The Osoyoos Coyotes have fired Ken Law, the only coach they’ve ever had since joining the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) eight years ago.
Coyotes’ owner Randy Bedard confirmed he “wanted to go in a different direction” and told Law late last week that he would not be renegotiating his contract after eight years as head coach and general manager of the perennial KIJHL powerhouse franchise.
“It certainly wasn’t based on success or performance … I just felt the time was right for a change,” said Bedard during a phone interview Monday from Osoyoos. “I’m very appreciative of the job Ken has done and all of the success that he has brought to our hockey club over the past eight years.
“Success on the ice had nothing to do with it. I have nothing but the greatest respect for Ken … and that’s why I made the trip to Penticton to let him know what my decision was. He deserved that at the very least.”
Law wasn’t happy with his decision, but he believes the team needs a new leader and one who will commit to living in Osoyoos and becoming a part of the community, said Bedard.
“I want them to live in Osoyoos and I want them to be engrossed and become part of the community,” he said. “I have a few new ideas I want to integrate into the hockey club and I think we need a new leader to be able to do what I want to do with the hockey team moving forward.”
The Coyotes captured seven regular season titles in Law’s eight years behind the bench and made the conference finals five times, but never advanced to the championship series since winning the KIJHL title in Law’s rookie year in 2010-11.
“We had a really good run and I really appreciate everything Ken did for us during those eight years,” he said. “I can honestly state that our record on the ice had nothing to do with this decision.”
Law was “an exceptional recruiter” with a lot of contacts in the hockey world who was able to bring in good players year after year, “but there are a lot of good hockey people out there” who also have similar traits and Bedard is confident the Coyotes will be able to attract a long list of qualified candidates.
Law, 61, who has been coaching hockey for over 40 years, admitted he was disappointed in Bedard’s decision.
“I was going in expecting to sign a new deal,” he said. “I wasn’t expecting (being fired) it at all.”
He and Bedard did have a good working relationship, but he feels the decision was based on finances more than anything, said Law.
“I was pushing for more money and to have my assistant coaches start to get paid because they had been there for a few years and I know for a fact that scared him,” he said. “In my mind, that was, more than anything, what this was all about.”
Law said he’s not ready to retire from coaching and he’s already been fielding offers and will weigh all of his options before making any final decision.
“If it makes some sense and it’s a situation where I think I can continue to do some real good and make a difference, then I will take a good long look at it,” he said. “I do know I’m not ready to give up coaching.”
Law said he would also be willing to move away from Penticton in the short term if it meant landing a great head coaching or management position at a higher level than the KIJHL.
Law said he’s proud of his coaching resume with the Coyotes and doesn’t have a single regret about the past eight years behind the bench.
“I loved my time in Osoyoos,” he said. “It’s a great place to coach and the community really gets behind the team. I don’t think I could have found a better situation than the one I had in Osoyoos.
“I’m sure the next guy is going to love it as much as I did.”
