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Wild move for BCHL coaching veteran

Troy Mick, former Vernon Vipers and Salmon Arm Silverbacks coach/GM, joins Wenatchee Wild’s development program
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Vernon’s Troy Mick has been named the hockey director and head coach of the BCHL Wenatchee Wild’s development teams, 18UAAA Wenatchee Wolves and 16UAAA Wenatchee Wilderness. (Wenatchee Wild photo)

A familiar Vernon hockey name is returning west.

The Wenatchee Wild of the B.C. Hockey League has hired Troy Mick in the role of hockey director and head coach of both the 18UAAA Wenatchee Wolves and 16UAAA Wenatchee Wilderness. He’ll start his new job in Washington state April 1.

The Wild operate four teams in their Development Program. The Wolves and Wilderness both have players that live with billet families in Wenatchee during the season, while the 14UAAA Wenatchee Wolverines and 12U Showcase teams are weekend only teams that live at home and have a mix of games and practices on the weekends.

As Hockey Director, Mick will oversee the entire operation while serving as head coach for the two older teams. Jordan McTaggart will remain as co-head coach of the 18UAAA Wolves and 16UAAA Wilderness.

“Wenatchee has made the BCHL a better league since they joined,” said Mick, who used to vacation as a child with his family in nearby Lake Chelan, Wash. “Ownership, management, coaches, staff and the fans make it one of the best franchises in North America. The vibe in the arena and around town is second to none on game days and I look forward to moving to Wenatchee and being a part of the program and community.”

Mick has spent the last two years in the eastern United States as the general managter of the Philadelphia Hockey Club in the National Collegiate Development Conference, and head coach of PHC’s 18UAAA team.

Mick’s resume is lengthy and decorated.

He played two years in the BCHL in the mid-80s, followed by a stellar run in the Wester Hockey League with Portland and Regina. His offensive prowess as a forward was eye-catching, having three 100-point seasons in the WHL and currently is 13th overall for all-time career points with 466. After being drafted by the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins in 1988, he would play pro hockey at the ECHL level for three years before turning to coaching in 1993.

Mick started off with a seven-year run in Vernon with the Lakers, later rebranded as the Vipers. He began there as an assistant then moved up to head coach/GM for four seasons where he won the Royal Bank Cup in 1999. He returned to the WHL for three years in various coaching and management roles before heading back to Vernon for a year.

He then stepped away from the game for a few years before accepting the position of head coach/GM with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks. He was there for six seasons, the latter part as GM and president.

The decision to move to Wenatchee, Mick said, was an easy one.

“Having the Wild own and run the development program, it was a no-brainer for me to look at coming back West,” he said. The professionalism that I saw when I was in the BCHL is something that you always look for as a coach. I have known Bliss (Wild GM Littler) for many years and have respected everything he has done in the game.”

“We are excited to have Troy Mick join the Wenatchee Wild family,” said Littler. Troy will work with myself and the other coaches on staff to continue to raise the standards of our Wenatchee Wild Development Teams program.

READ MORE: Vernon’s Mick headed to Texas

READ MORE: Rich Vernon hockey history captured in pages of new book

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