Blazers go to Winterhawks for new GM – maybe coach too

Jun 1, 2018 | 3:08 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Blazers have gone outside the box to hire their new general manager.

Someone who didn’t come from a traditional hockey background.

He never played the game, but came up through the hockey operations ranks with another one of the leagues storied franchises.

Matt Bardsley, who turns 47 on Sunday, has spent 19 seasons with the Portland Winterhawks.

First as a scout, then Director of Hockey Operations and assistant general manager. This is his first opportunity to run his own show.

“A franchise like Kamloops, which is a storied franchise,” says Bardsley “Coming from a program that has a lot of tradition, coming into a program that has a lot of tradition. It was an opportunity that doesn’t come around very often.”

In the end the Blazers ownership group had a very short list of candidates – and it was Bardsley who kept rising to the top of the list.

“People who deal with him on a day to day basis were just raving about him,” says Blazers co-owner Shane Doan. “We have seen the success he had in Portland with the draft and the ability to recruit players.”

One of Bardsley’s first priorities will be to hire a head coach to replace a legend in Don Hay, who announced three weeks ago that he was stepping back from coaching the Blazers.

“I want somebody who is a real good communicator, especially with todays players,” says Bardsley. “I want somebody that has a strong emphasis on skill development. Today’s game is a speed game, and as much as we want players who can play fast, we want to emphasize playing a puck possession game, play at a high tempo. I want a coach who has those same qualities, that same philosophy.”

One of the names being mentioned is Kyle Gustafson – someone Bardsley knows well.  Gustafson has been an assistant or associate coach with the Portland Winterhawks for the last ten seasons.

“Kyle is a a good friend of mine,” says Bardsley.  “I have a long list of names, and he’s certainly a person that is on my list. He’s certainly qualified to have an opportunity, and he’ll be a head coach – soon.”

Bardsley takes over the hockey operations of a team that hasn’t been lightning many fires for years.  In the eleven seasons with the current ownership group the Blazers have missed the playoffs four times and have won only three playoff series. There’s work to do if the franchise is going to get better.  

“As a player you always say that it starts with ownership,” says co-owner Shane Doan. “If that’s the case then we have to do a better job as owners in making sure that this goes in the right direction and filters down from us – and we’re excited about this opportunity and the future and we’re looking forward to it and can’t wait for it to get started.”