KELOWNA, CANADA – JANUARY 21: Portland Winterhawks coaches Oliver David, Mike Johnston and Kyle Gustafson stand on the bench during a game against the Kelowna Rockets at Prospera Place in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada on January 21, 2017. (Photo by Marissa Becker/Getty Images)
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — “I’ve been coaching for over 35 years, so this is a big step,” former Portland Winterhawks head coach Mike Johnston said.
To be precise, Johnston began coaching at Canadian universities in 1982. Now, 42 years later, he’s ready to take on coaching duties.
The Winterhawks announced Monday that Johnston will step down as coach but will continue to serve as general manager and add the role of president to his role within the organization.
Portland Winterhawks coach retires after 13 years
“A lot of the focus on the day-to-day of coaching was taking up a lot of my time and I really felt it was important to take a step back and focus on the overall organization, the players, the direction of the team and building from the top,” Johnston said.
Now that Johnston has more time to focus on the team’s future, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t miss the things about his past life off the ice.
“I love competing. That’s the most important thing to me. I love being out there and I love those big moments. I love interacting with the players. Our kids are inspiring. They come in at 16 and leave at 20. You see them grow over those years. For me, it gives you a different perspective when you take a step back,” Johnston said.
But now that he’s taken a step back, he’s not at all worried about who will take over.
Kyle Gustafson has been on Johnston’s staff throughout his tenure in Portland, except for the 2021-2022 season.
“I’ve known for the last couple years that Kyle was ready to coach. He was ready to be a head coach. He’s a responsible personality, he’s got great skill set. I think he relates really well with the players. I wouldn’t have any issues with him moving forward. He’s going to be an excellent coach. He knows our culture, he knows how we do things, so I think it’ll be a pretty smooth transition,” Johnston said.