OIL KINGS WIELD AXE
Coach, GM get the chop
In the roller-coaster world of major junior hockey, it is always preferable to board on the ascent.
Unfortunately for coach Steve Hamilton and general manager Randy Hansch, they took over the Oil Kings’ train at the summit with only one possible direction to go, and it ended up costing them their respective positions with the Western Hockey League team.
On Monday, Edmonton Oilers president of hockey operations and general manager Peter Chiarelli, who overseas the Oil Kings, announced Hamilton had been fired and the contract of assistant Ryan Marsh would not be renewed, while Hansch would be parting ways after accepting an amateur scouting position with another NHL team.
“A while ago I was in discussions with Peter and it was determined if there was an opportunity to scout at an NHL level, I could investigate that opportunity,” Hansch said. “So I took it all in for a bit and then basically one conversation led to another conversation, which turned into what happened (Monday) where I’m fortunate enough to have a position with a good NHL organization that I’m excited to join.”
While Hansch is moving on, Hamilton and Marsh will be on the hunt for other jobs.
Hamilton, 44, took over as head coach following the Oil Kings’ Memorial Cup championship in 2014. He had been an assistant under head coach Derek Laxdal the previous four seasons as the Oil Kings made it to three consecutive WHL finals, winning twice.
Hamilton took over the Oil Kings after the core of their championship team graduated and tried to guide the club through a rebuilding process, but won’t get an opportunity to come out the other side of that dark tunnel.
In four seasons at the helm, Hamilton amassed a 108-152-28 record. The Oil Kings were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in Hamilton’s first two seasons as head coach and failed to make the playoffs in the next two.
This season, the Oil Kings finished last in the WHL standings with a 22-42-8 record.
“It’s a tough day, Steve and Ryan are good hockey people and friends
We set out a plan and we knew we were going to have a couple of hard years and that’s kind of where we’ve been.
in the business,” Hansch said. “You know it’s a process you’re going to go through (following a championship) and you know it’s a grind to get to where you want to get back to, and unfortunately, you’re going to have a couple of hard years.
“We had three consecutive 50win seasons and went to three consecutive WHL finals, and then go on to win two Western Hockey League championships and then the Memorial Cup in London. We were the last Western League team to do that. We always had a goal to get back there and do that again, but it was just going to take time.”
Hansch took over as general manager from Bob Green the year the Oil Kings went to the Memorial Cup. Before that, he served as an assistant GM to Green since the team’s inception in 2007.
Hansch leaves the team in a good shape for his predecessor, with plenty of young talent on the roster.
Chiarelli is rumoured to have hired Chicago Blackhawks amateur scout and former WHL director of hockey operations Kirt Hill, 30, as director of hockey operations for the Oil Kings.
“I think the plan is still in place and that’s the downside of it that we won’t be here to work with the team and the fine young talent (director of scouting) Jamie (Novakoski) and his staff have drafted and that we acquired and watched them patiently develop into the team we project them to be,” Hansch said. “We set out a plan and we knew we were going to have a couple of hard years and that’s kind of where we’ve been. It’s always been our goal to get back to where we’ve been.”
Before joining the Oil Kings, Hansch, 52, spent 15 seasons with the Kamloops Blazers. The Edmonton-born goaltender played in the WHL with the Victoria Cougars and Blazers before having a short minor-league career.
“It’s a day of mixed emotions, I’ve basically been in the scouting and management side in the WHL for 26 years.” Hansch said. “It’s been even longer having played and been drafted into the league. It’s a big part of my life and the relationships you develop, especially with our group here with the Oil Kings, I’ve been very fortunate to work with a ton of great people.”
In his new role, Hansch will still be around the league and looks forward to following the progress of the team he put together.
“I really look forward to the growth of this team,” Hansch said.
“I think it’s going to be a real exciting team and I think a lot of good things are going to happen.”