Give Dean a chance
John who? That is a question more than one fan and advertiser was asking after the Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League hired 37-year old John Dean as their new head coach.
Dean, a former assistant with the OHL’s North Bay Battalion, is fresh from one successful season with the Toronto Patriots in which he was named Ontario Jr. Hockey League coach of the year.
I get it that a more popular choice to take over from Drew Bannister as head coach of the Hounds might have been any one of a number of proven coaches with a link to Sault Ste. Marie, namely Bobby Jones, David Matsos, Jason Fortier, John Parco or Jordan Smith.
But, for example, Greyhounds general manager Kyle Raftis opted for Dean without even interviewing Jones, who has coached with much success as the head and associate for a number of OHL teams over a 20-year period — and who wears a pair of Memorial Cup rings.
Jones did land a pro job as an assistant coach with the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League but when I talked to him recently, he did not try to hide his disappointment and insult at being snubbed by Raftis.
At any rate, like it or not, Dean is the Greyhounds new bench boss. And given that he is the choice to replace an OHL coach of the year in Bannister, Dean at least deserves the chance to prove himself to the fans and advertisers who fund the Greyhounds.
It can be pointed out that there were those of us in Houndtown who did not agree with previous hires of Raftis and Kyle Dubas as GM and Sheldon Keefe and Bannister as head coach.
And all have turned out be good hires.
Raftis has become a top GM in the OHL and Dubas (in the National Hockey League, with the Toronto Maple Leafs, no less), Keefe and Bannister have all advanced to pro positions.
So while there are those who may not be keen on Dean, let us not be seen as judging him too hastily.
PHOTO: New coach of the Soo Greyhounds, John Dean.
Fear not fellow Hounds’ fans this man will not let you down!
…..good hockey teams can make a coach look good…..bad hockey teams can make a coach look good if he can get them to overachieve….a couple of seasons should tell what Dean can become….he advanced quickly from NB and Toronto Patriots was only a successful one year gig…give him a chance…if your scouts continue their good results you need not worry…