MacGillivray joins Patrick behind bench of WHL’s Victoria Royals

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This article was published 12/07/2024 (446 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Two of Manitoba’s most accomplished junior hockey coaches are joining forces.

This week, the WHL’s Victoria Royals added veteran hockey man Don MacGillivray as an assistant coach on the staff of head coach James Patrick.

MacGillivray, a 59-year-old Winnipegger, is changing teams for the second time in as many years.

He spent the 2023-24 season as an assistant coach with the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen and head coach Steve Hamilton before the entire staff was dismissed after missing the playoffs. Prior to that, MacGillivray served as head coach of the Brandon Wheat Kings from from 2020 until late 2022.

“I’m excited about it and feel good about the job and people I’m going to be working with,” said MacGillivray, who coached current Royals GM Jake Heisinger while with the MJHL’s Winnipeg Blues from 2010-13. “It’s a new city, a new division and a new conference. You really only play those teams once a year so it’s like a different league.”

The Winnipeg-born Patrick joined the Royals early in 2023-24 after a successful stint with the Winnipeg Ice ended with a the franchise being sold and transferred to Wenachee, Wash., last summer.

“We’ve crossed paths many times over the years,” said Patrick of his new assistant. “I’ve certainly known him better since we’ve both been in the league together. He coached (my nephew) Nolan (Patrick in Brandon) and we talked on that subject a number of times.”

The vacancy on Victoria’s staff was created when Royals assistant coach Morgan Klimchuk accepted an assistant coaching position with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose.

“(MacGillivray) was with Dave Lowry (in Brandon) and Dave couldn’t say enough good things about him and Steve Hamilton did the same thing,” said Patrick, 61. “There was a lot of interest in the job and we talked to a lot of people but we kept coming back to Donnie. That’s how it was for me.”

The Royals, a playoff team in 2023-24, are a young team on the rise.

“What intrigues me is I know how his teams play — I watched (the Ice) practise quite a bit after I left Brandon,” said MacGillivray. “And so I understand how he wants to practise — that type of thing. I know what I’m getting into.”

MacGillivray starts his new job in mid-August.

“I’m excited to work with him,” said Patrick. “He’s passionate and he’s very experienced. He’s been around the game a long time. He knows the game and he’s excited to start working.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca