Ferster Steps Down

Word today out of Salmon Arm that Coach/GM Rylan Ferster has stepped down. The former Smokies assistant was in his second term with the Silverbacks. He's had a lot of success there and will be difficult to replace. One can only assume from the press release that Ferster has found some kind of work at a higher level. What about a couple of the vacant WHL coaching jobs? The Kootenay Ice have had success with BCHL coaches before. We'll see where he lands. Good luck to Rylan who was always a class act and easy to deal with. Even when he was giving me a quick shove during my broadcast lats year!

Big turn over with Salmon Arm this year as they fired Coach Matt Hughes after the season and now need to replace their GM as well. It'll be interesting to see what names become available. There was speculation a few months ago that former Vipers Coach Troy Mick might be the name to slide in there. However, Mick has since moved from Revelstoke to a position with Pursuit of Excellence. I would think that takes him out of the running.

A couple of names that pop into my head as possibilities include Vipers assistant Jason Williamson. Hard not to be interested in a guy who was a big part of back to back national champions. What about a top KIJHL coach like Will Verner in in Fernie who has BCHL experience as well? I wonder if former Smoke Eaters Coach Tim Kehler is interested in getting back into the BCHL after being let go in Swift Current. I'm sure there will be applications coming in from all over the hockey world.

Most fans seem to want to talk about Salmon Arm's goaltending situation. I wonder if that will be an issue for any new coach lining up to take over the job. No matter what they won't be short in applicants as they've been a very successful team in a strong market. Good luck to them in their search.

Stay tuned to the blog as today or tomorrow I want to get in to the details of some pretty significant rule changes in the BCHL.

Bill Birks joins the Smokies staff

The Trail Smoke Eaters announced today that Bill Birks will join the team as an Assistant Coach. Birks was previous an assistant to Al Glendinning in Merritt and has playing experience in the BCHL (check Bill out in the picture as a member of the Merritt Warriors) and in minor pro hockey. He played for the Chiefs! It'll give the next airing of Slap Shot on the bus some new meaning.

I haven't had the chance to chat with Birks yet, but Smokies Coach and General Manager Jim Ingram had a chat with me today about the hiring. The key seems to be the passion, dedication and hard work that Birks will bring the Smokies organization. Here is someone who loves the game and will give everything he has to the Smoke Eaters.

Welcome to the Trail, Bill!

Smokies Coach Jim Ingram on hiring Bill Birks

Click here to download

Hughes out in Salmon Arm

Just read on the Salmon Arm website that they've let go of Coach Matt Hughes. He took over as Head Coach this season after spending some time there as an assistant. Clearly the Silverbacks were disappointed by their lackluster finish to the regular season and first round exit against Quesnel. I think it's too early to give up on Matt Hughes... but I'm not in the room there. It's easy to have an opinion when you have no stake in it. I do know that with Rylan Ferster taking over the coaching duties again they'll still have an excellent coach behind the bench either way. I hope he'll be given full authority over hockey decisions. That being said, with Hughes getting let go today and Brian Youngson in Trail yesterday the league has lost a couple of real class acts (or "beauties" as the players would say) in the last 48 hours. Tough part of this business for sure.

What do you think?

I'm in Fernie right now broadcasting game 5 of the KIJHL semi-finals between Nelson and Fernie. They remember their alumni here for sure as I've had a ton of questions about Youngson no longer being with Trail. For the record I really don't have any definitive answers at this stage. The Leafs lead this series 3-1 with a chance to wrap it up tonight. Tune us in on your radio or if you're not in the Kootenays join us at http://www.mountainfm.net/

Smokies part company with Youngson

Word today that the Trail Smoke Eaters have not renewed the contract of Assistant Coach Brian Youngson. I was able to confirm that Brian would indeed not be back with the club. However, the Smokies didn't make an official statement on the matter.

As for Brian, I know he has been pursuing full time work opportunities in the community. He's a family man who welcomed a young son to the Youngson clan last summer. It strikes me that at this point that family is Brian's top priority. As much as hockey is a passion for him I think practical interests come into play as well. I know we all have those thoughts sometimes! Either way he'll be successful at whatever it is he does.

