Paek to lead Korean hockey program

The Grand Rapids Griffins on Wednesday announced that longtime assistant coach Jim Paek has accepted a position as the director of hockey for the Korea Ice Hockey Association (KIHA) and head coach of the Korean Men’s National Team.

Paek, 47, was the longest-tenured coach in franchise history, having served behind the Grand Rapids bench for nine 18 seasons (2005-14). A native of Seoul, South Korea, who was raised in Toronto and earned his U.S. citizenship in 2011, Paek played an essential role in the development of players during his time with the Griffins, including many current and former Detroit Red Wings.

Paek helped guide the Griffins to a Calder Cup in 2013, the American Hockey League’s regular-season championship in 2005-06, and a cumulative 357-272-33-46 record (.560) during his nine seasons. Furthermore, his influence helped Grand Rapids head coach Jeff Blashill earn the Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award as the AHL’s outstanding coach for 2013-14, when the Griffins compiled a 46-23-2-5 record. Paek will conclude his tenure with the organization next week by serving as the lead instructor for the Griffins’ annual youth hockey camp at Griff’s IceHouse.

The KIHA, a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), is the governing body that oversees ice hockey in South Korea. In April, the association hosted the 2014 IIHF World Championship Division I Group A tournament in Goyang, a prelude to the 2018 Winter Olympics that will be held in Pyeongchang.

Under Paek’s leadership, South Korea will attempt to earn its first-ever Olympic hockey berth and the right to compete in the sport’s grandest international event on home ice. Paek is already familiar with at least one member of Korea’s national team, left wing Brock Radunske, who played 20 games for the Griffins during the 2006-07 campaign. A native of Kitchener, Ont., Radunske gained South Korean citizenship in 2013 and became the first non-ethnic Korean to represent the country in international sport.

“The Detroit Red Wings congratulate Jim Paek on his appointment to the Korea Ice Hockey Association and Korean National Team,” said Ryan Martin, assistant general manager of the Red Wings. “We are thrilled and excited for him on his well-deserved opportunity. With the 2018 Winter Olympics to be held in Pyeongchang, this is a tremendous opportunity for Jim to oversee the development of hockey players, coaches and administrators across all levels of hockey in his native South Korea.

“Jim has been instrumental in the development of many current Red Wings, including Jakub Kindl, Jonathan Ericsson, Justin Abdelkader, Jimmy Howard, Tomas Tatar, Darren Helm, Gustav Nyquist and Brendan Smith, to name a few. He possesses a wealth of experience as a player and coach at all levels, as well as a strong passion for hockey development. Jim’s multi-faceted skill set will be a great asset in leading the Korea Ice Hockey Association in developing its national programs.”

After winning consecutive Stanley Cups as a defenseman with Pittsburgh in 1991 and 1992, Paek earned the right to hoist Lord Stanley’s prize for the third time in 2008 after coaching the Red Wings’ “black aces” during the parent club’s title run. He has continued assisting Detroit during the playoffs while also maintaining roles during the Red Wings’ summer development camps and fall prospect tournaments and training camps.

As the first Korean to both play in the NHL and have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup, Paek has his Penguins jersey displayed in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. During five seasons in the NHL (1990-95), he tallied 34 points and 155 penalty minutes in 217 games with Pittsburgh, Los Angeles and Ottawa, and he had the distinction of counting both Mario Lemieux and Wayne Gretzky as teammates.