HAWKS HIRE COACH/GM, TIPS EXTEND HEAD SCOUT

The Portland Winterhawks have named long-time National Hockey League Assistant Coach and two-time Stanley Cup winner Jamie Kompon as the franchise’s new General Manager & Head Coach.

Kompon joins the Winterhawks after two seasons as an Assistant Coach with the Chicago Blackhawks, where he was part of the staff on the 2013 Stanley Cup-winning team. It was Kompon’s second straight Cup, as he was an Assistant Coach of the Los Angeles Kings in 2012 when they won the championship, his sixth season in Los Angeles.

Kompon spent two seasons on the Kings’ bench with outgoing Winterhawks General Manager & Head Coach Mike Johnston during the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons, when Johnston was the team’s Associate Coach. During his time with the Kings Kompon also served as Director of Amateur Development.

“It’s always been my goal to become a head coach, and joining the Winterhawks as both General Manager and Head Coach is a great opportunity,” said Kompon. “The Winterhawks have become one of the premier organizations in junior hockey and I look forward to continuing the winning tradition that has been built here.”

“We’re thrilled to have Jamie join us to head up our hockey operations. He brings a championship pedigree to the position, and he is the right person to allow our success on the ice to continue,” said Portland Winterhawks President Doug Piper.

Prior to his time with the Kings, Kompon spent nine years (1997-2006) with the St. Louis Blues as a video coach and later as an assistant coach. The 1999-2000 Blues set a franchise-record with 113 points en route to the Presidents’ Trophy for the league’s best record. In 2006 Kompon served as a video coach for Team Canada at the World Championships in Latvia.

Before joining the Blues, Kompon was an assistant coach with the Baltimore Bandits of the American Hockey League for the 1996-97 season, and in 1994-95 he was named Co-Head Coach at McGill University in Montreal after spending three seasons there as an assistant coach. Kompon played four seasons as a defenseman at McGill (1985-89) and also played two seasons of professional hockey, including stops in the ECHL and the German Elite League.

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EVERETT – The Everett Silvertips today announced a three-year contract extension for Head Scout Bil La Forge, who has also received a new title as Everett’s Director of Player Personnel.  The deal keeps La Forge at the head of Everett’s scouting staff through at least the 2016-17 WHL season.

“Bil and I have developed a strong rapport and working relationship over the past few seasons,” said Silvertips General Manager Garry Davidson.  “He is very well networked around the WHL and throughout the entire hockey world.  Bil has a tremendous amount of passion for the game, a good eye for players and an understanding of what we’re trying to do in our organization.  I’m also a big believer in continuity, and keeping people together here in Everett gives our organization a much better chance for success in the long run.”

La Forge, 40, joined Everett’s scouting staff in 2008 and was promoted to Head Scout prior to the 2011-12 season.  The Edmonton, Alberta native has spent the past 14 seasons scouting for WHL teams, working previously for the Tri-City Americans and Lethbridge Hurricanes as well as the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League.  La Forge manages the Silvertips’ scouting staff and works closely with Davidson to steward the club’s 50-player protected list, spending much of his time traveling throughout Western Canada and the United States to evaluate players.

“We’ve taken great steps over the past number of seasons and I look forward to continuing to work toward our ultimate goal of winning the Memorial Cup,” La Forge said.  “Our list is in great shape right now with some exciting young prospects that I’m confident will make a difference for the Silvertips.  We’ve got a tremendous scouting team with a good mix of experienced guys and young, eager guys.  I’m excited about the chance Garry and Zoran (Rajcic) have given me to continue in this role and feel very fortunate to have the support of my wife and kids to allow me to follow my passion.”

La Forge, who played in the OHL, AJHL and CIS during his own career, also serves as Director of Mount Carmel Hockey Academy in Edmonton.  He has an extensive coaching resume in minor hockey, winning multiple championships at the bantam level in addition to spending 12 years as a junior high school teacher.