New coach for Saginaw Spirit
After a lengthy process, relative unknown Spencer Carbery has been hired as the new head coach of the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League.
The 34-year Carbery spent the past five seasons as bench boss of the South Carolina Stingrays of the minor-pro level ECHL and leaves as the all-time winningest coach in franchise history.
The Canadian-born Carbery, who hails from Victoria, B.C., played National Collegiate Athletic Association hockey at both the University of Alaska-Anchorage and St. Norbert College. He later played minor pro hockey for four years.
Carbery becomes Saginaw’s seventh head coach in the 15-year history of the Spirit franchise.
Spirit general manager Dave Drinkill addressed the somewhat-surprising hiring of Carbery.
“It was crucial for me during this search to leave no stone un-turned in order to find the right person to lead our team,” Drinkill began.
“Spencer’s vision and values align perfectly with the culture we are trying to build here in Saginaw,” added Drinkill, who will enter his second season as Saginaw GM in 2016-2017.
Under fired coach Greg Gilbert and his interim replacement Moe Mantha, Saginaw finished in eighth place in the OHL’s Western Conference in 2015-2016 before being swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Erie Otters.
poor Saginaw..the bar is low….still the curse of Bert Templeton
Lafleur or Smith of the NOJHL would have been great choices but not sure if they were interested
It’s been more than 20 years since Bert Templeton has been the coach for the North Bay Centennials/Saginaw Spirit franchise in more than 20 years. He won coach-of-the-year in 1994 and asked for a raise in renegotiating his contract. Raise was not given to him, and he accept the job with the Barrie Colts and was there until 1999, and then went to Sudbury. Barrie became a bad-ass team in 1999-00 with Bill Stewart. There is indeed a curse within the Saginaw Spirit. They only won a single playoff round (2011). Good to have Spencer Carbery who was so much experience in the ECHL. I would like to see what he can do with the Spirit.