Nachbaur Named Recipient of Inaugural Pat Quinn Coaching Award
PENTICTON, BC — The BC Hockey Hall of Fame (BCHHF) is pleased to name Don Nachbaur the inaugural recipient of the Pat Quinn Coaching Award.
Nachbaur has spent the past six seasons as head coach of the Western Hockey League’s Spokane Chiefs. Born in Kitimat, BC and raised in Prince George, BC, Nachbaur previously spent one season as the head coach of the American Hockey League’s Binghamton Senators, six seasons as the head coach of the WHL’s Tri-City Americans and six seasons as the head coach of the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds.
“I am truly humbled and honored to be the first recipient of the Pat Quinn Coaching Award,” said Nachbaur. “To be mentioned in the same breath as Pat Quinn is quite overwhelming. As a coach, I can only hope to impact people as Pat did in his life. It is with much respect and gratitude to accept this recognition.”
Nachbaur is the only coach in history to be named WHL Coach of the Year with three separate teams, having won the award with the Thunderbirds in 1995, Americans in 2008 and the Chiefs in 2011.
The Pat Quinn Award was established in 2015 and is presented annually to an individual, regardless of their level of coaching, that helps and shares excellence by educating players in the sport of hockey.
Inducted into the BCHHF in 2002, Quinn enjoyed an extensive NHL career as a player, coach and executive that spanned over three decades. He passed away in November 2014 at the age of 71.