When Kelly McCrimmon announced on August the 2nd that he was leaving his position as Coach and GM of the Brandon Wheat Kings to join the NHL's new expansion team in Las Vegas hockey minds in the city immediately began to speculate as to who he would get to fill these positions. Would he hire and promote from within the organization, or would be conduct a more expansive search looking for candidates with previous head coaching and management experience in the WHL like a Marc Habscheid, Dean Chynoweth or Victoria Royals AGM/Director of Player Personnel Grant Armstrong?
A few weeks have since passed, and with training camp slated to take place in a few weeks, we here at www.bdnmb.ca reached out to several people involved in the hockey industry, as well as a few local fans to see who they thought would be named the next Coach and/or GM of the Wheat Kings.
Scott Glennie (former Wheat King player and first round draft pick of the Dallas Stars)
Coach: David Anning
GM: no GM given
Dave Shelvey (long time season ticket holder and owner Westman Reptile Gardens)
Coach: David Anning
GM: Mikey McCrimmon
Prairie Sports Weekly
Coach: the general feeling is that one of the Assistant coaches, most likely David Anning will take the reigns. He knows the system, players and strategy that Kelly has set up so it makes sense for that transition
GM: Rick Dillabough could step in as an Acting GM until they find someone, or he could even be the GM. Knows the team, the league, the system you name it. He's been with the team for a long time and with Kelly so that could be the next step for him. Another thought is they may look at some former NHL execs to fill that title.
John Hofer (long time season ticket holder and owner Total Farm Supply)
Coach: Marc Habscheid
GM: Marc Habscheid
Darryl Wolski (PHPA Hockey Agent / Euro & KHL Player Agent)
Coach: David Anning
GM: Mikey McCrimmon
Ass't GM: Dwayne Gylywoychuk
Adrian Swain (fan, collector of Wheat King pucks and jerseys)
Coach: Well coach choice has got to be either Anning or Ritchie.
GM: Perhaps a former Player such as Wells? Maybe Dillabough?