I know I'll miss having him around. Over the past 3 years I've certainly come to consider Brian a friend. I also owe him big because he introduced me to my girlfriend. That's a debt I can never repay. He's a great guy with a hell of a sense of humour who it is always fun to talk hockey with. I know he was always very accommodating to me whenever I needed something and I look forward to continuing that friendship away from the bus and the rink.

Youngson joined the Smoke Eaters for the 2006-07 season under Tim Kehler. The team had a very good season finishing 3rd and winning a playoff round. He's been with the club now for four seasons and has become ingrained in the community. I've always known Brian to have a good relationship with the players, but he won't pull any punches either. He's got a good eye for the game and I've learned a lot from our conversations. No one can say he didn't make a very solid contribution over his tenure with the team.

Youngson started his coaching career as an assistant with Fernie in the KIJHL. That's a team that Brian has been proudly associated with as a player and a coach. He had a good junior career and has proved to be a capable and personable coach as well. That booming voice alone can make an impression.

For whatever reason at this time both the team and Brian needed a change. Sometimes the same situation can get stale. I think it'll end up being good for all involved. I'm certainly curious to see what Coach Ingram and the club do in terms of filling that void.

For now I just wanted to say thanks for Brian for everything he's done for me and for the Smoke Eaters. I'm sure a lot of people in and out of the organization feel the same way.

Robinson Fired in CV, Purinton Takes Over

EDIT: The coaching change is now entirely confirmed (it was before but I hadn't talked to anyone in Duncan) as I just finished interviewing Dale Purinton. Expect that interview in part before our broadcast and in full during the first intermission on Nelson Ford Trail Smoke Eaters play by play. If you aren't in Mountain FM's broadcast area check out our broadcast on our website www.mountainfm.net.

Word broke this afternoon on the BCHL message board that the Cowichan Valley Capitals have fired Head Coach Scott Robinson after a long tenure in Duncan. He's been apparently replaced by former NHL tough guy Dale Purinton. I will say first of all that I have not talked to the Capitals organization and I don't have official confirmation from them that this has happened. However, I'd say I'm over 99% sure that the reports are accurate.

While Cowichan has struggled out of the gate this season, let us not forget the success the club had last year. Robinson took them to a 30-20-1-5 record good enough for third in the conference and second in their division. He also took them to within a game of the conference finals. They were also third in the conference three seasons ago. It seems like Robinson had the team rebuild one year and succeed the next on a regular basis. Even had the Caps in first place once quite a few years aback. For a team that doesn't have the riches that some others do in this league, that is a pretty darn good success rate. However, their struggles early this season under a new majority owner apparently were not acceptable to management. Tonight's game will officially complete one quarter of the season for the Caps. They're 4-9-0-1 right now and one of the few teams from the coast to have done the full four game road trip to the interior... a road trip that I personally believe will lead to a lot of 1-3 and 0-4 records for coast teams this year. The Capitals took a major hit on that road swing with a couple of huge losses. Them being one of the first teams to make that trip this year is perhaps a big factor in that record and Robinson being fired.

I don't know the coast that well nor do I know Robinson that well. He's been very friendly and easy to talk to the two or three times I've had to deal with him. I also know Smokies Coach Jim Ingram obviously speaks very highly of him after serving under him as an assistant coach several years ago. It's never fun to see a good man lose his job. It impacts more than just him but his family, friends and the community. I'm sure he'll land on his feet.

As for Dale Purinton taking over, I have no idea what to expect. He just finished his playing career in 2007-08. It included 181 NHL games with the New York Rangers. He was known as a tough guy who always worked hard. What kind of coach he'll be at this level is impossible to predict now. What I can say though is that often a coaching change like this can serve as a major kick in the butt for a team. We should see an emotional and fired up Caps squad tonight as they try to make an impression on their new coach. Trail is going to have to be on their best if the boys are hoping for a second straight road win.

Our pre-game show gets started at 7:15pm tonight with the puck drop at 7:30 for Nelson Ford Trail Smoke Eaters play by play on Mountain FM.