‘He’s always been a leader’ Kraken assistant coach Lowry extremely proud of son’s accomplishments on and off the ice By: Mike McIntyre Posted: 5:59 PM CST Tuesday, Mar. 5, 2024

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This article was published 05/03/2024 (927 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg Jets players, coaches, management and fans have no doubt enjoyed watching Adam Lowry spread his wings this year, taking on the role of team captain and helping lead the organization to near the top of the NHL standings.

Imagine how his family feels.

“We’re extremely proud of him,” Dave Lowry said Tuesday, a few hours before his Seattle Kraken tried to take down Adam and his teammates at Canada Life Centre in the first meeting of the season between the two Western Conference clubs.

“The big thing is you’re proud of not necessarily the player, but the person he’s become. He’s always been like that. He’s always been a humble guy, and he’s always taken a lot of pride in being a leader.”

So what took so long, with Adam only officially brought into the Jets’ leadership group last season as an alternate captain, which morphed into getting the C on his sweater this past September?

Dave points the finger of blame directly at himself.

“Obviously with me being on the staff and coaching, it probably restricted him a lot in that,” he said.

You’ll recall that Dave, a veteran of 1,084 NHL games played, was hired prior to the 2020-21 season to be an assistant coach on Paul Maurice’s staff in Winnipeg, taking the spot of Todd Woodcroft who had left to coach college hockey south of the border.

It may have seemed like a potentially awkward hire from the outside, given that Adam was already one of the core players on the team. In hindsight, that’s exactly what it turned out to be — especially after Maurice resigned midway through the 2021-22 campaign and Dave was appointed interim bench boss.

“Things changed. For me, he was coached like any other player. But within the room, if you stand up and say something, there’s always the question of is it you saying it, or…” Dave said, his voice trailing off before he finished the thought.

“I think I restricted him in that capacity, and it was for the best we changed.”–Dave Lowry

The implication is it made things especially uncomfortable for Adam among some of his teammates, having “Dad” leading the way.

“I think I restricted him in that capacity, and it was for the best we changed,” he added.

Indeed, Dave wasn’t even invited for an interview for the Jets vacant coaching position in the summer of 2022, with the job ultimately going to Rick Bowness. Another opportunity quickly came calling for Dave, who was hired to be part of Dave Hakstol’s staff in Seattle heading into their second year.

“Going back and assuming the role I had before (assistant coach) in Seattle, it’s way different. You don’t have that stress,” he said. “There’s always going to be someone that says something. You just have to move past that. I think the big thing is you listen to your kids talk during and after, you realize the impact it had on them as well.”

Talking is one thing father and son did not do prior to puck drop Tuesday.

“I don’t really like talking to him when we play him,” said Dave, but they were planning to catch up post-game. They’ll have a bit more time later this week as the Jets and Kraken play again on Friday night in Seattle.

Out of his dad’s shadow, Adam set a career high in points last year (36) in 82 games, and he’s on pace to shatter that this season with 27 (eight goals, 19 assists) through his first 60 contests. Dave said he isn’t surprised his son is seemingly getting better with age, tracing it back to when he started as a 16-year-old with the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League.

“Playing at 16 in the top six against older guys I think really helped, At 19 he’s a top player in the league in terms of points, he wins player of the year in the WHL. You knew there was the ability and the offence. The skills are there, the mind is there,” said Dave.

“But I think really the big thing is, where a lot of guys miss is they all want the offensive role. I give him a lot of credit, when he went to St. John’s (his rookie pro year in 2013-14), he was learning to become a third-line checking centre and when he came to the NHL that’s the role he was put in, and that’s the role today that, No. 1 he takes a lot of pride in and, No. 2, I think he really excels in that role.”

“I think you have to give his Mom a lot of credit.”–Dave Lowry

Now, the added responsibilities of captain of a Canadian NHL team, which Adam is thriving in. Not only on the ice, where his hard-nosed play is a constant, but off the ice as well with numerous community endeavours such as his ambassador role with Toba Centre for Children and Youth.

This time, Dave points the finger in the direction of his wife, Elaine.

“I think you have to give his Mom a lot of credit,” he said.

“Obviously, with the career we’re in and the lifestyle that we live, she spent a lot of time raising the kids. A lot of time on her own. She did a really good job of core values and really gave him a solid foundation. But he’s always been a leader.”

Dave isn’t surprised his son has put his own stamp on the position previously held by Blake Wheeler, who had the captaincy removed by Bowness prior to last season and then was bought out of the final year of his contract this past summer.

“I think he’s grateful for the opportunity,” he said.

“Here’s a young kid from Calgary who goes at 16 to play in Swift Current, which is another small community, small organization in the Western Hockey League. He just went there to play hockey. He was grateful for the opportunity to play in the WHL. When he came to Winnipeg he got sent to St. John’s, and he was grateful to play there. I think he just appreciates the opportunities he’s been given.”

Although his time in Winnipeg didn’t end the way he scripted it — the Jets failed to really gain any extra traction under their interim coach — Dave is grateful for his time spent with the organization.

“There was a lot of really good guys in that room. I’ve got a lot of great relationships,” he said.

“I really appreciate when our staff was together how hard these guys competed. I’ve got a lot of respect for a lot of these guys. I would never cheer against them, although I will be (Tuesday night).”

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X: @mikemcintyrewpg