Point Roberts resident and noted hockey development coach Yogi Švejkovský has been hired by the Abbotsford Canucks.
Švejkovský joins the American Hockey League club and affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks as a skills coach for the inaugural season playing out of the 7,000-seat Abbotsford Centre.
He most recently served as head coach of Delta Hockey Academy’s U17 Prep team and was skills coach with the Western Hockey League’s Vancouver Giants from 2006 to 2018.
Švejkovský is also noted for his work with minor hockey associations including Director of Hockey of Operations for Seafair Minor from 2009 to 2014. In addition, he has been part of the instructional staff with South Delta Minor.
A native of Tabor, Czech Republic, the 44-year-old recorded 42 points (23-19-42) in 113 career NHL games with the Washington Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning and captured the Dudley “Red” Garrett Memorial Award as the AHL’s most outstanding rookie during the 1996/97 season.
Švejkovský was originally drafted in the first round, 17th overall, by the Capitals in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. His son Lukas plays for the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers and was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the fourth round of 2020 NHL Entry Draft.
His daughter Ava earned an invite to the Team USA’s U18 development camp, held last month in Minnesota.
