A new face will be stepping behind the bench for the Cold Lake Jr. A Wings.
The team announced on Aug. 22 Troy Mick will be the new general manager and head coach.
Mick has been involved with hockey his entire life. His love for the game started when he was growing up, and played for the Greater Vernon Minor Hockey Association (GVMHA) in British Columbia. He moved on to the Jr. A and major Jr. levels, and was a draft pick for the Pittsburgh Penguins later on in his career. With two decades of experience both on the ice and as a coach, Mick, who hung up his skates to take up coaching after a knee injury in 1994, is enthusiastic about what’s ahead for the team.
“I really love working with the kids and developing, not only the junior age, but obviously the younger ages with hockey schools,” he said.
At the Jr. A level, Mick has led teams in the Western Hockey League (WHL), British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL), and the Kootenay International Jr. Hockey League (KIJHL). He won two national championships with the Vernon Vipers in the BCHL, and took the Revelstoke Grizzlies to the KIJHL Jr. B Western Canadian Championship.
Last year, Mick volunteered alongside his brother-in-law with the GVMHA. He said getting back on the bench with family “put the passion back in my heart” for hockey, which prompted Mick to apply for the open position in Cold Lake.
“Getting in the room with the boys and going on the bus trips to games with them, as much as a lot of people might not think that’s fun, it really is when you’re developing 25 young men,” he expressed. “It’s not just about hockey, it’s about moving them onto the next level and getting an education, because I’m a firm believer that hockey only lasts you a certain amount of your life, but, your education and who you are lasts forever.”
This season will mark the Wings’ first as part of the Greater Metro Hockey League (GMHL), an independent group based out of Ontario with 25 teams under their banner. The local boys will face-off against the Slave Lake Icedogs, Rosetown Red Wings, and Enoch Tomahawks.
The team joined the GMHL after severing ties with the Western States Hockey League (WSHL) earlier this year. The GMHL picked them up June 2019.
GMHL West CAO Bryan Keller said when considering their options for the Wings’ head coach, it was a no-brainer to hire Mick.
“I think his resume and history dictates why a lot of teams and organizations would like to have him involved with their team and organization, especially one that’s starting somewhat from scratch,” he continued. “He’s had success throughout his almost 20 years in Jr. A hockey throughout western Canada… It was simply a conversation when it started, and we kind of built it from there. We were fortunate enough to secure him and move forward.”
When asked to describe his coaching approach, Mick stressed his focus on the offensive side of the game.
“The game has kind of turned more defensive-style, or coaches want to win 2-1. I’m a coach that has no problem winning 7-5, because fans are paying good money to come and watch you play. We’re in the entertainment business, and obviously, if we have a lot of goals we get the fans on their feet, and I think we’ve done our job,” he detailed.
After sending his son to Europe, where he recently signed a hockey pro contract, Mick plans to move to Cold Lake from Vernon, B.C. full-time on his own. His focus for the coming weeks will be recruiting players, working alongside returning assistant coach Ryder Prue, and learning about his responsibilities as head coach and general manager.
“We’re going to change a few things, but I think the most important thing is Cold Lake has a great facility, they have great fan support, and we’ve got to earn everything back from them again. Obviously, I’m looking forward to it. I’ve never run away from a challenge in my life, and I’m not starting today. I’m looking forward to being a member of this community.”
It will be the Rosetown Red Wings who will face-off against the Wings in their home opener on Oct. 4 at Imperial Oil Place.
