By Chad Klassen

Ed Patterson hoping to return as coach of the Blazers

May 18, 2018 | 6:00 PM

KAMLOOPS — When the season ended for the Kamloops Storm, eliminated in six games against Revelstoke, it was Ed Patterson’s final game as head coach. 

While Patterson hasn’t officially resigned from the position, he’s not coming back, pursuing other coaching opportunities in the Western Hockey League, including here in Kamloops. 

On Wednesday, Patterson put in an application for an assistant coaching job with the Blazers. 

“I definitely know I could be a head coach with my experience and everything I can do,” says Patterson, explaining why he didn’t apply as Blazers head coach. “But I do also know the Blazers are playing for the Memorial Cup [in 2020]. They need a big name. They need to make a splash. My name’s not necessarily a big name or a big splash, but as an assistant coach I bring a lot. I’m not worried about a title, more so about having an impact with the players and with the community. That’s why I chose the assistant route.”

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Patterson has already been an assistant coach with the Kamloops, serving with Dave Hunchak under the leadership of Guy Charron from 2011 to 2013. 

“Everyone knows about the struggles that [Hunchak and Charron] had and it was time to go back and coach the Storm for a couple more years and help my son’s bantam team,” he notes. 

Patterson says he’s been in touch with Prince George and Medicine Hat about coaching positions, and he’ll be talking with other WHL teams during the trip to Regina to watch his son Max play in the Memorial Cup. 

After coaching the Storm for five seasons, going to the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League final in 2014 and 2015, Patterson says this is the right time to go back to the WHL. 

“Learning how to communicate better,” Patterson says was the best lesson learned from the Storm. “Nowadays, kids are way different. I had a hard time when I first stopped playing and started coaching, even with minor hockey, trying to to teach the kids the intensity and pure passion they need to play with.”

“Now that I’ve learned better now to communicate, have my aggression not sound so mean, have it sound a little more positive, is the greatest thing I’ve learned along the way the last few years.”

With son Max only in his 18-year-old season, Patterson notes it would a thrill to coach against him, although it wouldn’t influence his desire to win. 

“It’d be neat seeing him play, but I’m pretty competitive,” he jokes. “It’d be ready to take it to him, not admire him.”