PENTICTON – If there is anyone who understands what the Jets prospects are going through this weekend at the Young Stars Classic, it’s Manitoba Moose assistant coach Morgan Klimchuk.
The product of Regina, SK won’t turn 30 until next March and has been in their shoes before. He was selected by the Calgary Flames in the first round of the 2013 National Hockey League Draft, and now finds himself behind the bench coaching players in the exact same spot he was in less than 10 years ago.
“It’s interesting for sure to have kind of come full circle, to be standing on the other side of the bench now,” said Klimchuk moments after the Winnipeg Jets prospects finished practice on Saturday.
“I was excited for the opportunity as a player and I’m equally if not more excited for the opportunity again to be on the other side of it coaching. I’m also excited to be working with such special young talent.”
Klimchuk wrapped up his playing career back in spring of 2020 with 26 points in 49 AHL games with the Belleville Senators. His pro career lasted five seasons with Stockton, Toronto, and Belleville, and while he can’t lock down the exact moment during his time playing where he knew he wanted to coach, he remembers what led him down the path.
“There was a couple of moments when I was younger. Whether I was working on something myself and kind of dragged some friends into it or went out of my way to show someone something and kind of had some success with it from a coaching standpoint,” said Klimchuk.
“I remember that I was enjoying it and good friends or teammates enjoying it and getting something out of it and improving. At that point in time, I was like ‘I’m obviously playing now but I seem to have a bit of a knack for this, I seem to enjoy it, so maybe down the road that could be a potential future for me.’”
It all began shortly after his playing career. Klimchuk started with private skill development in Calgary and the 29-year-old received some great feedback from the players that he was working with.
Klimchuk began coaching with the Edge U15 Prep team in Calgary, then stepped behind the bench as an assistant with the Victoria Royals of the Western Hockey League during the 2021-22 season. His favourite moment of his coaching career came shortly after, when he served as head coach for the Royals when the team moved on from former bench boss, Dan Price, and before ultimately hiring James Patrick.
“I got to coach for a home game against Red Deer in Victoria and it was a good game,” said Klimchuk.
“After the game, kind of the reaction from the team and the excitement they had and obviously the support they gave me was a special moment for me and something I’ll never forget.”
When Moose assistant coach Nolan Baumgartner left to join the Ottawa Senators coaching staff this spring, Craig Heisinger hired Klimchuk in mid-June. Klimchuk is already looking forward to the different challenge of coaching AHL players after working in major junior.
“There is more maturity to the game (at the AHL level). Some of the things are similar because hockey is the same game at both levels, but little things like systems and structures have been played for a number of years. You are not installing it for the first time, there is familiarity with it,” said Klimchuk.
“Whether it’s systems or technical skill, they have done a lot of it before, and you can kind of fine tune things they already have repetition at. It makes it a little bit easier in that sense and changes the challenge in terms of actually helping them in both those areas.”
Klimchuk also has an advantage of reaching the Jets prospects considering it wasn’t that long ago that he was in their spot.
“It’s a unique perspective to provide,” said Klimchuk. “I think the players appreciate that and they seem to seek that advice out because you can relate and they understand.”
