Former Chicago Blackhawks prospect joins Panthers' coaching staff

The Peninsula Panthers are determined to build on a playoff performance that put the VIJHL Regular Season Champion Campbell River Storm on the brink of elimination and have turned to a local Peninsula resident to anchor their coaching staff on the defensive side of the puck. 

Len Dawes, whose son Brendan sings the National Anthem at Panthers' games, has coached in the Peninsula Minor Hockey Association and will now join Brad Tippett's coaching staff for the upcoming season. 

A product of Nanaimo minor hockey, Len won a league championship with the Nanaimo Clippers of the BCJHL, recording 72 points as a 16-year-old defenseman before joining the Victoria Cougars of the WHL for 3+ seasons. With the Cougars, Len was a 2^nd team all star and helped lead the team to two league championship finals, including a win and Memorial Cup appearance in 1981. The Chicago Blackhawks drafted Len in the second round but his pro career was cut short by congenital knee problems diagnosed his last year junior. Multiple surgeries were unsuccessful and Len was only able to play two partial seasons with Springfield of the American Hockey League before retiring. 
 
Len then attended Simon Fraser University and earned a business degree followed by a chartered accountant designation in 1991. Len is currently VP and CFO of the BC Oil and Gas Commission but continues to coach minor hockey. He became involved in coaching with his older son Jordan through minor hockey at Kerry Park and is currently coaching his younger son, Brendan, at Peninsula Minor Hockey.  His father, Jim Dawes, played with Regina Pats of the WHL and helped form and was part owner of the original Nanaimo Buccaneers Jr B team. 
 
“I’ve had a passion for the game for as long as I can remember and really enjoy coaching the kids and being able to pass along some of my hockey knowledge. Hockey’s a great game but it’s the life skills that these kids take from the game that will benefit them the most. To be successful in hockey, as in life, requires that you are passionate, disciplined, focused, driven and willing to often sacrifice individual needs for the good of the team.”

Tippett was more than excited to add the well-known and respected coach to his staff right from his own back yard.  Len resides only several minutes from the front door of the Panorama Recreation Centre.  "Len supplements our coaching staff and his professional experience will certainly benefit our defencemen. I met with him and just know he will fit in well".

Pete Zubersky had a few thoughts of his own.  "It's hard to find the right coach in the right situation and I think in terms of Len, the situation fits all of us involved including him just like a glove.  Len was offered the opportunity to come out on occasion to help the defencemen or to come on as a full-time coach and it took him only a day to let us know that he wanted to be all-in.  This is really going to help develop our defencemen and I know he will work well with Brad and the coaching staff.  To say I am thrilled to have added Len would be a huge understatement and we all welcome him into our hockey family."

Dawes will get his first taste of the VIJHL Regular Season when the Panthers open the 2019/20 schedule at home on Friday, September 6th at which time they welcome in the visiting Saanich Braves.  The Panthers will then be on the road the following night when they venture just a bit up Island to take on the Kerry Park Islanders.