After a dismal start to the 2022/23 season, the Cowichan Valley Capitals are making some big changes to turn things around.
The Junior A hockey team announced on Wednesday afternoon that they are now under new management and will be bringing back head coach Mike Vandekamp, who last led them to successful seasons and served two seasons in 2018/20 and 2019/20. He rebuilt the team this season. He will also serve as the team’s general manager.
“We are very pleased to welcome Mike back to the team and community, and look forward to the future success of Cowichan Capitals,” said a press release from Capitals.
Fans will know the season didn’t start the way the Caps wanted it to. They are 5-11-1 in 17 games, eighth in the BCHL’s Coastal League and the league’s fewest goalscorers by far. The team also finished eighth in the league last season, just one point behind last place.
Under Van der Kamp in 2020, the Capitals made it to the second round of the BCHL playoffs for the second year in a row before everything came to a halt due to COVID-19. The team has won 35 games so far that season, the most since 2011/12.
Leaving is head coach Brian Passmore.
“The Capitals would like to thank Bryan for leading the Capitals over the past three years and wish him the best of luck for the future,” the release said.
The Capitals will play two games this weekend. Their next home game is November 25th.
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