Sput
03-09-2007, 06:21 PM
from www.princegeorgecitizen.com
Friday, March 9, 2007
Yawney not closing the door
Former NHL coach open to Couagars job , but contract with Chicago a major hurdle
by JIM SWANSON, Citizen Sports Editor
Trent Yawney isn’t committing to anything.
That is to say, he’s not saying yes — but he’s not saying no, either.
The former NHL head coach, spending time this week in Prince George as an advisor/observer for the Cougars, is not ruling out a suggestion he could be behind the team’s bench at some point in the future.
If it happens — and that should be ‘IF’ in capital letters — it won’t be this season, in large part because Yawney is still under contract to the Chicago Blackhawks. It may not be next season, because that same contract is in place for next winter, and the rate of pay on his NHL deal is far higher than what any WHL club would pay for his services.
But it is clear that Yawney, a former Saskatoon Blade who says his current work with the Cougars is a thank-you to owner Rick Brodsky and former general manager Daryl Lubiniecki, who gave him his start in junior hockey, wants to coach again.
Yawney, who will watch the Cougars face the Kamloops Blazers tonight and Saturday, has noticed what the rest of the hockey world has seen the last few years — former NHL coaches have landed on their feet in major junior. That list includes Don Hay (who returned to the WHL twice after NHL gigs), Kevin Constantine, Lorne Molleken, Ted Nolan, Craig Hartsburg and Bruce Cassidy.
“Lubie, Rick and I go way back and I’m glad to help them out,” Yawney said a day after watching the Cougars lose 4-3 to the Calgary Hitmen, his third night watching the Cats play this season.
“I hadn’t seen junior hockey live for 16 years, so I’m glad to offer what I can offer and, at the same time, learn some things. It gets me out of the house and my 14-year-old daughter, I think, is quite glad to have dad out of the house for awhile.
“I love to coach, and I’m not going to rule out anything. There are only so many jobs and there are a lot of great coaches. I really enjoyed my time in the (AHL) and I’m getting used to watching junior hockey. The hockey is very good. Where this all takes me, we’ll see. Right now, (Drew Schoneck) is the coach and he’s done a great job.”
Yawney is sketchy about a future that is directly tied to his contractual status with Chicago.
“I get paid to not do anything right now, but I enjoy coming to the games,” said Yawney.
“I’m going to take it day-by-day, because right now no (NHL) team is going to be doing (any hiring). I’m going to wait for another opportunity and hopefully it comes sooner than later.
“I want to get into a stable situation, one where there’s an opportunity to win and build something everyone can be proud of.”
None of what Yawney says bothers Schoneck, who took his first head-man job in the fall after Mike Vandekamp was fired. Schoneck, known as a team-first player in his time in the WHL and pro hockey, readily admits he can learn from a coach with a successful past in the AHL and NHL.
“How could you not want to work with a guy like Trent on a full-time basis?” said Schoneck. “Trent’s been in the NHL and he knows what it takes to get to the next level both as a player and as a coach. For some of our guys who are hoping to get there, he can add knowledge for them. He looked at the game tape from (Tuesday’s game) and picked out things, and we’re close on what our philosophies are. He’s a big help.
“If it came down to (Yawney being hired by the Cougars), I certainly wouldn’t have a problem with it.”
First and foremost, Rick Brodsky, the owner of the Cougars, is sensitive to what this talk means to Schoneck. But beyond that, Brodsky knows a coach of Yawney’s calibre would only help the team from a variety of standpoints — on the ice, and recruiting.
“We’ve only really skirted the issue about last year, I’ve more than dropped the hint,” said Brodsky.
“We’re going to leave no stone unturned to see that we have the best coaching staff we can have for next year.”
Brodsky said he has not pinned Yawney down on what it would take contractually to get him and his family to leave Chicago for Prince George.
“There are some obstacles, and I haven’t really got the whole picture,” said Brodsky, who said there will be no changes of any kind between now and the end of the playoffs.
“I know he’s in a contractual situation with Chicago and he has to protect himself and his family first and foremost. He’s in no position to jeopardize what he has in place with the Blackhawks. But he’s a coach, and coaches want to coach. How this plays out, I really don’t know. I am happy to know that someone like Trent and Terry Simpson (another advisor) have been willing to lend their expertise to us.”
The team’s coaching situation has been a bit of a mess since Vandekamp and Stew Malgunas were dismissed in November. Schoneck, who had worked as an assistant in three other WHL centres since graduating from junior, was hired from Powell River of the BCHL. But general manager Dallas Thompson was forced to stay on the bench and help when no suitable assistant could be found in mid-season.
“I’m very happy with the job Drew has done, and in his position he’s really been a sponge in trying to absorb as much coaching knowledge as he can,” said Brodsky.
“If we can get into a situation where he can learn more and become an even better coach for the future, he’s all for it. Drew came in at a very difficult time for the organization and deserves to be rewarded for what he’s done. We’ve had to do some things to change the culture, and we’ve made some strides. It will be better to sit and assess the (coaching) situation in the summer when there are more people available.”
Brodsky said another aspect he’s spent the last two months working on is aiding Thompson in solidifying the scouting staff. Brodsky traveled to Alaska and added a scout for that region, and has put a California scout in place.
“These are things that are going to bode well for the Prince George Cougars in the not-too-distant future,” said Brodsky.
