Majors to Miners
Walker is taking over from Walker. Red Lake Miners of the Superior International Jr. Hockey League have a new head coach and general manager via the Timmins Majors of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League.
28-year old Kevin Walker takes over from Geoff Walker as the new coach and GM in Red Lake. Geoff Walker recently moved on from Red Lake and the SIJHL for a pro coaching job in Sweden.
As the incoming coach and GM, Kevin Walker faces a rebuild in Red Lake, which won the 2022 SIJHL playoff championship. The Miners recently sold off several key players from the SIJHL championship team of ’22, including a trio to the Timmins Rock of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League.
Walker moves up to the SIJHL and Red Lake after one season as the head coach of the GNU18HL team in Timmins. Under Walker, the U18 Majors posted a regular season record of 9-14-2, showing considerable improvement along the way. Timmins then had a 1-1-2 record in the round robin format of the Great North playoffs, losing out to the eventual champion Soo Jr. Greyhounds.
Walker said he is looking forward to moving up a level of hockey from the GNU18HL to the SIJHL.
“First and foremost I am ecstatic to become part of the community of Red Lake and getting to work with a great organization like the Miners,” said Walker. “Last season was a tremendous success for the team and we hope to build off it this year. I look forward to continuing a culture of excellence and doing things the right way, day in and day out, on the ice and in the community.”
Miners president Jason Vinet commented on what Walker will bring to Red Lake.
“Kevin is a great communicator and teacher of the game,” said Vinet. “His leadership characteristics and importance of community will resonate well with the players and the Red Lake area. He will be afforded the necessary tools (to continue the winning in Red Lake.)”
As a player, Walker was a standout defenseman with the erstwhile Abitibi Eskimos of the NOJHL. He finished his four-year NOJHL career as team captain of the Eskimos and moved on to play pro hockey in Europe.
Great news Kevin was a great leader with the Eskimos wishing him all the best this season