Storm Boss Lovin Royal City
Dave Barr is still a little surprised he and his family ended up in Guelph. It seems like yesterday that he was announced as the Storm’s newest general manager during the summer of 2003 yet there he was last week signing a contract extension that could see him in Guelph until 2010.
“At the time our family was very settled in Houston” said Barr who was the president and general manager of the American Hockey League’s Houston Aeros. “If getting out of hockey and doing something else would have been right for the family, I would have done it. But (my wife) Debbie encouraged me to at least look at different jobs and when the Guelph opportunity arose I really liked the community, the new rink and the fact travel was minimal.”
Now his family has settled into the Royal City and in hindsight, it was one of the best decisions he and Debbie have ever made.
“Our kids love it here as they’ve made several friends” said Barr reflecting on the move, “and it was a little different because everyone is American except me.”
Barr’s pro career which started with the AHL’s Erie Blades in 1981 and ended with the IHL’s Orlando Solar Bears in 1997, saw him play 614 NHL games along the way with Boston, St. Louis, Hartford, Detroit, New Jersey and Dallas.
Why does he like junior hockey so much?
“I really enjoy working with the kids and the coaching staff everyday at the rink. Even when we’re struggling it is fun to go to the rink and work with Brooksie (assistant coach Jason Brooks) and Army (Bill Armstrong) and the new ownership group has been fantastic. They’re all in it for the right reasons.
“It was great the other night to go down and see (former Storm players) Matt D’Agostini and Kelsey Wilson play in Hamilton. Seeing how their lives have moved on and to think our organization had a hand in that, is gratifying.”
So is a shot at coaching in the NHL in Barr’s future plans?
“I don’t dwell on that. I don’t go to the NHL draft and shake hands and make phone calls to teams, but someday I’d like the opportunity. But if I spend the next 15 years in Guelph that would be just fine with me!”
Barr joked he has new challenges every week and none bigger than the club’s current predicament that has seen them fall into 8th place in the OHL’s Western Conference. But the thrill of coaching is still alive and he feels it’s just a matter of time before his club gets back on the winning track.
From the Land of Oz?..Both Drew Doughty and Ryan Parent have been invited to Canada’s World Junior training camp. Parent is a shoe-in to make the team with Doughty being more of a long shot this year, although his play of late has been outstanding?..Barr said of D’Agostini who is now playing with the Hamilton Bulldogs that he feels “he’s on the brink of stardom. D’Ags looks like he’s ready to score 35 goals in that league.” If that’s the case a call-up by the Montreal Canadiens could be on the horizon?.The Storm lost all three games on the weekend and have only won three of their last 14 games but Barr feels the situation isn’t as bad as it looks. “We just can’t seem to the goals at the right time. We badly out chanced Erie Friday night but couldn’t hit the net, then we had our opportunities Saturday and Sunday against Plymouth but couldn’t bury our chances. We really need our veterans to show the rookies how to win. Our backend especially, has to start making a difference every night. I thought our top five (defencemen) would be as good as any in the league but they have been sporadic and inconsistent.”?The Storm’s top scorer, Tyler Doig could return to the line-up this weekend after missing a couple of weeks with a separated shoulder. The team certainly misses his offence?.meanwhile Rafael Rotter left the team yesterday, playing his best hockey of the season, to suit-up for Austria at the World Junior Championships at the B level.
