James Patrick has been hired as the Victoria Royals' director of player development.
Former Winnipeg ICE head coach James Patrick didn't need much time to land on his feet following the club's disbanding in mid-June.
After being let go from his position by the Wenatchee Wild following a sensational run with the ICE, Patrick will be joining the Victoria Royals as the team's director of player development.
That's right, the 60-year-old will not be back behind the bench for 2023-24, but rather serving as an eye in the sky and working behind the scenes for the club that finished third-last in the Western League last season (17-43-6-2).
Patrick was hired by a Royals' front office staff that recently added former ICE VP and assistant GM Jake Heisinger in an associate GM role back in July.
“We are very excited and fortunate to have James join our hockey club” Heisinger said. “James has had a positive impact on countless players over his time in the WHL and will be a great resource for Royals players as they pursue their hockey careers.”
Patrick, who has spent over 45 seasons serving in the hockey community, played 21 seasons in the NHL from 1983 to 2004 with the New York Rangers, Hartford Whalers, Calgary Flames and Buffalo Sabres. The Winnipeg product spent another 11 years as an assistant coach in the big league, before transitioning to the then Kootenay ICE for the 2017-18 season.
The former University of North Dakota standout was selected ninth overall in the 1981 NHL Draft and suited up for Team Canada at the 1982 and 1983 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships. Patrick also played in five World Championships while skating in the 1983 Spengler Cup and the 1988 Canada Cup.
Patrick was named the WHL's Coach of the Year in 2021-22 and followed up his CHL-best 53-10-3-2 record with another league-topper at 57-10-1-0 in 2022-23. His ICE fell to the Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL championship this spring.