If the guy behind the Victoria Royals bench looked familiar Friday night to old-school hockey fans at Sandman Centre in Kamloops, there was a reason.
鈥淚t鈥檚 ironic this [Royals coaching gig] should start where it all began,鈥� said Doug Bodger, referring to the fact he played two seasons of junior in the Western Hockey League with the Kamloops Junior Oilers.
The former NHL defenceman from Chemainus was named assistant coach of the Royals, joining previously announced assistant Dan Price, on the staff with head coach Dave Lowry.
The Royals opened the WHL preseason with a 5-3 victory over the Kamloops Blazers. Dante Hannoun scored three times for Victoria and fellow returning veteran Tyler Soy and rookie Dino Kambeitz once each. Soy added an assist and returnee Regan Nagy and rookie Gunnar Wegleitner two assists each. Dean McNabb started in goal for Victoria and made 32 saves.
Bodger, meanwhile, played 16 seasons and more than 1,000 games in the NHL, and the Victoria organization is hoping the 50-year-old Islander鈥檚 ample experience at the highest level will help aid the Royals players in their development.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 think I would want to do this [stay in hockey], but the more I stayed away from it, the more I wanted to get back into it,鈥� said Bodger, a mobile rearguard who had 106 goals and 528 points in the NHL.
He began his coaching journey as assistant of the Cowichan Valley Capitals of the sa国际传媒 Hockey League in 2003-04 and 2005-06, and last season was assistant coach of the Shawnigan Lake School bantam prep team.
鈥淵ou always go back to the things you know, and this was my life from age five to 32. It鈥檚 in the DNA. It鈥檚 what you know and what you should stick with,鈥� said Bodger, who played for six NHL teams, and for sa国际传媒 three times at the world championships, earning a silver medal.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the little things I can help the players with. I have a reasonable amount of knowledge that I can pass along. I learned a lot from different coaches. I took a bit from everybody.鈥�
Bodger and Lowry played together in San Jose with the Sharks.
鈥淪o I picked up the phone and gave Dave a call,鈥� said Bodger.
鈥淚 will focus mostly on the back side [defence] and also have experience on special teams.鈥�
Royals GM Cam Hope cited Bodger鈥檚 鈥渆xperience and knowledge.鈥�
The Royals continue the preseason tonight in Kelowna against the Rockets and Sunday in Everett, Washington, against the Tri-City Americans.
