Big changes for Battalion
The last place team in the Ontario Hockey League is undergoing change as veteran coach-general manager Stan Butler has been reassigned by the North Bay Battalion.
As Butler will remain with the organization as special advisor to owner Scott Abbott, Adam Dennis has been promoted to general manager of the Battalion and Ryan Oulahen will assume bench boss duties.
Meanwhile, former North Bay Centennials defenseman Bill Houlder is now a full-time assistant coach with the Battalion alongside holdover Scott Wray.
The venerable Butler has served as head coach and hockey boss since the franchise started play as the Brampton Battalion back in 1998-1999.
Dennis has filled a variety of roles with the Battalion as goalie coach, assistant coach and assistant general manager.
Oulahen, a onetime Battalion captain, served as an assistant coach for five-plus years culminating in 2015-2016, prior to becoming head coach of the OHL’s Flint Firebirds for two-plus seasons. He recently served as skills coach with the Battalion.
No one knows for sure but there was speculation that Butler’s health was a factor in this change. He appeared disengaged in games and the players were not responding very well to the situation. In a tv interview on cable 12, owner Abbott said things had been brewing for some time and he really started to consider the change after the team blew a 3-0 lead to lowly Kingston and lost 4-3.
“No one knows for sure.” I didn’t read anything that supplied an answer. Disappointing media coverage.
Well, Ian, you are in the media. Where is your coverage? Come on, man.
should have made the change sooner, but very positive move.