Flint adds to bench staff
Mark Ridout is making a return to the Ontario Hockey League, this time as an assistant coach with the Flint Firebirds.
A Windsor, Ontario native, the 38-year old Ridout was a hard-nosed defenseman over four OHL seasons.
Notably, he toiled for his hometown Windsor Spitfires as well as for the Plymouth Whalers (who, ironically, are now the Flint Firebirds.)
In going to Flint as an assistant under holdover head coach Eric Wellwood and new associate coach Ryan Kuwabara, Ridout will also serve as the Firebirds strength and conditioning coach.
Ridout has prior coaching experience as an assistant with the Windsor Lancers of Ontario University Athletics.
As Ridout hails from Windsor, so too does aforementioned Firebirds bench boss Eric Wellwood.