By Chris Jaster
Swift Current
Todd McLellan has made quite a name for himself in hockey. The 42-year-old Melville native has won a Calder Cup as the head coach of the Houston Aeros, he has won a Stanley Cup as an assistant coach with the Detroit Red Wings and he’s currently the head coach of the San Jose Sharks.

Despite all those credentials, the Swift Current Broncos’ former bench boss realizes how important it was for him to spend six seasons in Swift Current.

“When I look at my career and the career of some other NHL coaches or minor league pro coaches, their time in communities like Swift Current, North Battleford and some of the smaller centres were invaluable,” said McLellan, who was inducted into the Broncos’ Hall of Fame on July 22 with Jason Krywulak. “They were a must in their career development and I think of myself in the same way.

“I needed to spend my six years here, and maybe even longer when I look back at it, but I needed time, I needed to develop and I needed people who would look after me and support me. Without it I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be where I am right now.”

McLellan was only 26 when he became the team’s second-ever head coach in 1994.
His only experience at that time consisted of one season as the Battlefords North Stars’ head coach and a little time as a player-coach in a Dutch hockey league.

It was intimidating for McLellan to take over a team that had been so successful — since the Broncos appeared in the Memorial Cup in the 1989 and 1993, winning it in 1989. Couple that with McLellan’s age at the time, and he knew he had a lot of work and growing up to do quickly.

“I wanted to do the things (the players) wanted to do, to tell the truth,” McLellan said about his challenges in his first year behind the Broncos’ bench. “That was a tough thing. I had to mature very quickly and I think that was one of the lessons I learned as well here in Swift Current. Not only to be patient, but to be smart and I had to become a lot more mature a lot quicker. That was a real valuable one.

“The parents who left their young men here in Swift Current empowered me to look after them, and, at 26, that’s a big chore, but I knew I had to take that responsibility on and I was ready to accept it.”

Although McLellan, who coached the Broncos to a 250-176-49 record under his tenure, felt he was ready for to take over the Broncos, he needed somebody else to believe in him enough to give him the job.

That person was the late Doug Mosher, who hired McLellan during his first year as the team’s general manager.

“Without him, who in their right mind would give a 26-year-old who didn’t have a lot of experience an opportunity to come and coach a Western Hockey League team, especially one that had so much success?” said McLellan, who fought back tears while thanking Mosher during his acceptance speech. “I have to give him a ton of credit for supporting me and for providing me the support that I needed, especially in Year 1 and Year 2.”

Bronco fans and Swift Current residents did not regret Mosher’s risk. McLellan, who took over as general manager in 1996, led the Broncos to the playoffs in each of his six seasons behind the bench.
He was also named the WHL’s executive of the year in 1997 and coach of the year in 2000 before he took off to the professional ranks.

McLellan’s hair is more grey now than when he coached in Swift Current and he has made a nice career for himself through hockey, but his attitude about hockey and life have not changed. He still believes people must strap their work boots on and work hard if they’re going to succeed in life.

Through all his good memories of Swift Current and his hockey success, McLellan took special pride in seeing his former players who showed up to the Hall of Fame induction ceremony take his words of advice to heart throughout their lives.

“It’s rewarding to see those players come back, not necessarily as players but as successful family members and fathers,” he said. “I see them here (at the banquet) with their wives and that’s rewarding. I know they have children who they are mentoring and bringing along.
“It’s an honour when you see some of your young players to show up to support you in a situation like this.”

“I think Joe has done alright for himself,” said Krywulak at the induction banquet. “Joe’s a special player. That year I had, if Joe would have stuck around for another year he would have had 120 goals that year. I can’t really compare myself to Joe Sakic. He was a tremendous player and a tremendous individual. Obviously, he’s the greatest Bronco of all time and there’s no questioning that.”

Krywulak’s 1992-93 season was one for the record books. He didn’t just set two Bronco single-season records, he also set a new Western Hockey League and Canadian Hockey League record for most power-play goals in a single season with 47.

While reflecting on that season, which was one of two Krywulak played in Swift Current, a marketer for Keyera Energy in Calgary paid a lot of credit to his teammates for his success.

“That season everything seemed to click,” said Krywulak, who was traded to Swift Current from Medicine Hat just before the 1991-92 season started. “I honestly don’t think I missed any opportunities. Every chance I had to score it seemed to go into the net.

“We had such a strong offensive team — the Andy Schneiders, Todd Holts, Tyler Wrights and Rick Girards — it was almost like shooting fish in a barrel. There were so many players setting me up left, right and centre all night long you had to try not to score sometimes.”

The Broncos were so strong that season, they won the WHL championship and played in the Memorial Cup, where they were eliminated in a tie-breaker against Laval.

Their power play was also dominant that season. Not only did Krywulak break Ray Ferraro’s former mark of 43 power-play goals in one season, Girard matched Ferraro’s mark that year.

“We had two guys on our team, one with 43 tying the record and me with 47,” said Krywulak, who finished with 264 career points as a Bronco. “I don’t know what our percentage was, but we had to be one of the best all-time power plays. We could throw seven or eight guys there on the first line.”

Krywulak, however, never found as much success in hockey after he left the Broncos. He chose to go to university in Calgary, where he played for the Dinos, and he spent four seasons in a roller hockey league.

He eventually turned pro and played in Europe after competing in three games for the West Coast Hockey League’s San Diego Gulls. He returned to Canada after the 1999-2000 season.

His return to Swift Current for his Hall of Fame induction brought back good memories and the renovations to the i-plex impressed Krywulak with how much the community still cares for its junior hockey program.

He also felt very honoured to have his plaque go up on the wall with the previous 14 inductees.

“Looking at those names, there are some great people and great names that have come through this organization and players that aren’t on that list,” he said. “To be counted as one of 14 players in the Hall of Fame is something special. It really is quite surreal and I’m quite honoured to be here.”