Vancouver Giants head coach Michael Dyck deserves a shot behind a bench in the NHL. He has been involved in junior hockey since 1996 and has shown he knows what it takes to run a team successfully. Although being a head coach in the NHL may be a little ambitious right off the bat, it is time for him to get an assistant coaching job in the NHL or even as head coach in the AHL.
Time with Lethbridge
After years of being an assistant with Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, and Vancouver, Dyck earned his first opportunity to be a head coach in the WHL with the Lethbridge Hurricanes. He was head coach from 2006-2009. During that time, he compiled a record of 113-87-16. Dyck ranks fourth in all-time wins with the Hurricanes organization.
From U15 AAA in Lethbridge to the @WHLGiants and now the #WorldJuniors, @BowenByram and Michael Dyck have shared a unique hockey journey.@HockeyAlberta | @BCHockey_Source
— #WorldJuniors (@HC_WJC) December 28, 2020
During his time with the organization, he took the Hurricanes to the WHL final and helped groom future NHL players like Zach Boychuck, Colton Sceviour, Luca Sbisa, and Dwight King. Although his time in Lethbridge was short, Dyck proved he could win and run a bench.
Vancouver Giants
After leaving the Hurricanes, Dyck joined the Giants as a scout and was named director of player personnel in 2010. This was Dyck’s second time around with the Giants as he was an assistant coach from 2002-2005. After leaving the team in 2010, coach Dyck returned as head coach in 2018. Since then, he has led the Giants to a 92-49-11 record.
In three seasons, Dyck has turned around the franchise. In his first season, he led the team to within one game of a Memorial Cup berth. He has helped develop players like Bowen Byram, Trent Miner, Justin Sourdif, and Alex Kannok Leipert who have all been drafted into the NHL during Dyck’s time as head coach. Dyck has also overseen one of the best penalty kills in the league. The Giants have been a top-eight team every season with him behind the bench. Due to Covid-19, we never saw what these teams were truly capable of but all with the talent and the systems deployed, the Giants could have gone on long playoff runs the last two seasons.
Team Canada
On top of his WHL coaching duties, Dyck was given the opportunity to be an associate coach at the World Juniors and at the World Championships this year. Dyck was also named head coach of the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup team. He won silver at both the World Juniors and the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He just helped lead the Men’s team win gold at the IIHF World Championships held in Latvia.
Leadership on and off the ice by Jamie Drysdale tonight. Captain carries the cake while the rest of the boys sing #HappyBirthday to U18 head coach Michael Dyck. ?? pic.twitter.com/AaAwATXqo0
— Team Canada Men (@HC_Men) August 6, 2019
Coaching at the World Championships could be an indicator he is not long for the WHL. Not many CHL coaches get the opportunity to coach at this tournament. This is a chance for NHL teams to see how coaches not currently in the league can manage older players.
Deserving of an opportunity
Dyck has put in the time and effort and deserves to coach in the NHL or AHL. He has a career record of 224-169-27 and has shown he knows what it takes to win. If given the opportunity, Dyck will thrive as a coach at the next level.