Vancouver Giants associate coach talks coaching, winning Memorial Cup with Kamloops

In 1995 Blazers General Manager Bob Brown was looking for the final piece of the puzzle for another Memorial Cup run.

He got that piece at the trading deadline by acquiring Keith McCambridge, a big tough defenseman, from the Swift Current Broncos.

McCambridge is now an Associate Coach with the Vancouver Giants.

Keith McCambridge played the final 21 games of the 1994-95 season and another 21 games in the playoffs with the Blazers on the way to winning a third Memorial Cup championship in four years.

Twenty-six years later McCambridge says a lot of great memories came flooding back when he heard the Vancouver Giants were going to play in the Kamloops hub.

“When I heard that the bubble was going to be here,” says McCambridge, “I know it was between Kelowna and Kamloops, I had my fingers crossed that it was Kamloops because I was really looking forward to coming back here.”

After an 11-year pro-playing career, McCambridge turned to coach.

This will be McCambridge’s 17th season as a coach —- all of the previous 16 seasons in pro hockey, including nine as a head coach.

Last November he was hired to be an associate coach with the Vancouver Giants.

“I had been in the American Hockey League a long time,” says McCambridge. “This opportunity was a new challenge for me. A new challenge to work with a different athlete, that’s in a different stage in his developmental curve. You’re always looking as a coach to learn and evolve and grow — this was one of those opportunities that came about that I’m very excited about.”

McCambridge says a lot has changed since he played junior.

WATCH EARL’S FULL INTERVIEW WITH KEITH MCCAMBRIDGE

“The athlete has evolved from when I played — where now these athletes want to know why we’re doing those certain systems, why you’re looking at video, working with them in practice and trying to get them to the next level. There’s that explanation, whereas before it was just black and white — and that’s okay.”

McCambridge says because of COVID-19 coaches faced a new challenge with the players, who didn’t know if they were going to have any kind of a season —- and excited now that it’s here.

However, with players losing a good chunk of a season, the impact may be felt years down the road.

“When you have scouts come in and they’re watching games for a normal Western Hockey League season, there’s obviously a better opportunity to judge and gauge where they are,” says McCambridge. “Whether they can make an impact at the pro level. Now it’s that much more magnified, where it’s a 24 game season, and there’s not a lot of room for error. It’s just the world we’re living in, it is what it is. We’re thankful that we’re able to play 24 games, but yes, five to ten years there will be lots of discussion on opportunities gained and opportunities missed.”

But this is the now — there will be another COVID test for all coaches and players —— and then it’s game on.

“If everything checks off with everyone, we’ll have an opportunity to come out of the hotel, walk across the street, and step on that Kamloops ice.”

by Earl Seitz

Vancouver Giants associate coach talks coaching, winning Memorial Cup with Kamloops

WATCH EARL’S FULL INTERVIEW WITH KEITH MCCAMBRIDGE

Our Community