The Victoria Grizzlies and general manager and head coach Brad Knight parted ways on Sunday, just 26 games into the 2014-15 B.C. Hockey League season.
Knight took over the team shortly after the B.C. Hockey League 2013-14 campaign, replacing Craig Didmon, who now returns to the hockey club in both capacities. Didmon had taken over both duties from Bill Bestwick, who was let go by the club last December.
That’s now four coaching changes in less than 12 months and, going back eight years, the club has switched coaches 12 times, including two stints each for Didmon and Vic Gervais. Rylan Ferster, Rick Lanz, Jackson Penny, Geoff Courtnall, Gervais (twice), Len Barrie and Rob Doyle preceded Bestwick’s hiring.
“Things happened rather quickly,” Grizzlies president and alternate governor John Wilson said of the most recent move. “Brad and Donnie [part owner and vice-president of hockey operations Donnie Robinson] were in discussions about the future directions of the hockey club.
“I was going to meet them at the arena and the two arrived earlier. They began discussions and it was during that conversation that Brad decided to step down,” is how Wilson spun it. “It was unexpected and we then decided to bring Craig back as GM and coach.”
Asked if it was as an interim replacement, Wilson said: “We’re hoping it’s long term.”
Didmon had left the club for personal reasons, stating he would be taking a year off coaching, and Knight assumed both jobs heading into the season.
“We feel [Didmon] is the right choice to get us back into the community so that this can be a community team,” said Wilson, who spoke openly to the Times Colonist last week about declining attendance. “Do we want a better record? Absolutely. Do we want more fans? Absolutely.
“Maybe this will be the surest way to get more W’s. We’re close. You’ve seen it with all the one-goal games.”
The Grizzlies — 11-10-0-5 and fourth in the Island Division — have been involved in 19 one-goal outcomes, winning nine and losing 10, including five OT losses. The latest defeat was a 3-2 double-OT loss in Nanaimo on Friday after leading 2-0. That followed a 5-2 setback at home to Cowichan Valley on Wednesday.
Knight, who did not want to comment on his departure from the club, described the 5-2 loss as a, “coach-killer” outcome — he was correct, leaving the club just a game later.
“There are a lot of circumstances,” said Wilson. “Brad’s a good guy and a good hockey man. It’s just not a good fit at this time. We wish him nothing but the best and hopefully he lands on his feet.”
Associate coach Scott Hawthorne remains with the Grizzlies, but Micah Aivazoff will not return. Didmon will look for another assistant.
Didmon, Hawthorne, Wilson and Robinson addressed the team Monday morning. Claps were heard throughout the closed-door session and the team was very upbeat and chatty coming out.
“The meeting was very good,” said veteran Jay Mackie. “The overwhelming message was of positivity. The owners and coaches want what is best for the players and they want to see this team succeed on the ice and bring back some fans.
“It’s a good feeling and I think everyone is excited,” added Mackie, who has gone through all four changes in the last year. “I know everyone appreciates what Brad did for us and we’re all grateful and we’re excited to work under Dids now.”
Captain Shawn McBride has experienced even more change since first playing as an affiliated player at age 16.
“It’s like déjà vu, I think I’ve had five or six coaches,” said McBride who also played under Barrie and Doyle. “It doesn’t affect me much because I just try and focus on what I can control with my day-to-day work ethic.
“They’ve all been good coaches and have taught me different things. It was a good meeting this morning and it’s nice to have everyone on the same page. It’s definitely an emotional time. You don’t want to go through these changes, but sometimes you have to,” added the team captain.
As for Didmon, he said: “I wanted to take the full year off. I’ve taken eight months — I like the team, I like the kids. These are all guys that I recruited, that I made promises to [before leaving] and hopefully I can come in and fulfil those for the boys.
“We want to have a lot of fun, we want to win a lot of hockey games and we want to create an environment where the community is going to want to come out and watch us,” added Didmon.
The team held a captain’s skate in the early afternoon Monday without Didmon on the ice. He will be behind the bench Friday when the Grizzlies visit Cowichan Valley and return home Saturday to host Merritt.
“I expect us to move ahead and start to climb that standings chart,” said Didmon, who made his first move by adding local product Nic Guiney to his players’ list. Guiney had been playing in the Vancouver Island Junior League with the Westshore Wolves.
