HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. — In June, George Gwozdecky stood behind the bench during the Stanley Cup finals as an assistant for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
He is the only man to win national hockey titles as a player (Wisconsin in 1977), an assistant (Michigan State in 1986) and a head coach (Denver in 2004 and 2005).
But last Saturday night, he was behind the bench in a suburban ice rink south of Denver, before a smattering of fans, watching his Valor Christian High School team beat Palmer, 8-2, in its season opener.
Gwozdecky, 62, had never coached a high school team before, but Valor Athletic Director Jamie Heiner said, smiling, “It’s almost ridiculous to think that he’d be here.