Richard Matvichuk enjoys the highest profile sports job in Prince George after he was officially introduced as the 12th head coach of the Cougars before a couple of hundred die-hard fans at the Kin 1 Atrium.
The 20 minute news conference was polished, with General Manager Todd Harkins and Matvichuk, the only speakers.
In addition, there was an impressive video tribute on Matvichuk’s hockey career that was highlighted by a Stanley Cup win with the Dallas Stars in 1999.
The 43-year-old ex-defenceman played 796 regular season and 123 playoff games over 14 seasons in the NHL. One day he plans to return to the NHL in a coaching capacity.
“You are absolutely crazy to say within hockey right now, if your goal is not to get to the National (Hockey) League, it’s kind of weird. I was there once. I was successful at that level,” stated Matvichuk in his first mass media interview since landing the coveted job.
For Matvichuk’s goal to be realized, he will need similar success with the Cougars as he enjoyed with the ECHL’s Missouri Mavericks. He was named Coach and Executive of the Year after posting a regular season best 52-15-5 record in the 2015-16 regular season.
This begs the question, what would be deemed successful in Prince George?
“Our first goal is to win our division, to win the Conference, you know to get into the playoffs; but our ultimate goal is to win everything we can,” stated Matvichuk, who signed a three-year contract that was effective June 1st.
Guiding Prince George to a banner winning season would certainly raise his credentials. That’s the lofty objective, something the 11 previous head coaches of the Cougars were unable to achieve.
Matvichuk takes over a middle of the pack team with tons of veterans that need to jell, and he promises a no non sense take charge approach.
“Defence wins championships but we want to score goals. Our forecheck is going to be aggressive and the days of sitting back in the 1-4 or 1-3-1, that will not be our team.”
Sure there will be regular season pressure on Matvichuk, who comes with no WHL coaching experience, which means no baggage from elsewhere, but he will be largely graded on the Cougars results in the playoffs.
Like most of the other 21 WHL teams, expectations are very high, and judging by his first impression to the P.G. fans, this is a challenge that Matvichuk not only accepts, but embraces.
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Considering his strong offensive prowess, it was baffling that the leading scorer for the P.G. Farr Fabricating Bantams was overlooked in the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft.
The disappointment for Corey Cunningham and his family in early May has now turned to jubilation in early June.
Cunningham, who racked up a whopping 74 goals and 131 points in the 2015-16 season, has just been listed by the Vancouver Giants as one of their 50 protected players.
He also received strong interest from at least three other WHL teams; Red Deer, Tri-City and Prince George.
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“My family really needs my help right now in Lally Trucking and my girlfriend and I will be settling down soon. I don’t think it is the right time to be traveling and getting punched in the face.”
These are the words of Kenny Lally, one of the most distinguished boxers to be born and raised in Prince George.
The 26-year-old Lally has decided to retire after 126 fights over a 14-year career that has seen him win 11 Provincial titles, a P.G. record 7 national championships and a bronze medal at the 2015 Pan-Am Games in Toronto.
“I don’t want to be a vegetable by the time I am 30. I have suffered a few cuts already. I’m just not into getting punched anymore,” said Lally who decided it wasn’t worth the battle to compete at the final Olympic-qualifier this month in Baku, Azerbaijan.
One has to give Kenny credit for knowing the right time to get out. It’s easy for someone else to suggest to keep going while in the prime of your life, but once a fighter loses that burning desire, moving to the next phase of life is the right decision.
“Having no headgear anymore, and some of the cuts that are happening now, and even though I am funded by the government you can’t pay me enough to get back in there. Getting hit is not fun.”
Lally hasn’t mentally recovered from his last bout, a close controversial loss in the Bantamweight 56 Kilos quarter-finals at the 2016 American Boxing Olympic Qualification Tournament in Buenos Aires that left him with a 1-1 record in the tournament, two victories shy of a berth at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics. Lally was one of 13 fighters to represent Boxing Canada in Argentina.
“What really made my decision the most is when I flew down to Argentina and everybody knew that I beat Venezuela (Jose Vicente Diaz) and for them to just take it away from me like that, especially with all the work I put in moving to Montreal for two months, I am just sick and tired of the politics.”
Lally has been fortunate to have long-time coach and friend Bob Pegues in his corner.
The inseparable pair has pushed each other through daily workouts that has been a grind.
Lally wants one more fight with the bout to be in his hometown and Pegues will make sure that will happen.
Tentative plans call for Kenny to headline a P.G. card in November that Pegues is hoping will include team members of Ireland’s national boxing team.
Yes, one last hurrah, one last send off, and one last time to hear the music and the cheers that go with it.
And of course, the plan is for one last victory.
Kenny Lally deserves to go out his way.
From the Quote Rack:
Happy Birthday to legendary boxer Sugar Ray Leonard, who (recently) turned 60! You can tell he’s getting older by his new name — Splenda Ray Leonard.
NBC’s Jimmy Fallon
Matthew Dellavadova of the Cleveland Cavaliers denied that he hurt his hand when he fouled Andre Igoudala of the Golden State Warriors in Game One of the NBA Finals, but Draymond Green offered Matthew his knee pad to wear on it anyway.
Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California
TMZ reports that New York Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr and Khloe Kardashian are dating. Let me guess – another 1 handed catch?
Comedy writer TC Chong of Vancouver http://alwaysfunny.com/
Virginia McLaurin, 107, went to her first MLB game at Nationals Park. 107. Wow! To put this in perspective, Ms. McLaurin was born only two years after the Cubs won their last World Series.
Comedy writer Janice Hough of Palo Alto, California www.leftcoastsportsbabe.com
New York Mets pitcher Hansel Robles has given up four home runs to his last 11 batters. I think manager Terry Collins is starting to regrettle going with Hansel.
Contributor Marc Ragovin
And in case you missed it:
The Savanna Bananas baseball team just adopted a puppy found in their parking lot. Possible nicknames include The Yankee Yipper, Dogfish Hunter, Poochie Wilson, Yasiel Pug and Bark McGwire.
Comedy writer RJ Currie www.Sportsdeke.com
Hartley Miller is the sports director and morning news anchor for 94.3 the Goat. He also is the 94.3 radio color commentator for P.G. Cougars home games. His column appears Fridays on myprincegeorgenow.com. Send along a quote, note, or anecdote to [email protected]
Follow him on twitter: @Hartley_Miller
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