Royals Head Coach Patrick Awarded Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy as 2024-25 WHL Coach of the Year
April 29, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL) News Release
Calgary, Alta. - The Western Hockey League announced today that Victoria Royals Head Coach James Patrick is the recipient of the Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy as the 2024-25 WHL Coach of the Year.
WHL Coach of the Year Finalists
Eastern Conference- Willie Desjardins- Medicine Hat Tigers
Eastern Conference- Dan DaSilva- Saskatoon Blades
Eastern Conference- Bill Peters- Lethbridge Hurricanes
Western Conference- James Patrick- Victoria Royals|
Western Conference- Brad Lauer- Spokane Chiefs
Western Conference- Matt O'Dette- Seattle Thunderbirds
In his first full season at the helm, Patrick guided the Royals to a 40-17-4-7 record, clinching the B.C. Division title for the second time in team history.
Victoria boasted the league's second-best road record (23-8-2-1) and scored the fourth-most goals (272) while icing the WHL's second-best powerplay, which hummed along at 28.6%.
The Royals were also the third least-penalized team in the league in 2024-25 with 668 PIMs.
2025 NHL Draft-eligible centreman and alternate captain Cole Reschny developed his two-way play and led his team with 92 points (26G-66A), while 16-year-old blueliner Keaton Verhoeff tied for second among all defencemen in goals with 21, earning a nomination for WHL Rookie of the Year.
Veteran Teydon Trembecky and 2025 WHL Trade Deadline acquisitions Brandon Lisowsky and Kenta Isogai all surpassed the 30-goal mark, with Trembecky finishing third in the WHL goals race with a career-best 46 tallies.
Patrick previously earned the Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy in 2022 after winning the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy as regular-season champions with the then-Winnipeg ICE.
This is the third time a Royals coach has been named the WHL Coach of the Year.
The Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy honours the memory of Dunc McCallum, who was named WHL Coach of the Year twice while turning the Brandon Wheat Kings into a formidable powerhouse of the 1970s, culminating in a WHL Championship win and Memorial Cup Final appearance in 1979.
From 1976 to 1981, McCallum amassed an impressive regular season record of 251-123-41 behind the Brandon bench.
The WHL Coach of the Year Award is voted upon by WHL General Managers and members of the media.
Winners of the Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy (since 2003)
* Also selected as CHL Coach of the Year
2024-25 James Patrick, Victoria
2023-24 Mark Lamb, Prince George
2022-23 Brennan Sonne, Saskatoon
2021-22 James Patrick, Winnipeg
2020-21 Not presented due to COVID-19
2019-20 Brad Lauer, Edmonton
2018-19 Marc Habscheid, Prince Albert
2017-18 Manny Viveiros, Swift Current
2016-17 John Paddock, Regina
2015-16 Dave Lowry, Victoria
2014-15 John Paddock, Regina
2013-14 Dave Lowry, Victoria
2012-13 Ryan McGill, Kootenay
2011-12 Jim Hiller, Tri-City*
2010-11 Don Nachbaur, Spokane
2009-10 Mark Holick, Kootenay
2008-09 Don Hay, Vancouver
2007-08 Don Nachbaur, Tri-City
2006-07 Cory Clouston, Kootenay
2005-06 Will Desjardins, Medicine Hat*
2004-05 Cory Clouston, Kootenay*
2003-04 Kevin Constantine, Everett
2002-03 Marc Habscheid, Kelowna*
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Western Hockey League Stories from April 29, 2025
- One Year Later: Alessandro Domenichelli - Portland Winterhawks
- James Patrick Named Recipient of the Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy - Victoria Royals
- Royals Head Coach Patrick Awarded Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy as 2024-25 WHL Coach of the Year - WHL
- Chiefs General Manager Bardsley Wins Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy as WHL Executive of the Year - Spokane Chiefs
- Chiefs General Manager Bardsley Wins Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy as WHL Executive of the Year - WHL
- Game Preview: Round 3 - Game 3 at Lethbridge Hurricanes - Medicine Hat Tigers
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