Rockets part ways with another head coach

KELOWNA — The Kelowna Rockets are in the market for another new head coach — their fourth in as many years now.

Brad Ralph won’t be returning for a second season, the WHL club announced Monday morning in a carefully-worded statement that painted the picture of a mutual parting. Ralph gave thanks for the opportunity and wished the franchise success in the future, and general manager Bruce Hamilton was equally cordial in avoiding any reference to a firing.

Ralph declined an interview request, while Hamilton did his best to soften the blow in explaining his rationale for taking the team in a different direction.

“It was a mutual agreement between the two of us,” Hamilton insisted. “It’s in his best interests and it’s in our best interests, and we both agreed on that.

“I really think his interest is to get back into pro coaching, and that’s probably a better fit for him. He’s a young guy that has got his feet fully into the coaching world, and I fully expect that he’ll land on his feet coaching somewhere real quick.”

The Rockets don’t plan to rush in hiring Ralph’s replacement and will conduct a thorough search outside the organization, with the intention of also retaining — or potentially even promoting — second-year assistants Kris Mallette and Travis Crickard, who stayed on last summer when former head coach Dan Lambert left to join the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres as an assistant. Lambert had been handed the Rockets’ reins from longtime bench boss Ryan Huska and was successful in leading Kelowna to a league title and all the way to the Memorial Cup final in his only year at the helm last season. Huska moved on to head up the Calgary Flames’ farm team and could now be a candidate for their NHL coaching vacancy.