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Los Angeles Kings promote Richard Seeley

Powell River minor hockey product takes charge of AHL team
Richard Seeley
MOVING UP: Richard Seeley, born and raised in Powell River River, was recently promoted to general manager of Los Angeles Kings’ affiliate club in Ontario, California. Contributed photo

Los Angeles Kings named Powell River’s Richard Seeley as the new general manager of the NHL team’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, Ontario Reign, on June 5.

“We are excited to work with Richard,” said Kings vice president and general manager Rob Blake. “He has earned this opportunity. We are obviously impressed with what he accomplished as a coach with the [Manchester] Monarchs and he has strong ties with our organization going back to when he was a young professional player.”

Seven of Seeley’s 14 seasons in professional hockey have been with the Kings organization as a player and coach with the Monarchs, a New Hampshire-based team before it was relocated to California. The club joined the AHL Pacific Division as the Ontario Reign for the 2015/2016 season.

Seeley said it all started here in Powell River, where he grew up playing minor hockey.

“A lot of my best friends were made playing local minor hockey,” said Seeley. Those friendships remain, he added.

Seeley was back in Powell River last year for his class of 1997 graduation reunion.

In 1997, he was the Kings’ sixth round draft pick, 137th overall in the NHL entry draft. He played a few exhibition games but never cracked the regular season roster.

“I was close and played with some good players that did and I'd like to think I helped a few players get there, but never had that opportunity myself, unfortunately,” he said. “When you're in the AHL, you're close and sometimes it can be just a matter of timing, the right fit or opportunity.”

Seeley played one season in 1995/1996 with Powell River Paper Kings before joining the Western Hockey League’s Prince Albert Raiders. He turned pro in 1999.

Four of his eight AHL seasons as a player were with the Monarchs. After five seasons playing professional hockey in Europe, he returned to the Kings organization as head coach of the Monarchs in 2015, the year the club moved to the ECHL. He was behind the bench for three seasons before his appointment to the Reign’s front office as general manager.

“Having those past experiences will help me in this role,” said Seeley. “It will change a little bit for me. I'm not a player anymore and not coaching anymore. Those are the two fundamental changes but I think I can add value."

The Reign is used as a development tool by the Kings for its NHL prospects.

“That's something the Kings have done incredibly well, especially with some Stanley Cup championships,” said Seeley. “When you look at the players and the way they've been acquired within the organization and developed, it's been a pretty impressive model.”