It might come as a bit of a surprise to anyone who knows about Paul Dyck and his incredible career, but the former Moose Jaw Warriors defenceman actually had no plan of getting into the coaching ranks once his playing days were finished.
But fate had different ideas, and 12 years after he first took the reigns of the Steinbach Pistons in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League, Dyck is a bona fide legend when it comes to coaching in the Junior A league.
And fittingly, he’s now also a member of the Warriors and Legends Hall of Fame.
Dyck was enshrined in the Hall alongside former teammate Kevin Masters during a gala event at the Moose Jaw Events Centre on Thursday night, with his impressive run as coach of the Pistons playing a large role in his selection.
But none of that would have happened if Dyck had his way initially.
“I had no intentions of coaching,” he admitted while speaking to the media after his induction. “I came back to my home community and was passionate about the team being there. They were struggling and they asked if I wanted to help out and ‘as long as I don’t have to coach’ was my response. I was willing to help stabilize the franchise in the corporate community, that was something I was looking forward to doing.”
Then an assistant coach resigned a month into his tenure, leading to Dyck taking over those reigns. A year later, the head coach resigned and recommended the former Pittsburgh Penguin for the job.
The rest, as they say, is history. MJHL championships in 2013 and 2018. Fastest coach to 250 wins in league history, more than 400 wins overall. Two-time MJHL coach of the year. And status as one of the top bench bosses in the league.
Through it all, Dyck has been able to draw on his experiences with the Moose Jaw Warriors and coach Lorne Molleken to help form his winning ways.
“There were a number of things, it all started with the coaches and how they treated me, they were very respectful and they were very honest with me and transparent and I always appreciated that. That’s something that I try to do now with our players,” Dyck said. “Then you grow up, those are your formative years, you’re 18- and 19-years-old and your billets play a large role in that. And I had some great teammates, guys I looked up to. But overall, it’s grow as you go, trying to figure it out.”
It didn’t take long for coaching to grow on Dyck, either -- pretty much from day one, he was bitten by the bug.
“I stepped on that ice (as head coach), and after that practice, something happened in my mind that said ‘I liked that, I actually really enjoyed that’ and I’ve been there ever since,” Dyck said. “That was December 2011 and I’ve really enjoyed it. I love the level, I love the age group, it’s my hometown, we have a tremendous board of directors and great ownership and our community has really bought in. It’s been a special run.”
Of course, Dyck’s performance as an elite WHL defenceman -- translating into 17 goals and 68 points in 144 games and an 11th-round selection by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1991 NHL Draft -- played a major role in his induction. Several players and coaches, including Molleken, former Warriors defenceman Scott Thomas, former Pittsburgh scout Pierre Maguire, former pro coach Dave Tippett and teammate Sandy Smith, spoke about his play on the blueline, including his incredible ability to get off the first pass out of his zone. All told, Dyck would play 10 seasons in the IHL and five professionally overseas.
Being honoured by his WHL team was naturally a touching moment, and one filled with plenty of reminiscing.
“That’s what this game is about, celebrating the people in it,” he said. “I haven’t been here in a long time, I’ve driven through a couple of times, but it was extremely memorable running into people I haven’t seen in a number of years, like Rob Carnie who did our play-by-play, and some of the people in the video tribute who weren’t here but felt like they were. And seeing Kletz (former team captain Derek Kletzel), he was such a good player for us and such a great human. And going in with Kevin is very special as well.”
Both Dyck and Masters will soon have their bronze plaques installed on the wall of the Warriors and Legends Hall of Fame on the north concourse of the Moose Jaw Events Centre, and Dyck admits that seeing his plaque among other luminaries from over the years will be a surreal moment.
“Last night I was at the (Winmar Warriors) game and admiring the building and took a few minutes to take in that wall and see some of the former teammates up there and guys like Mike Keane and Theo… what an honour,” he said. “You see that up there and you feel humbled by it and it’s such a great honour.”
Both Dyck and Masters will be honoured prior to Friday night’s contest against the Winnipeg Ice during the Hall of Fame Game. Puck drop is 7 p.m. at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.
