The air travel in pro hockey has been replaced for Kelly Buchberger by the grimy road miles of bus travel in junior.
But he鈥檚 enjoying the ride so far as head coach of the Tri-City Americans, who play the Victoria Royals tonight and Saturday in Western Hockey League action at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
The four-season captain and two-time Stanley Cup champion as a player with the Edmonton Oilers took the Americans job after a stint last season as assistant coach of the New York Islanders in the NHL following 12 years as assistant coach, development coach and director of player development with the Oilers.
鈥淵ou get used to riding the bus, and working with the kids this season has been great. It鈥檚 been fun being around them every day,鈥� Buchberger said.
鈥淭he passion for the game always stays with you.鈥�
It is Buchberger鈥檚 first trip back to the Memorial Centre since he was a regular in the press box scouting Oilers prospects and potential free-agents during Victoria Salmon Kings ECHL days. He said the transition from working with older players in pro hockey to juniors has been smooth.
鈥淲e have a good core leadership group that makes it easy to manage the room,鈥� Buchberger said.
What made the opportunity most appealing for Buchberger is that it allowed him to step up as head coach after spending so much time in the pros as an assistant. His only previous head-coaching gig was one season as bench boss in the AHL with the Springfield Falcons.
鈥淚鈥檝e been an assistant coach most of my career and this was a chance to get back to being head coach, and I鈥檓 loving it,鈥� he said.
The personnel on both the Americans and Royals has changed dramatically since last spring鈥檚 second-round playoff series in which Mike Williamson鈥檚 NHL-prospects loaded Tri-City team swept Victoria to advance to the Western Conference final it lost against Everett.
鈥淭hese are different teams than last season,鈥� acknowledged Royals head coach Dan Price.
This season鈥檚 rebuilt Americans (25-18-3) are more a reflection of Buchberger, who came unheralded out of the WHL鈥檚 Moose Jaw Warriors as a lowly 1985 ninth-round draft pick to forge a hard-charging, straight-ahead 17-season NHL career with 1,182 games played. He also a gold-medal-winning player for sa国际传媒 in international competition.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not the most skilled team in the league. But we have a willpower that gives us a chance every night,鈥� Buchberger said.
The same could be said about the Royals (24-20-2).
鈥淰ictoria is a fast team that plays hard and with good structure,鈥� said Buchberger, 52.
Price said every inch of ice has had to be earned this season in a tough Western Conference.
鈥淭he entire conference is physical with heavy, grinding games each night, with Tri-City being no different,鈥� said the Victoria skipper.
