Northwest Notes June 28, 2022

Chiefs name Smith head coach, Donaghy an assistant

SPOKANE — The Spokane Chiefs on Monday named interim coach Ryan Smith head coach.

Smith has signed a multi-year contract and becomes the 15th full-time head coach in franchise history. The Chiefs have also named Dustin Donaghy as an assistant coach for the 2022-23 season.

Smith, a Winnipeg, Manitoba, native, has spent the last two seasons with the Chiefs as an associate coach before being named the interim head coach in early February. After taking the reins, the Chiefs went 12-13-1-0 from Feb. 11 to April 16, capped by a 5-2-0-0 record in their last seven games and a late push into a WHL Playoffs spot as the seventh seed.

“I am very excited about this upcoming season and can’t wait for training camp to start,” Smith said. “The Chiefs have a strong tradition of success both on and off the ice. To be part of this moving forward is truly humbling.”

Smith was also recently selected as one of 15 Canadian Hockey League coaches for Canada’s national under-17 program for the 2022-23 season, as announced by Hockey Canada.

“I consider him to be a modern-day coach who is a strong communicator, well-liked and respected by his peers and players, and has a strong focus on player development while preparing his team to compete and achieve overall success," Chiefs general manager Matt Bardsley said.

Before joining Spokane for the 2020-21 season, Smith was the assistant coach for the Medicine Hat Tigers from 2018-2020. There, he helped lead the team to back-to-back 35-plus win seasons (35-27-6 and 41-19-3, respectively). The Tigers were ranked fourth in the Eastern Conference in 2018-19 with 76 points, losing in the first round of the playoffs. They ranked second the following year with 85 points, but the playoffs were canceled in the 2019-20 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Smith got his start in the WHL with the Swift Current Broncos in 2015-16 as their associate coach. He spent three seasons with the Broncos, highlighted by the organization’s third Western Hockey League Championship in 2018. There, Smith coached under former Chiefs head coach Manny Viveiros, who earned WHL Coach of the Year in Swift Current’s championship season and is now at the helm of the Henderson Silver Knights (AHL).

Before that, Smith spent the 2014-15 season as the GM/head coach of the Humboldt Broncos (SJHL), where he led the team to a 24-25-5-2 record and qualified for the playoffs.

Smith also has five years of head coaching experience with the Selkirk Steelers (MJHL), from 2009-2014, as well as one year as head coach of the Winnipeg South Blues (MJHL) for the 2008-09 season.

After playing three seasons in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League with the St. James Canadians (141-160-301), Smith went on to play professionally for 11 seasons, including 10 in Germany, before beginning his coaching career in 2008.

Donaghy moved into a full-time assistant role with the Chiefs in February when Smith became the interim head coach.

Donaghy first joined Spokane’s coaching staff for the 2019-20 season as a part-time assistant under head coach Manny Viveiros after serving as an assistant coach with the Nanaimo Clippers of the BCHL from 2016-18.

The 33-year-old played for the Chiefs from 2007-09, including winning a WHL championship and Memorial Cup with the 2007-08 squad. He picked up 11 goals and 15 assists for 26 points in 138 games as a Chief before being traded to Lethbridge during the 2009-10 season.

In addition to Smith and Donaghy, the Chiefs are currently in discussions about adding another assistant coach to the staff to give the team three full-time coaches.

The Chiefs will start their 2022-23 campaign on the road against the Victoria Royals on Sept. 23.

LC State coach Johnson to join Spurs as Summer League guest coach

Lewis-Clark State men's basketball coach Austin Johnson, a two-time NAIA NABC National Coach of the Year, will participate in the NBA Summer League when he joins the San Antonio Spurs as guest coach in Las Vegas.

The LC State head coach will be with the Spurs from June 26-July 17 at the team's training camp in San Antonio before heading to Las Vegas for Summer League which will consist of current NBA players, 2022 draft picks and free agents. In his role, Johnson will be involved in coaches meetings, film sessions, practices, opponent scouting and player development.

"Very fortunate and excited to be able to watch and learn the game at the highest level with the Spurs," Johnson said. "Essentially, I'll get to be a fly on the wall and immerse myself as part of an NBA staff for a month. It will be a different level with its own complexities and style, but I am looking forward to helping out any way that I can. Ultimately, it's one more awesome opportunity to represent LC State and our basketball program."

Johnson led the Warriors to the NAIA National Championship game in 2021 and is a two-time conference Coach of the Year. He earned his 100th win at LC State this past season and currently holds a record of 103-23 with the Warriors. Including his two years at Corban, Johnson is 138-52 in his career.