Former Vernon Lakers Defenceman Purinton Leaves Capitals:

Former Vernon Lakers defenceman Dale Purinton wont be back with the BCHL Cowichan Valley Capitals next season.  Purinton who played one season in Vernon (1993-1994) collected (1-6-7) in 42 regular season games with the Lakers also racked up 193 penalty minutes.  In mid October of 2009 Purinton was named Head Coach of the BCHL Cowichan Valley Capitals before Purinton and Jim Ingram were named Associate Coaches in late March of 2011.  Purinton was drafted by the New York Rangers in Round 5 117th overall in the 1995 NHL entry draft.

Dale Purinton's Player Profile:

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=28491

This is posted in the Cowichan Valley Citizen newspaper:

Caps bid Purinton farewell

Coach heads out after nearly three seasons

Kevin Rothbauer, Citizen

Published: Wednesday, May 09, 2012

After a successful season sharing the Cowichan Valley Capitals bench with Jim Ingram, Dale Purinton is moving on.

Purinton was named head coach of the team in October 2009 and held that job until the 2011 offseason when he was paired with Ingram, both men holding the title of associate coach. May 14 will be his last day with the Caps as Ingram takes the reins solo.

There are no regrets as he steps away from junior A hockey to focus on his family, Purinton said.

"The thing in hockey is there is always change," he said. "It's about how you approach it, and for me, it's all positive."

Purinton has good relationships with Ingram and assistant coach Aaron Plumb, and with the ownership group, and that won't change, he said. He will continue to live with his wife and kids in Cowichan Bay, and will still contribute to the Caps when he has a chance.

"I want to help them out and stay in the community," he said.

With a resume that includes nearly 200 National Hockey League games, part of a long professional career, and plenty of contacts in the sport, Purinton won't have trouble finding another hockey job if he wants it. But he's not anxious to start anywhere else soon.

"I'm not thinking too much about it," he said. "There's always stuff you can do if you want it."

The Caps are sorry to see Purinton go. "He'll be dearly missed," said Gordon, the Caps' majority owner. "He's good with the kids, but it was time to move on."

Gordon said he would have liked to go on with the pairing of Purinton and Ingram, who shepherded the Caps to the third-best regular season record in the British Columbia Hockey League's Coastal Conference, one point out of second place, before a seventh-game overtime playoff loss.

"They worked so well together," said Gordon.

Purinton was a feared enforcer in the NHL, collecting 578 penalty minutes in 181 games, but he didn't have the same attitude as a coach.

"He had his issues on the ice, but that's not him as a person," said Gordon.
As a coach, Purinton's main concern was the players, and working with them is what he will remember best about his tenure with the Caps.

"All the kids I got to work with and who were part of the team, I'm super happy I got to do it."

Purinton expressed his gratitude to the Caps' owners, directors, fans, and "everyone who made it a special time here," as well.