Ex-pro MacMillan returning to Vees
A former standout for the Penticton Vees who went on to be drafted by the Montreal Canadiens has returned to the fold.
The club announced Wednesday it has hired Mark MacMillan as assistant coach to replace Steve Cawley, who will become assistant general manager and director of scouting for the B.C. Hockey League squad.
MacMillan spent the past two seasons as coach and general manager of the Summerland Steam of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League.
“I am very excited to have Mark join our staff, as he checked all the boxes of what I was looking for in this position,” said Vees coach and president Fred Harbinson in a press release.
“As an alum, Mark will be able to relate to our players as he utilized the BCHL as a platform to develop, be drafted to the NHL, and move on to the NCAA and pro hockey. The development of our players from September to May has always been a cornerstone of our success year after year. His addition will ensure this trend continues.”
MacMillan is eager to get started with the Vees, who are back-to-back BCHL playoff champions.
“Having played for the Vees and watching the success the organization has had over the years, I am very excited to join the coaching staff,” said MacMillan in the release.
“I am looking forward to sharing my experiences both as a player and a coach with our team to aid in their development as players and people.”
MacMillan, 31, suited up for 40 games with the Vees in 2010-11 and recorded 57 points. He spent the next four seasons at the University of North Dakota, then another six seasons after that playing professional hockey in North America and Europe.
Although he was picked 113th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, McMillan never played in the big league.
As of June 1, the BCHL is operating independently from Hockey Canada after a messy divorce. Players and officials who participate in the BCHL will be ineligible to compete in Hockey Canada-sanctioned leagues and activities, such as minor hockey leagues, the Canadian Sport School Hockey League, the KIJHL and international competitions.
While the BCHL will still require at least five B.C. products on each team’s roster, clubs will now be able to recruit players under 18 from anywhere in the world, except Belarus and Russia due to tensions there.
Other changes include ongoing special events, like the outdoor all-star game staged in January in Penticton, plus more work on raising the standard of play and entertainment value right across the 18team league.
All of that is meant to lure more talented players and scholarships to the BCHL, says the league.