Friday, March 9, 2007
Yawney not closing the door
Former NHL coach open to Couagars job , but contract with Chicago a major hurdle
by JIM SWANSON, Citizen Sports Editor
Trent Yawney isn’t committing to anything.
That is to say, he’s not saying yes — but he’s not saying no, either.
The former NHL head coach, spending time this week in Prince George as an advisor/observer for the Cougars, is not ruling out a suggestion he could be behind the team’s bench at some point in the future.
If it happens — and that should be ‘IF’ in capital letters — it won’t be this season, in large part because Yawney is still under contract to the Chicago Blackhawks. It may not be next season, because that same contract is in place for next winter, and the rate of pay on his NHL deal is far higher than what any WHL club would pay for his services.
But it is clear that Yawney, a former Saskatoon Blade who says his current work with the Cougars is a thank-you to owner Rick Brodsky and former general manager Daryl Lubiniecki, who gave him his start in junior hockey, wants to coach again.
Yawney, who will watch the Cougars face the Kamloops Blazers tonight and Saturday, has noticed what the rest of the hockey world has seen the last few years — former NHL coaches have landed on their feet in major junior. That list includes Don Hay (who returned to the WHL twice after NHL gigs), Kevin Constantine, Lorne Molleken, Ted Nolan, Craig Hartsburg and Bruce Cassidy.
“Lubie, Rick and I go way back and I’m glad to help them out,” Yawney said a day after watching the Cougars lose 4-3 to the Calgary Hitmen, his third night watching the Cats play this season.
“I hadn’t seen junior hockey live for 16 years, so I’m glad to offer what I can offer and, at the same time, learn some things. It gets me out of the house and my 14-year-old daughter, I think, is quite glad to have dad out of the house for awhile.
“I love to coach, and I’m not going to rule out anything. There are only so many jobs and there are a lot of great coaches. I really enjoyed my time in the (AHL) and I’m getting used to watching junior hockey. The hockey is very good. Where this all takes me, we’ll see. Right now, (Drew Schoneck) is the coach and he’s done a great job.”
Yawney is sketchy about a future that is directly tied to his contractual status with Chicago.
“I get paid to not do anything right now, but I enjoy coming to the games,” said Yawney.
“I’m going to take it day-by-day, because right now no (NHL) team is going to be doing (any hiring). I’m going to wait for another opportunity and hopefully it comes sooner than later.
“I want to get into a stable situation, one where there’s an opportunity to win and build something everyone can be proud of.”
None of what Yawney says bothers Schoneck, who took his first head-man job in the fall after Mike Vandekamp was fired. Schoneck, known as a team-first player in his time in the WHL and pro hockey, readily admits he can learn from a coach with a successful past in the AHL and NHL.
“How could you not want to work with a guy like Trent on a full-time basis?” said Schoneck. “Trent’s been in the NHL and he knows what it takes to get to the next level both as a player and as a coach. For some of our guys who are hoping to get there, he can add knowledge for them. He looked at the game tape from (Tuesday’s game) and picked out things, and we’re close on what our philosophies are. He’s a big help.
“If it came down to (Yawney being hired by the Cougars), I certainly wouldn’t have a problem with it.”
First and foremost, Rick Brodsky, the owner of the Cougars, is sensitive to what this talk means to Schoneck. But beyond that, Brodsky knows a coach of Yawney’s calibre would only help the team from a variety of standpoints — on the ice, and recruiting.
“We’ve only really skirted the issue about last year, I’ve more than dropped the hint,” said Brodsky.
“We’re going to leave no stone unturned to see that we have the best coaching staff we can have for next year.”
Brodsky said he has not pinned Yawney down on what it would take contractually to get him and his family to leave Chicago for Prince George.
“There are some obstacles, and I haven’t really got the whole picture,” said Brodsky, who said there will be no changes of any kind between now and the end of the playoffs.
“I know he’s in a contractual situation with Chicago and he has to protect himself and his family first and foremost. He’s in no position to jeopardize what he has in place with the Blackhawks. But he’s a coach, and coaches want to coach. How this plays out, I really don’t know. I am happy to know that someone like Trent and Terry Simpson (another advisor) have been willing to lend their expertise to us.”
The team’s coaching situation has been a bit of a mess since Vandekamp and Stew Malgunas were dismissed in November. Schoneck, who had worked as an assistant in three other WHL centres since graduating from junior, was hired from Powell River of the BCHL. But general manager Dallas Thompson was forced to stay on the bench and help when no suitable assistant could be found in mid-season.
“I’m very happy with the job Drew has done, and in his position he’s really been a sponge in trying to absorb as much coaching knowledge as he can,” said Brodsky.
“If we can get into a situation where he can learn more and become an even better coach for the future, he’s all for it. Drew came in at a very difficult time for the organization and deserves to be rewarded for what he’s done. We’ve had to do some things to change the culture, and we’ve made some strides. It will be better to sit and assess the (coaching) situation in the summer when there are more people available.”
Brodsky said another aspect he’s spent the last two months working on is aiding Thompson in solidifying the scouting staff. Brodsky traveled to Alaska and added a scout for that region, and has put a California scout in place.
“These are things that are going to bode well for the Prince George Cougars in the not-too-distant future,” said Brodsky.