The Victoria Royals have turned to the desert, and the big league, to improve their fortunes. The Western Hockey League club has hired Joey Poljanowski as its new vice-president of hockey operations. His previous position was manager of hockey operations with the Arizona Coyotes of the NHL.
Poljanowski also has pro experience with the Toronto Maple Leafs while also boasting major-junior experience with the successful London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League over a 15-year career in hockey administration.
Royals owner Graham Lee described Poljanowski as having a “strategic mindset and deep understanding of the game” and a “proven record of hockey accomplishments in hockey operation roles across the NHL and OHL.”
He will need all that acumen in turning the fortunes of the Royals, who have missed the playoffs the past two seasons. It would have been three consecutive years out of the post-season but the 2021 bubble season, in which the Royals placed last in the WHL, was not official. Only four teams in WHL history have missed the playoffs for four consecutive seasons.
With a team returning most of a lineup that has taken its share of lumps the past three seasons, and having paid its dues, the Royals are expected to finally climb back into the post-season picture in 2023-24. A further glimmer was provided by Royals defencemen Justin Kipkie and Kalem Parker being selected in the 2023 NHL draft last week, Kipkie in the fifth round by the Coyotes and Parker in the sixth round by the Minnesota Wild.
But considering the overall lack of success for this squad over three years, the ceiling is considered low, and most pundits are unlikely to predict anything more for Victoria than vying for the lower fourth-to-eighth-seed playoff berths in the Western Conference.
“It’s incredible how much potential this team has in Victoria,” Poljanowski said in a statement. “There is so much good to build upon. I am excited to provide an additional lens and perspective.”
The Royals said head coach Dan Price, who also held the title of general manager, will now focus completely on his role as head coach.
Price hailed Poljanowski as a “tremendous addition” to the club.
