Kevin Kaminski will be at the Ice Wolves spring camp in Saskatoon this month. (Fresno Monsters/Facebook)

By Derek Cornet

Junior Hockey

New Ice Wolves head coach wants to change team culture

Apr 8, 2019 | 5:03 PM

Former NHLer Kevin “Killer” Kaminski wants to change the team culture of the La Ronge Ice Wolves as the new head coach and general manager.

“We want to get the community behind the team, and we want to be successful both on and off the ice,” he said. “We’re putting a plan together right now. First of all, we have to change the culture there and I feel they have some great pieces to the puzzle.”

It was announced this morning Kaminski was hired to lead the Ice Wolves after Evan Vossen was let go back in February. Kaminski brings with him years of experience playing in the NHL with the Washington Capitols, Quebec Nordique and Minnesota North Stars. He played 11 years of professional hockey and entered coaching immediately after as an assistant coach under Mike Babcock with the American Hockey League’s Cincinnati Mighty Ducks.

Kaminski’s coaching experience goes back two decades with stints in the ECHL and Canadian Hockey League. He most recently coached in the Western States Hockey League with the Fresno Monsters, who finished the 2018/2019 season second in their division. During playoffs, the Monsters made it to the finals and narrowly missed advancing the nationals.

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“With my connections with agents and people in the United States and Canada, we’re going to recruit and not one stone will be left unturned,” Kaminski said. “We need to recruit hard and I have a plan to put a great scouting staff together and it’s going to be a win-win situation.”

Kaminski is originally from Churchbridge, which is southeast of Yorkton. He stated, however, it’s been 27 years since he lived in Saskatchewan aside from coming back for short visits. Kaminski decided to apply for head coach of the Ice Wolves because the timing was right.

“I want to move up and I think this is a good stepping stone in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League,” he said.

In a press release, Ice Wolves President Grant Merriman stated the board is ecstatic to have Kaminski lead the team.

“His experience in playing and coaching were exactly what we were looking to bring into our organization,” he said. “We are looking forward to a strong season with all of our returning players under the guidance of a top-level coach like Kevin Kaminski.”

The press release also stated Gaelan Patterson was promoted from assistant coach to associate coach and general manager. Travis Hegland will also be returning in the 2019/2020 season as the athletic therapist.

The Ice Wolves haven’t advanced to playoffs in three seasons and ended the 2018-2019 season with only 10 wins.

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno