the WHL Humanitarian of the Year Award. Fraser spearheaded a drive that raised over $14,000 for the East Kootenay Foundation for Health and took home the Doug Wickenheiser Trophy for his efforts. On the ice the Red Deer product, who heads into his last year of junior eligibility this September, had his best year to date scoring 32 goals and 24 assists… At the WHL Draft held in Edmonton the same day Kootenay selected forward Sam Reinhart of West Vancouver with the club’s first round pick, 15th overall. Reinhart, who played this season with Hollyburn Country Club, is the younger brother of current Ice forward Max. “I heard a lot about him this season,” offered Holick, who saw Reinhart play at the provincial U-16 tournament in Prince George in April. “From what I’ve seen he’s got good size and similar to Max in that he’s pretty intelligent on the ice. He’s got some good puck skills and is a strong skater who makes good decisions on the ice.” The younger Reinhart, listed at 5’9” 140lbs is the third offspring of former NHL’er Paul to head to the WHL. Along with Max, highly touted defenseman Griffin – at 6’4” 205lbs – was taken 3rd overall last year by the Edmonton Oil Kings and will likely suit up for the club this fall. Sam, who isn’t eligible to play full-time for the Ice until the 2011-12 season, will likely suit-up in Major Midget with the defending provincial champion Vancouver Northwest Giants this September.
Holick Coach of the Year; Kootenay nabs another Reinhart
by Jeff Bromley
Personal awards are never a supplement to a club’s on-ice success but once the sting of the first round loss to the Medicine Hat Tigers subsided, the recognition of some things this season that went right for Ice head coach Mark Holick and his hockey club helped in the healing.
Looking to begin his fourth year in the WHL this September Holick was named the WHL's Coach of the Year over Everett’s Craig Hartsburg April 29 in Edmonton. This week Holick will go up against the CHL’s best for the national award at the Memorial Cup in Brandon. “You don’t start out at the beginning of the year and say hey, I want to be coach of the year,” said Holick as he prepared to head to Brandon for the CHL Awards May 22. Holick will stand against London’s Dale Hunter (OHL) and Saint John’s Gerard Gallant (QMJHL) for the CHL honour. “You want to go out and do the best job you can and whatever happens, happens. Fortunately we as a staff were recognized for our efforts. For me (the nomination) was a feather in the cap and everything else that comes after is just gravy.”
Keying in on the underdog theme – not unlike his hockey club this season – Holick didn’t think he’d get past the accomplishments of Everett’s Hartsburg and going forward thinks it’ll be pretty tough to stand against the likes of Hunter and Gallant this weekend. “If you want to compare resumes, you’ll find a little bit more on (Hartsburg’s) than mine,” said Holick. “His successes with the World Junior program and being in the NHL for a number of years, I’ve got a lot of respect for him and all coaches that have held a job at this level. Not many people see what goes on and how hard you have to work to be successful. Going forward (to the CHL award), I don’t anticipate anything more but I’m certainly happy that it happened. I’m just flattered to be included in that company.”
Guiding the Ice to a 43-24-3-5 record this season and a fourth-place finish in the Eastern Conference before bowing out to the Medicine Hat Tigers in six games in the first round of the WHL Playoffs, Holick’s club certainly didn’t start the season on a coach-of-the-year pace. Getting out of the gate 5-11 the Ice were at one point 12th in the 12-team conference before rallying from October 30 to finish the season with a 38-13-2-2 record from that point on. On the WHL-champion Calgary Hitmen had more (40) from the same point. “After the start I had my realtor on speed-dial,” Holick quipped. “And we knew coffee-row would be a little upset but at the end of the day we knew our club. Did we think we’d rebound like that? Probably not, but we had some injuries early and a goaltending issue we had to sort out in which Todd (Mathews) grabbed the bull by the horns.”
“The start obviously wasn’t planned but we knew once we had our ducks in a row, we could compete.”
Quick Hits– Since joining the club as head coach in 2007 Holick has amassed a 120-75-10-14 record... Holick is the third Kootenay coach to capture coach of the year honours. Cory Clouston (2005, 2007) did it twice and was the CHL coach of the year in '07 while Ryan McGill was the Western Conference nominee in 2001. He lost out to Regina's Bob Lowes... Ice forward Matt Fraser also took home some WHL hardware at the league awards banquet April 29, winning the WHL Humanitarian of the Year Award. Fraser spearheaded a drive that raised over $14,000 for the East Kootenay Foundation for Health and took home the Doug Wickenheiser Trophy for his efforts. On the ice the Red Deer product, who heads into his last year of junior eligibility this September, had his best year to date scoring 32 goals and 24 assists… At the WHL Draft held in Edmonton the same day Kootenay selected forward Sam Reinhart of West Vancouver with the club’s first round pick, 15th overall. Reinhart, who played this season with Hollyburn Country Club, is the younger brother of current Ice forward Max. “I heard a lot about him this season,” offered Holick, who saw Reinhart play at the provincial U-16 tournament in Prince George in April. “From what I’ve seen he’s got good size and similar to Max in that he’s pretty intelligent on the ice. He’s got some good puck skills and is a strong skater who makes good decisions on the ice.” The younger Reinhart, listed at 5’9” 140lbs is the third offspring of former NHL’er Paul to head to the WHL. Along with Max, highly touted defenseman Griffin – at 6’4” 205lbs – was taken 3rd overall last year by the Edmonton Oil Kings and will likely suit up for the club this fall. Sam, who isn’t eligible to play full-time for the Ice until the 2011-12 season, will likely suit-up in Major Midget with the defending provincial champion Vancouver Northwest Giants this September.
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