EX-REGINA PAT - RICH PRESTON RETURNS TO WHL

Rob Vanstone, Leader - Post - July 8, 2009

Taken from the Regina Leader Post - Rob Vanstone - click on the following: Rich Preston returning to WHL


REGINA — It took a while, but Rich Preston is now a second-generation general manager. His father, Ken Preston, operated the Saskatchewan Roughriders from 1958 to 1977, and was so successful that he ended up in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.

Former Calgary Flames assistant coach Rich Preston displayed his Rider Pride at an NHL practice session in this 2006. (Photo: Grant Black - Canwest files)

Will there be any similarities now that Rich Preston is the Lethbridge Hurricanes' head coach and GM?

"Maybe in the respect that I'm not going to say much,'' he said with a chuckle. "I learned a lot from my father. When I was talking to the Lethbridge board, one of the things that impressed them was when we had a chat about the years that I was around the Roughriders, while I was growing up.

"I remember being impressed with the character of the people in the locker room, like Ron Lancaster, Hugh Campbell, George Reed, Ted Urness, Al Benecick, Ron Atchison . . . all those guys. Even as a young kid, I learned that to be a successful organization, you have to have character people. It's no different in any sport, or at any level.''

Preston has spent the past 11 seasons at hockey's highest level, serving as an assistant coach with the Calgary Flames and San Jose Sharks. He has not coached major-junior hockey since 1997, when he completed a two-season stint as the Regina Pats' bench boss. At which point will he complete the adjustment back to the WHL?

"After about an hour on the ice at the first practice,'' he said. "That'll be it. I've got to get to know the players and do some work on the management side to get back up to speed. But once I'm back on the ice and back at 'er, it's the same game but with younger people.''

The Flames severed ties with Preston after firing head coach Mike Keenan on May 22. Preston's contract had expired, whereas Keenan had one year remaining on his pact.

"If they would have brought Mike back for the last year, I would have stayed with them,'' Preston said. "We had a real good relationship. When you lose your last game, you can't wait to get going again the next year.

"It would have been nice to come back for a re-do, but you move on. It doesn't matter what the reasons are. There's no sense wasting a lot of time wondering why. Other doors open, and you look forward to those opportunities.''

The Hurricanes' jobs became open when GM Roy Stasiuk and head coach Michael Dyck were informed they would not return. Preston met with the Hurricanes' brass June 23 and his hiring was announced the following week.

"The more I thought about it, the more I was excited about it,'' he said. "I wanted to be a head coach again. I'm ready for a new challenge and to do something different.

"The management side is really intriguing. I talked to a few guys (Lorne Molleken of the Saskatoon Blades and Mike Johnston of the Portland Winter Hawks) who do both, just to get a feel for it so I wouldn't go in blind.

"I'm no spring chicken, but I still enjoy the coaching. I haven't lost the fun of coaching. I enjoy the day-to-day stuff and the games and winning and the adversity you go through and being in the dressing room. I've been a locker-room rat my whole life.''

That dates back to the 1960s, when he was a waterboy with the Roughriders. He ended up starring in football and hockey, taking up the latter sport full-time when he attended the University of Denver.

From there, Preston spent five years in the World Hockey Association with the Houston Aeros — with whom Gordie Howe was a linemate — and Winnipeg Jets. The next eight seasons were spent as an NHL player with the Chicago Blackhawks and New Jersey Devils. Then he took up coaching, serving as a Blackhawks assistant under Keenan.

As much as Preston has enjoyed 15 seasons as an NHL assistant, he welcomes to return to junior hockey.

"People ask me about riding the buses again,'' he said. "I can't sleep on a bus or a plane, so it really doesn't matter to me.''

He eagerly anticipates one bus ride — an October 17 excursion to Regina for a game against the Pats.

"I'm looking forward to it already,'' Preston said. "It'll be a lot of fun. I've still got a lot of friends and relatives in Regina. I don't get back enough anymore, so it will be nice.''