New GM wants a familiar face to guide Giants
Head coach McKee sacked after guiding much-improved WHL team back to the playoffs for first time in four seasons
I wondered if Jason McKee would finish next season as coach of the Vancouver Giants. I did believe he’d at least get a chance to start the season.
Vancouver took a step forward this past season with McKee back for a second campaign at the helm. The club made the playoffs for the first time in four seasons.
They should take another step or two this coming season.
The Giants lose top offensive threats Ty Ronning and Tyler Benson to the pro ranks, but they have two capable goalies, five defencemen who received considerable ice time and three or four legitimate Top 6 forwards coming back.
They’re going to have eyes on them, what with Vancouver and Victoria playing host to the world juniors, and second-year Giants’ defenceman Bowen Byram pegged by many to be an early firstround pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, which also happens to be in Vancouver.
In this writer’s mind, the franchise has a chance to recover a little of the cachet they had in their Western Hockey League heyday. In my mind, if the Giants don’t win at least two playoff rounds, the season will be a disappointment.
New general manager Barclay Parneta says: “I expect to win the B.C. Division.”
I thought the first time things went sideways for Vancouver this coming season, McKee would be in harm’s way, particularly with a new GM in town.
McKee never got that far. Parneta fired him Friday with one year remaining on the three-year deal McKee signed in July 2016. He was coming off a lengthy stint of success in the Alberta Junior A ranks.
“For me, I’d like someone I’m more familiar with. I don’t want to be starting a year with someone I’m just getting to know,” Parneta said.
That’s not much of a hint about what the Giants might do, considering Parneta has been involved in the scouting and player personnel game for decades and knows hundreds of people.
Consider Serge Lajoie, who recently lost his gig guiding the Alberta Golden Bears.
Lajoie is the father of TriCity Americans’ defence prospect Marc Lajoie. Parneta was assistant general manager of the Americans until signing on with the Giants on May 23.
Lajoie’s name was mentioned for the Saskatoon Blades’ head coaching job that went to Mitch Love.
McKee was the Giants’ fourth coach since the team parted ways with longtime bench boss Don Hay in May 2014.
Looking back, Giants players did get better under McKee. That’s undeniable.
He led the Giants to a 36-27-6-3 record in the regular season, a 35-point jump in the standings over the previous campaign.
One name that’s come up repeatedly in various coaching searches is Michael Dyck, a former Giants’ assistant coach who excelled in guiding the Lethbridge Hurricanes for a time.
Dyck has had success for the past few years guiding minor hockey teams in Lethbridge. He was Byram’s coach in bantam.
Parneta would be familiar with him through that. Also, they both have done work for Hockey Canada.
Dean Chynoweth was McKee’s assistant last season. He has head coaching experience in the WHL with both the Seattle Thunderbirds and Swift Current Broncos. He was said to be looking at other options recently.
You would think the Giants would have named him bench boss on Friday if that’s what their plan is.
It’s unlikely the Giants would go back to Hay after his seemingly forced retirement from the Kamloops Blazers earlier this off-season.
Parneta didn’t share a timeline for hiring a new coach, but it could be coming soon.