Métis hockey netminder retires to begin coaching career with Junior A club in British Columbia

Michael McNiven still aspires to become a regular in the National Hockey League (NHL).

But the 27-year-old, who appeared in just one NHL contest with the Montreal Canadiens during his seven-year pro playing career, is hoping he’ll eventually advance to the world’s premier hockey circuit as a coach.

That’s because McNiven, whose birth mother was Métis, recently decided to conclude his playing days so that he could commence his life as a hockey coach.

McNiven has accepted an assistant coaching job with the Powell River Kings, a Junior A squad that competes in the British Columbia Hockey League.

The River Kings’ head coach and general manager is Glenn Anderson, a former NHL player who won the Stanley Cup five times as a member of the Edmonton Oilers and once with the New York Rangers.

Though he has yet to coach a game, McNiven, who suited up for 11 different pro squads during his playing days, said he’s hoping to eventually move up the coaching ladder. And yes, his goals include being a bench boss in the NHL.

“I wouldn’t see why I wouldn’t have the same goals in mind,” he said of the fact that he is now a coach instead of a player.

McNiven said he started thinking about becoming a coach shortly after he sustained a knee injury in November of 2022, while playing for the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, who compete in the ECHL.

The ECHL is a circuit that is a step below the American Hockey League, the top minor pro league in North America.

McNiven had knee surgery in January of 2023 and returned to play this past season. But he admittedly did not have a good year.

Since the Green Rabbits opted to go in another direction with their goaltending needs, McNiven started off the season with the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers.

After six appearances with the Wheeling squad he was traded to a league rival, the Savannah Ghost Pirates.

McNiven finished off the season with Gap Rapaces, a club that competes in France’s top pro hockey league.

McNiven realized his 2023-24 performances would not generate solid offers for this coming season.

“I didn’t have a great season coming off my injury,” he said. “If I was going to get a playing job, it wouldn’t have been too appealing salary wise.” 

Thus, he decided the timing was right to retire as a player and make the switch to coaching. He’s content to begin a new phase of his life in the Junior A ranks.

“You have to start somewhere,” he said. “I’m young. I’m eager to learn and I get to stay in the game.”

Though he was born in Winnipeg, McNiven was for the most part raised by his paternal grandparents in Georgetown, Ont.

For the past several years, however, he has been living just outside Montreal. He’s currently driving across the country, seeing various family members and friends along the way, before he arrives in Powell River on Aug. 15.

The Kings will begin their regular season on Sept. 20 with a home contest versus the Victoria Grizzlies.

Besides expecting to be work with the Kings’ goaltenders, McNiven said he has yet to talk to Anderson about what his exact coaching responsibilities will be.

McNiven’s longtime friend Christopher Klack, a Georgetwon native, is also joining Powell River’s coaching staff. He’s been hired as an assistant coach and director of player development.

McNiven and Klack had played minor hockey together.

Like McNiven, Klack, who is also 27, finished off his playing career this past season by playing for a pro club in France.

McNiven started making a name for himself in the hockey world during the 2013-14 season when he played for his hometown Georgetown Raiders in the Ontario Junior Hockey League.

He spent his following three junior seasons starring in the higher calibre Ontario Hockey League with the Owen Sound Attack.

McNiven had a stellar 41-9-4 record and an impressive 2.30 goals-against average during his final year with the Attack.

Though he was not drafted by an NHL club, McNiven did sign a pro contract with Montreal.

The only NHL game he played in with the Canadiens was on Jan. 24 in 2022, a game Montreal lost 8-2 against the Minnesota Wild.

McNiven entered the game during the third period and he gave up three goals.