“It’s my job to be a team leader in this sense. If the team is down and something has to be picked up, I’ll go out and do something.”
This was Kris Mallette from an interview with Global News 22 years ago when he was patrolling the blue line for the Kelowna Rockets at Memorial Arena.
Back then, the barn was a punishing place to play, and Mallette was a tough customer who made the opposition pay the price.
“Bumps and bruises, black eyes that all heal. So what pretty much gets the team going is why I’m doing it,” Mallette said in March 1998.
2:07
Kris Mallette Rocket’s new interim coach
Kris Mallette Rocket’s new interim coach – February 19, 2020
Fast forward two decades and the missiles are down and something needs to be picked up.
The story continues under the advertisement
Once again, Mallette is asked to get the team up and running – just not as an enforcer, but as head coach.
“I have a lot of faith in him. I think he was a real student of the game and he worked hard, ”Rockets general manager Bruce Hamilton said of Mallette.
Like almost every other Canadian child, Mallette started hockey early and laced it at the tender age of three.
“Yeah, but I still can’t skate,” joked Mallette after being named the Rockets’ new interim head coach on Wednesday.
2:07
Vern Fiddler missile report
Vern Fiddler Missile Report – Oct 4, 2019
However, don’t let Mallette’s humility fool you, as he knows his hockey.
Known as “Mallie,” he spent nine seasons in the minor leagues and when it came time to leave the game it was a natural choice for him to step on the bench.
The story continues under the advertisement
“It’s fun,” Mallette said of coaching. “I love being in the locker room and in the arenas. That is everything I know. “
However, under pressure, Mallette admitted that it is the chance to coach young players and shape them into men, which is why coaching really appeals to him.
“Get to know them, teach them, watch them thrive, have good days and bad days, and just try to be there for them,” he said.
2:26
Missile report: Regan Bartel
Missile Report: Regan Bartel – Jan 17, 2020
These are some of Mallette’s keys to coaching, as well as why he was chosen to take the reins of the missiles.
“He knows [the players];; That’s the biggest thing with 14 games left, ”said Hamilton. “Bringing in someone from the outside is not the answer.”
The story continues under the advertisement
Mallette’s Rockets are on Vancouver Island this weekend as they face the Victoria Royals twice. From there, the team will play two midweek games with Prince George.
With Kelowna hosting the 2020 Memorial Cup in May, the pressure on the Rockets to reverse their years of struggle is immense.
But just like when he was one of the league heavyweights, Mallie has everyone in his corner.
“He understands what my beliefs are, what our tradition and culture is here,” said Hamilton, “and I think he embodies that.”
2:10
Check in Rocket Report during the season
Rocket Report mid-season check-in – December 17, 2019
Similar news
© 2020 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
