Former Bison head coach wins Stanley Cup

The party was on for the Washington Capitals and, for Barry Trotz, it’s a hockey journey fulfilled — one that started at the University of Manitoba. While the Capitals ended a long championship drought by finishing off a 3-1 Stanley Cup Final series win over the Vegas Golden Knights, it’s Trotz’s first cup since becoming an NHL head coach in 1998-99.

Trotz began his coaching career at the University of Manitoba, an assistant coach with the Bisons during the GPAC championship-winning 1984-85 season; legendary Wayne Fleming was the head coach that season. After serving two seasons (1985-87) as the head coach and general manager of the Dauphin Kings junior hockey club, the Dauphin, MB native returned to the Bisons and was the men’s hockey head coach during the 1987-88 season.

Trotz began his NHL head coaching career in 1998-99 with the Nashville Predators. Since then, a long, successful career led him to the Capitals in 2014-15, where they’ve been no worse than second in the Metropolitan Division.

In January 2001, Trotz was inducted into the University of Manitoba Bisons Men’s Hockey Hall of Fame. He was also a special guest speaker at the annual Bison hockey fundraiser dinner in January 2014.

John Gaudes, Bison Sports