Steve Gainey is entering his first season as Storm head coach (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

STEVE GAINEY

Gainey confident he can turn Storm back into competitive franchise

Aug 28, 2019 | 9:46 AM

KAMLOOPS — New Storm head coach Steve Gainey has a lot of assessing to do before the regular season starts Sept. 13 against Golden.

The team has 11 returnees from last year’s squad, leaving about nine spots up for grabs.

“At this level, I’m still learning really what is it. It’s hard for me to tell what the quality is and how much of an impact those summers are,” said Gainey. “Kids grow a lot from 16 to 17 to 18, so we’re going to have to see how these guys play out and how our team comes together.”

Gainey was hired as the head coach in the offseason by the Parallel Storm Hockey Group, the new owners of the team. Gainey helped out Jassi Sangha most of last season on the bench and felt it was a good fit.

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“For me, coaching has been something I’ve seen fro myself. Even as a player, I was like that, and even as a kid I did a lot of that, so for me it makes sense,” said Gainey. “I started in this rink at Mac Island at the old NHL side we call it right now. It was the only rink back then. This is where I came to camp as a 15 year old and found my way with the Blazers, so it’s all full circle.”

Gainey teaming up with the Parallel Storm Hockey Group marks a new era and a fresh start for a franchise that has lost its way in the last couple years. But Gainey feels his playing and coaching experience can make a difference.

The Storm finished fourth in the Birks Division and were ousted in the first round by Revelstoke. Gainey will try to revive the Storm and turn them back into a winning team.

“Overall, we’re looking at ourselves as a team that’s going to be competitive,” he said. “We’re going to need to work, we’re going to need to competitve, we’re going to need to be conscious defensively, and be ready to work for each other and be really committed to the team concept to have success. We’re not by any means shaping up to be a real high-flying, offensively-gifted team, and that’s fine. That works well for me. I’m comfortable with that scenario and that side of the game. I like coaching it, so hopefully we get a bunch of guys to buy into that team game and have some fun this year.”