KIJHL Notebook: “It’s a nice surprise” Hnatiuk says of 100 win milestone

Grand Forks Border Bruins bench boss Dave Hnatiuk says he has “a bit of an old school mentality” for his team to play a tough game.

That comes from his playing style. A blue-collar type who played various roles, Hnatiuk played in Sweden’s Division 2 pro league after two years with the University of Lethbridge in U SPORTS. In his lone season overseas, Hnatiuk scored 13 goals and had 20 points in 26 games for Boro/Vetlanda HC in 2006-07.

“My era was much different than today’s game. Towards the end of my playing days the game changed a lot to skill development,” says Hnatiuk. “I do appreciate the tougher side of the game — the player with lots of heart who stands up for teammates and has that identity. Getting into those tough-to-play areas, finishing hits, blocking shots, and the small important details like wall work. Everyone loves to score, but some guys just have a knack for it. I feel to have success you need that balance of skill and heart and ownership of your role.

“Be a tough team to play against physically,” continues Hnatiuk, who reached 100 career Kootenay International Junior Hockey League coaching wins on Nov. 7 in a 4-2 win over the Nelson Leafs. “As far as the pressure, hunt for pucks and be aggressive on the forecheck. You’ve got to play a certain way and we try to teach that game to our guys. As the season goes on, the process continues, and you can see the work we put in — and the guys put in — start to pay off and come together.”

As for his milestone victory, the Regina native didn’t know that was coming up.

“I don’t really keep track of my own individual stats,” he says. “It’s a nice surprise. To hit 100 is a milestone, and time definitely helps a guy accomplish that. It’s a testament to the program overall, not just me. I know I get credit for the 100 wins, but there’s a lot of people involved to get those. I just want to see the steadiness, the process. The last three seasons have been really successful. It’s nice to continue with that same trajectory and winning percentage to build that culture.”

Hnatiuk’s record with the Border Bruins is 105-74-5-8 (54.7 per cent) now in his fifth season. Hnatiuk joined the Border Bruins following a season with the Selkirk College Saints in the B.C. Intercollegiate Hockey League and three seasons with the University of Regina as an assistant coach.

Hnatiuk is the focus of this week’s KIJHL Notebook Bench the Bench feature.

KIJHL: What are things you like to focus on with players that are effective for their development?
DH: There’s lots of different answers there, depending on the player. No. 1 for us is the culture piece. Skill comes from the guys putting in the work and committing to the extra stuff themselves. It all depends on where guys are at in a year. How are you going to work with a 20-year-old like Logan McCabe or Levi Astill compared to a first-year coming in? It’s a lot different. It’s all catered — a bit individual.

KIJHL: Are there things from your time coaching with the University of Regina (2016-19) that you still use?
DH: For sure. The platform I began with leaving the U of R, going on to Selkirk College and then coming to Grand Forks — I give a lot of credit to Todd Johnson. He’s been a huge mentor for me from system structures to drills to culture. You take bits and pieces from everyone you work with, but Todd was very influential in a lot of my philosophies. He got me going until I had the experience to create my own philosophies and systems.

Working with athletes at that level was valuable too as they were pursuing pro careers in Europe or the AHL. Working with that level of athlete was pretty special — to see their commitment, as well as the education side. It was a great opportunity, and I’m still very fond of my time there.

KIJHL: How have you evolved as a coach, that is key for player development?
DH: I’m very passionate about the game. I’m always trying to learn, listen and watch. Every team and every player gives you a new opportunity to learn a little more. Continuous learning — learning to adapt — is huge. Every few years kids are coming up with different upbringings. Overall, being able to adapt and stay current with the players is key. I’ve always used the phrase “modern-day coach.” You’ve got to adapt with the game and adapt with the players coming up.

KIJHL: When it comes to development and it’s different for each player, are the things that you work on in practice or skill development adjust or change during different parts of the season?

DH: We have our afternoon practices, and on Monday and Wednesday mornings we run skill development skates. Those skill skates change day to day and week to week. As the year goes on, if there’s stuff we want to see — or guys want to work on — we’ll focus on it. For example, the last skill session was a lot of work for our defencemen: getting pucks through and working on the blue line.

It’s more individual-focused. The guys get lots of reps on different skills, whether it’s quick puck touches, shooting or stickhandling. It’s up to the player to focus and work hard on those reps. The guys that do — and that’s most of them — are the ones who keep getting a little bit better.

By the Numbers