Express makes right turn


By
June 6, 2018

Espanola Express has made the right move with the hiring of Dave Clancy as head coach, the president and general manager of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League team told Hockey News North.

Chad Clarke, one of the co-founders of the Express, which joined the NOJHL as an expansion team in 2015, recently finalized a deal to bring Clancy to Espanola.

“We are excited to get a guy with the high level experience and track record of success that Coach Clancy will bring to our organization,” Clarke told Hockey News North. “I feel Coach Clancy will be a great addition to our program, strengthening in a big way our recruiting, on ice structure and overall dressing room culture.

“I cannot say enough good things about Coach Clancy on and off the ice. Our hockey philosophies are very similar and I do not doubt this is a very positive step in the right direction,” Clarke summed up.

The affable Clancy boards the Express and takes over from fellow NOJHL veteran Tom McCarthy as the new bench boss in Espanola.

Under McCarthy, the Express finished last overall in the 12-team NOJHL in 2017-2018 and missed the playoffs for a second successive season.

The no-nonsense Clancy, who most-recently coached in the NOJHL for the Rayside-Balfour Canadians over parts of the past two seasons, brings a tidy and impressive resume to Espanola.

Clancy has had championship success in the NOJHL as coach and general manager of the erstwhile Sudbury Junior Wolves. He has also coached the Laurentian Voyageurs of Ontario University Athletics.

Known as a trustworthy, honest individual, Clancy also has a scouting past as a regional scout with the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League.

PHOTO: Dave Clancy directs a practice during his time as head coach of the NOJHL’s Rayside-Balfour Canadians. (Photo by Postmedia.)


What you think about “Express makes right turn”

  1. So..all they’ve changed is the head coach. This entire franchise needs a new set of ears and eyes from the top down. Director of player personnel and recruiting, the president and GM, the head coach, roster etc.

    They’re off to a good start, but all in all…they need hockey guys in charge. Guys who live and breathe the game and have a stethoscope on the heartbeat of junior and midget hockey in North America. Right now, I just don’t think they have it.

    The entire roster needs a complete turnover, bring in junior A or at worst junior B level players. Last year they had basically a junior C team or a minor midget team on most nights.

    Hopefully they can win more than 2 games next year to actually keep the town coming to games..or coming back to games..lol

  2. I am going to respond as follows my son joined them
    In the 2 half and from what I witnessed they are a few players worthy enough to rejoin the team and with new fresh players and coaching staff they will win a Ton more games . You are to quick to judge all teams whether in the NHL
    Or not go through growing pains in a brand new organization and they treat the kids right however depending where the team is situated you may have e a fluctuation of players being frustrated. At the end you. Wes players that are lions and do not look at what the score they keep on moving forward
    Most of all the some of the games they should of not lost the puck just did not bounce in the right direction. Chad Clarke is a super guy and so are the rest of the people
    Do not be so fast to judge

  3. I would like to add with the returning players and with the new additions and the new head coach the express will shock and conquer this year like I mentioned every team goes through growing pains

  4. I’ve been witnessed to three different coaches, three different team constructions in 3 years and the best out of the 3 was a 12 win season and a playoff date with the Soo Eagles 3 years ago.

    There are a handful of decent depth players on that team, but they don’t possess any top line players or a good goalie. The team needs a thorough re-tooling if it ever hopes to compete in the NOJHL.

    This league requires a lot of scouting and recruiting of players, especially now that there’s a cap on how many Imports a team can carry. Espanola has lacked in that department ever since they lost Tim Clayden and the defunct Rivermen to the CIHL.

  5. Lol brad I have to laugh at your final paragraph. The kids that played on those teams were only there for one reason and it wasn’t because of the name you mentioned. As a former billet of several players I can say that as a fact.

  6. Ross being a billet family has a lot of responsibility and we as parents thank you for taking care of these kids, listening to them , feeding them , doing there laundry and keeping them safe. Every player has a reason for being at a certain team at any given time ,however what is important is that the player has a good experience and develops. The express is a new team , with a few tweaks here and there , the express will be in the playoffs , it takes players with hearts , dedication and the heart to never give up. New teams at times get lucky and do what they do as we saw in Vegas this year , but les face it how many expansions teams have truly done this. The organization just my opinion will bring a better and more powerful team this year due to new head coach who has a enormous amount of experience and the players will work even harder

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