With the Vancouver Giants’ narrow 6-5 victory over the Prince George Cougars on Friday, manager Don Hay lies just one win away from joining the 600 league wins club, a rarity in the Western Hockey League, as it is in any Ice Hockey league.
In the WHL, only Englishman Ken Hodge with 750 has more league victories. Lorne Molleken is sometimes included in 600+ lists, but 59 of his 638 were as "Co-Coach" of the Moose Jaw Warriors alongside Greg Kvisle, who had originally hired Molleken as his assistant.
The 59-year old Kamloops native has managed the Kamloops Blazers (WHL), Phoenix Coyotes (National Hockey League), Tri-City Americans (WHL), Utah Grizzlies (American Hockey League), and the Vancouver Giants (WHL), as well as being an assistant coach of the Blazers, Calgary Flames (NHL), and Anaheim Ducks (NHL).
Don and the Giants will get their first crack at number 600 in Portland on Sunday, but we are secretly hoping that the Giants wait Friday, January 17th, when the club could honour the gaffer at the Pacific Coliseum against the Kamloops Blazers, where it all started for Don Hay.