POLICE INVESTIGATE EX-COACH
Lynch has extensive ties to Sask.
Bernie Lynch, a veteran hockey coach with extensive connections to Saskatchewan, is under police investigation regarding “allegations of historical criminal activity.”
A Hockey Canada spokesperson disclosed the “criminal investigation” in response to a Regina Leader-post/saskatoon Starphoenix inquiry regarding Lynch's status with the sport's governing body.
Earlier this year, Hockey Canada had investigated Lynch's alleged inappropriate electronic communications with a player on an Ontario-based team — the Superior International Junior Hockey League's Fort Frances Lakers.
According to a statement issued by the Lakers on March 8, team management was made aware of the alleged situation Jan. 1. He was promptly suspended without pay and ordered not to have any further contact with players or anyone else involved with the team, the statement said.
The Lakers severed ties with Lynch in March, and now the investigating is being done outside hockey circles.
“At this point, there is a criminal investigation ongoing,” Spencer Sharkey, Hockey Canada's manager, communications, wrote in an email. “The police are investigating allegations of historical criminal activity involving Mr. Lynch and our organization is co-operating with the police on this matter.
“Hockey Canada has spoken with both parents of the Fort Frances player, once on March 8 and again on April 8. The lines of communication have remained open between the family and Hockey Canada.
“Upon receiving the original emails sent by Mr. Lynch, we understood the severity of the situation and immediately determined this communication to be inappropriate. Hockey Canada took immediate steps to ensure the safety of the player in question and the balance of the players on the team.”
CBC reported that Lynch, 66, is being investigated in Regina and Edson, Alta. Lynch could not be reached for comment as of late Thursday afternoon.
Regina Police Service spokeswoman Elizabeth Popowich would neither confirm nor deny whether city police are investigating Lynch at this time.
“We never speak about someone by name until or if that person is charged,” she said.
Lynch first coached in Saskatchewan in 1983, when he was hired by the SJHL'S Humboldt Broncos. With Lynch as the head coach and general manager, Humboldt won the 1985-86 and 1986-87 SJHL championships.
The 1987-88 Broncos again finished atop the regular-season standings, with a 51-7-2 record, but the community-owned team's board of directors nonetheless fired Lynch on March 15, 1988 — two games into the playoffs.
Lynch soon resurfaced as an assistant coach with the WHL'S Regina Pats, under head coach/gm Dennis Sobchuk. When Sobchuk decided to focus on the GM'S responsibilities, Lynch was promoted to head coach on Nov. 14, 1988. His contract was not renewed by the Pats after the season.
Lynch went on to coach in Regina minor hockey — most notably with the under-18 Regina Pat Canadians during the 1997-98 season, after which he was suspended.
In October 2000, Lynch applied to Regina's Court of Queen Bench asking a judge to order Hockey Regina to reinstate him.
According to Lynch's notice of motion in that action, Hockey Regina suspended him in August 1998 pending an investigation into allegations “he had previously been inappropriately and sexually involved with a team member.”
It goes on to state police investigated but didn't substantiate the allegations, which in court his lawyer described as “spurious.”
Later that month, Justice Eugene Scheibel wrote a decision acknowledging that Lynch was no longer under suspension by Hockey Regina and was free to apply for any coaching positions that became available.
Lynch later returned to coaching in minor hockey and also spent the 2004-05 season coaching the junior B Regina Capitals.
He went on to coach in Minot, N.D., the Czech Republic and Sweden before returning to Canada in 2017 as an assistant with the Smiths Falls (Ont.) Settlers of the Canadian Premier Junior Hockey League.
He spent the next two seasons as head coach of the Western States Hockey League's Edson Aeros before joining the Lakers in September.
The police are investigating allegations of historical criminal activity