Following several trades and adjustments to their roster, the Kelowna Rockets' biggest change of the week came Friday morning as Kris Mallette was relieved of his coaching duties.
“I’d say it’s been a tough week. We moved some of our best players and acquired some solid, good young people that are joining our organization,” said Rockets President and GM Bruce Hamilton.
“I just felt that with the new players here, if we were going to make a coaching change that now would be an appropriate time.”
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Mallette was in the midst of his fifth season as Kelowna’s bench boss after serving as an assistant coach from 2014-20.
With the Rockets, Mallette won a WHL championship in 2015 and helped lead the team to the Memorial Cup final that same year.
Mallette has also won three gold medals with Team Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and recently coached Team CHL at the 2024 CHL USA Prospects Challenge.
“I think it was just time for a change,” Hamilton said. “It’s a tough day, but it’s a fresh start.”
Derrick Martin will serve as the team’s interim head coach and Liam McOnie has been hired as an assistant coach, filling the vacancy created by Martin’s promotion.
“I think that it’ll give Derrick an opportunity as he’ll be the interim head coach and will give us an opportunity to get these players a new voice,” added Hamilton.
Martin is in his first season with the Rockets after spending last year as the general manager and head coach of the Camrose Kodiaks in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL).
McOnie joined the Rockets as a consultant in the 2021-22 season and at the same time was the general manager and head coach of the North Okanagan Knights in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL).
The former goaltending consultant for the Tri-City Americans has been coaching the KIJHL’s Sicamous Eagles this season.
“Liam has had success at the junior level both in coaching and management and came highly recommended,” explained Hamilton.
“We are familiar with him as he has been a goaltending consultant for the Kelowna Rockets in the past and we welcome him into our organization.”
Mallette leaves the Rockets after amassing a record of 121-107-19.
“I can’t thank Kris enough for what he’s done for our organization. He’s been with us longer than anybody has been in the organization, maybe other than Scott Hoyer,” said Hamilton.
“He was all class when I met him today and he’s a really good person. He’s going to land on his feet and get another hockey job in a hurry. He’s had tremendous success at the international level and we wish him nothing but the best.”
