Alex Evin isn't short on experience in the B.C. Hockey League. He's bringing his list of credentials to the bench of the Prince George Spruce Kings.
The Kings have hired Evin as an associate coach for the 2017-18 BCHL season. He'll work alongside new head coach Adam Maglio, who is taking over from Chad van Diemen.
Evin, 30, spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach with the BCHL's Alberni Valley Bulldogs and also played in the league as a goaltender with the Powell River Kings, Williams Lake Timberwolves and Penticton Vees. From 2003 to 2008, he appeared in 198 regular-season games and was named the BCHL's top goalie in 2007-08 while a member of the league-champion Vees.
Evin then played four seasons on scholarship with Colgate University, an NCAA Division 1 school, and began his coaching career in his hometown of Castlegar with the Selkirk College Saints. At Selkirk, he was an assistant coach for two seasons and head coach for one.
Mike Hawes, general manager of the Spruce Kings, likes what he sees in Evin.
"Alex is a very impressive young man who will fit well with our core values and culture," Hawes said. "Like our head coach Adam, Alex is a young coach who can relate well to our players. He was a tremendous goalie in our league who earned a scholarship with a great NCAA program. His experiences in our league and in NCAA hockey will be a huge benefit to our players."
Maglio had been an associate coach with the Kings for the past two seasons. In 2016-17, he and van Diemen (who stepped down in April for family reasons) guided the team to a 25-27-4-2 record, good for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Mainland Division. In the playoffs, the Kings pushed the heavily-favoured Wenatchee Wild to six games in a first-round series before they bowed out.
Evin said he's excited about building on the success of last season.
"I am thankful for the opportunity to work in the BCHL for the past two seasons and I am looking forward to a new chapter with the Spruce Kings organization," he added.
Evin is slated to arrive in Prince George in early August. Main training camp starts on Aug. 25 at Rolling Mix Concrete Arena.
