67’s Assistant Coach Paul Stoykewych proving age is just a number
You might mistake Paul Stoykewych for the newest skater in the Ottawa 67’s lineup, but the only time you’ll see him on the ice is at practice.
The recently hired Assistant Coach is only 28 years of age, and comes to Ottawa with a couple of notches in his coaching punchcard. In his playing days, Stoykewych was a solid lefty-shot defenceman, making it all the way to the NCAA, where he played for Western Michigan University.
He had options on the table; he could have turned pro and gone to Europe, where he knew he’d have a contract, or he could have taken a shot in the AHL on a try-out deal, but something about playing wasn’t right anymore.
“At that point of my life, I wasn’t sure if playing was still for me,” Stoykewych admitted. “I still loved the game, wanted to be at the rink, and I loved the strategy, but I was past chasing the dream of playing in the pros.”
The Winnipeg native pondered coaching, and before long, he had an offer from Western University that would see him hired as the Assistant Coach for the men’s hockey program, and allow him to continue the pursuit of his Master’s, something he took incredibly seriously.
After one season with Western, Stoykewych moved on to become the Assistant Coach for RINK Hockey Academy’s U16 program before the pandemic. Once hockey returned, he moved to Ottawa where he would coach alongside the 2018-19 U SPORTS Coach of the Year, Patrick Grandmaitre with the Ottawa Gee-Gees.
Flash forward to this offseason, Stoykewych’s friend pointed out a job opening with the 67’s, after the departure of Martin Dagenais. He applied, and the rest is history.
“One of my jobs at the University of Ottawa was recruiting, so I spent a lot of time here watching games, and then there was the odd time where we got to use this facility,” Stoykewych said. “I was talking with my wife, and never at any point did we think I would be coaching with the 67’s.”
Conversations between the young Stoykewych and Dave Cameron – a man who has seen just about everything there is to see in the hockey world – couldn’t have gone better. The pair connected with one another immediately, and their 37-year age gap was a complete non-factor.
“When Dave and I had our initial conversation, it was very simple,” Stoykewych said. “We connected with each other, and the conversations just flowed. It was so easy. He has given me his full support. I’m ecstatic to be working with him, and have him as my mentor.”
“One of the very first things he said to me was ‘Paul, I am a nice guy, and I am funny, people just don’t get my humour.’ We’re two guys who love hockey, but who are at very different stages of their careers and life.”
Commanding respect from other coaches, and the players can be difficult for such a young coach, but it’s not something that has ever been a problem for Stoykewych in the past.
“This is the job where the age difference between the players and I is the absolute biggest,” he said. “I control it with my attitude. People trust me, and it’s because of my hard work, and my attention to detail. I always try to find something constructive to add. Whether it’s a detail on the ice, or building a relationship and talking about their family. It’s important to build those relationships.”
Building those relationships with the defenceman is at the top of the priority list, but before even meeting them, he believes there’s something special brewing.
“It’s an elite group,” Stoykewych said. “It’s a group that can literally drive this team, and that’s part of my mentality. If your defencemen are on point, you have a chance to win every single night. The limits are endless, and that’s what excites me.”
Stoykewych only wants to be a small part of the careers these kids will go on to have, but he wants to have a positive influence on them for years to come.
“I’m not the guy that’s going to come in and try to change anyone,” Stoykewych said. “I’m here to complement them, support them, and teach them in a way they will be receptive to. These guys are good already, but they are still young, and there’s so much room for development.”
In his eyes, his young age is a huge positive when it comes to building relationships and making his players feel comfortable.
“I’m a mediator between this big, intimidating figure in the head coach,” Stoykewych said. “A lot of kids are nervous to express an issue to the coaches, but in the past, they have been comfortable coming to me. It’s a good opportunity to have someone close to them in age to talk to, and if it is a bigger-picture problem, I can express it to Dave.”
When he signed his contract earlier in the summer, he wanted training camp to get underway immediately, and every day, he gets more excited to get rolling.
“I’m really excited to be here,” Stoykewych said. “Regardless of my age, experience, or anything else, I’m going to give my absolute everything. I’m all in on this team. I want the puck to drop now. I’m so excited to get to know the guys, and get on the ice. I’m going to do my best to win, I love winning.”
