By Chad Klassen

‘Was he fired?’: Blazers GM Bardsley contends it was a ‘mutual parting’

Apr 12, 2019 | 1:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — A day after it was announced that Serge Lajoie won’t be back as the Blazers head coach next season, both Lajoie and GM Matt Bardsley remain steadfast that this was a mutual parting.

“Was he fired? No. It was just, we talked and it was a mutual parting,” said Bardsley. “We talked about our concerns, so that’s when we agreed that we’re both probably on the same page here that not sure if this is going to be the right fit for both sides.”

Lajoie added, “At the end of the day, absolutely it was mutual. You draw your lists of pros and cons, and I’m very comfortable with the decision.”

Lajoie says being away from his family was tough, missing out on moments to watch his two kids, son Marc, who’s a prospect for the Tri-City Americans, and daughter Isabelle. He says he’ll miss watching the Blazers carry momentum from the late-season run into next year. They are memories he’ll never forget. 

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“We seemed to be almost flat-lining, then Connor Zary scores a tying goal to send us to overtime against PG here. We score a shorthanded goal, Zary again, against PG to push us into the play-in game,” noted Lajoie. “The two shorthanded goals, the penalty shot, within one penalty kill in that play-in game where we won 5-1. The electricity of the fans.”

Bardsley indicated that while Lajoie checked off all the boxes last offseason, his inexperience at the WHL level, coming over from the University of Alberta, played a role in the decision. 

“There was a little bit of challenges. I expected there would be challenges,” said Bardsley. “We both agreed with the timing of it, saying okay lets say we continue next year but in October realize it’s not working then making a change. That isn’t good for anybody, so we both agreed it’s a good time just to move on right now.”

Now, Bardsley, for the second straight year, has the task of finding a new head coach. It seems part owner Darryl Sydor is at or near the top of the list. Sydor came in late season as an assistant coach to help Lajoie and Dan Kordic.

Despite rumours that Sydor came in to be groomed as the team’s next head coach, Bardsley contends that wasn’t the case at all. 

“It wasn’t to put pressure on Serge. It wasn’t to signify that Darryl’s going to be the head coach next year. That had nothing to do with it whatsoever,” said Bardsley. 

Sydor declined an interview with CFJC Today about the coaching situation, not wanting to get involved in the process. But Bardsley says he’ll be in the mix.

Bardsley is focused on the WHL Bantam Draft next month and will evaluate his coaching options, assistants from around the league or elsewhere. 

Meantime, Lajoie is travelling back to Edmonton next week but is hoping to stay in coaching, and he says he’ll be reconnecting with his friends at the University of Alberta to see if there’s an opportunity to coach there.