Don Hay

Don Hay stepped behind the bench of the Vancouver Giants for the start of the 2004-05 season, and quickly put his stamp on the Giants on-ice product. Under Hay, the Giants have been a perennial WHL powerhouse, they won five straight BC Division titles from 2006 to 2010, while recording 100 or more points in four consecutive years. Hay also guided the Giants to Western Conference Finals in four of five seasons, two straight WHL league Finals, in 2006 and 2007. The Giants won the WHL Championship in 2006. Hay has won the Memorial Cup three times as Head Coach, twice with Kamloops and once with the Giants in 2007.

Hay’s coaching record in the WHL is among the best ever. He is top 4 in wins and top 10 in games coached. He began the 2009-10 season among the all time leaders for WHL coaches. Hay was 8th in winning percentage at .657, 4th in wins at 484, and 10th in games coached at 792. His playoff numbers are even more impressive. Hay is tied in 1st with Ken Hodge for all time in wins with 101. Hay also trails the legendary Ernie “Punch” McLean in WHL Championships, Mclean has 5, Hay has 3.

Don has also coached in the Western Hockey League with Kamloops and Tri City. At the pro level, Hay has coached The Phoenix Coyotes and Calgary Flames in the NHL, and the Utah Grizzlies of the AHL. Before becoming the head coach in Kamloops in 1992, Hay spent six seasons as an assistant coach. He has coached for the last 24 seasons as either an assistant or head coach, 17 of those years have been in the Western Hockey League.

At the international level, Hay coached Canada at the 1995 World Junior Hockey Championships in Red Deer, and guided his team to a perfect 7 and 0 record and the Gold Medal.

Don Hay is a two time winner of the Dunc McCallum Trophy as the WHL coach of the year in 1999 and 2009, and was honoured by the CHL when they named him the best WHL coach of all time. Hay was inducted into the BC Hockey Hall of Fame in 2008.