Game On Magazine 2017 Game On Magazine - Regular Season Edition | Page 79

passion that I’ve had to be
a coach in the NHL,” says
Patrick. “Obviously, when
we (head coach Lindy Ruff
included) were let go in
Dallas you wonder what
you’re going to do next. I
still loved coaching. From
there, you’re waiting to see
what openings there are and
where they’re going to be.”
The opportunity in
Kootenay happened
quickly and organically.
Among the four NHL teams
Patrick played for during his
career, there was a poignant
47-game stint with the
Hartford Whalers in 1993-
94. One of his teammates at
the time was the late Brad
McCrimmon, an assistant
captain on the team who
had a solid reputation in
the game as an honest, but
ultra-competitive player.
The two became very close
and by extension Patrick also
formulated a relationship
with Brad’s younger brother,
Kelly McCrimmon, who after
decades with the Brandon
Wheat Kings as franchise
owner, general manager and
coach was now the assistant
GM with the expansion
Vegas Golden Knights.
“Kelly asked if I would
consider coaching in the
Western League,” recalls
Patrick. “I said, sure I would.
I didn’t think of much of
it afterward and then a
week later he called again
and said he talked with the
new owners of Kootenay
and indicated there might
be opportunities there.”
The new Ice owners were a
pair of Winnipeggers -- Greg
Fettes and Matt Cockell -- who
had just purchased the team
a month earlier. After some
solid dialogue, Patrick was
offered the job. He accepted.
“We feel very fortunate to
have James Patrick leading
the new ICE Age,” said
Cockell. “James is passionate
about development, a great
communicator and very
progressive in his approach.
Those qualities fit very well
with our culture and is a big
attraction for our players.”
What’s even more
interesting about how it
all came together was that
even before the opportunity
presented itself in Cranbrook,
Patrick admitted the prospect
of working in the WHL
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