Former Wheat Kings coach Bob Lowes inducted into Bison Hall of Fame
Winnipeg, Man. – Former Brandon Wheat Kings head coach Bob Lowes will be honoured Wednesday night in Winnipeg as the University of Manitoba men’s and women’s hockey programs host their annual scholarship fundraiser at the Assiniboine Park Conservancy.
Lowes, who coached the Wheat Kings from 1992 to 2001 and is the second winningest coach in franchise history, will be one of two alumni to be selected into the Bison Hockey Hall of Fame.
A Prince Albert, Sask. product, Lowes played four seasons with the Bisons – from 1985 to ’89 and served as team captain in 1986-87. A former assistant coach at the U of M, where he earned his Bachelor of Recreation in 1989, he’s enjoyed an outstanding hockey career ever since.
His first coaching job was with the Nipawin Hawks of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League and following two years there he joined the Western Hockey League’s Seattle Thunderbirds as an assistant in 1991.
A year later, he was named head coach of the Wheat Kings and went on to compile a 370-243-35 record in Brandon. A former WHL and Canadian Hockey League Coach of the Year, Bobby led Brandon to three Eastern Division pennants, one league title and two appearances in the Memorial Cup – 1995 in Kamloops and ’96 in Peterborough, Ont.
Lowes later coached in Regina, served as the Wheat Kings Chief Scout from 2005-07 and then became the Director of Amateur Scouting with the Ottawa Senators – a position that he held until 2016.
Today, he serves as the Assistant Director of Player Personnel with the National Hockey League’s newest franchise, the Vegas Golden Knights.
Introducing Lowes at Wednesday’s event will be Wheat Kings’ owner and former general manager / head coach Kelly McCrimmon.
In addition to owning the Western Hockey League franchise in Brandon, McCrimmon currently serves as the assistant general manager of the Golden Knights. McCrimmon is a four time executive of the year in the WHL and was an integral part of three league titles – one as a player in 1979, another as a general manager in ’96 and the most recent as coach and GM in 2016.
Joining Lowes as a 2018 inductee is former Bison defenceman Caitlin MacDonald, who played five seasons at the school as well. She earned four conference All Star selections and was a member of the gold medal winning Canadian team that captured the 2013 Winter Universiade (World University Games) in Italy.
This marks the first year that the event has been held at the Journey to Churchill Exhibit at Assiniboine Park.