Denny Lambert talks T-Birds, Tech
He is settling into his new job at The Tech 1921 Ltd. as the director of hockey operations for the company that has taken over the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League and has plans to start a school-based athletic academy by the fall of 2017.
Having spent the majority of his life in the sport including 11 years as a player, assistant coach and head coach with the Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League mixed between an improbable career in the National Hockey League as a relentless winger who stuck it out to skate in more than 500 games, Denny Lambert is full force into his latest challenge.
After being lured away from his job as a health and safety respondor at Essar Steel, the 46-year old Lambert is part of the ambitious plans that The Tech 1921 Ltd. has — ones that include a kindergarten to Grade 12 private school located in a venerable Sault Ste. Marie structure that was once home to three high schools.
A new breath of fresh air in the downtown area of Sault Ste. Marie, the 95-year old Wellington St. E. building that has housed Soo Technical and Commercial, Lakeway Collegiate and St. Mary’s College high schools is now the refurbished, stately headquarters for The Tech 1921 Ltd. and already home to a bistro, bakery, banquet hall and theater.
On the education side, The Tech 1921 Ltd. plans to operate a hockey academy where players also attend the private school. And it’s on the hockey side where Lambert comes in as the full-time director of operations.
With the school slated to open in just over a year, Lambert has a lot of work ahead of him on the hockey academy side. And while working on and researching that part of his job, Lambert also has the responsibilities that go with overseeing the two-time NOJHL champion Thunderbirds, who were recently acquired by The Tech 1921 Ltd. from previous stewards.
Since the 2015-2016 season ended, the Thunderbirds lost two of their assistant coaches when Kyle Brick moved up to become head coach of the NOJHL’s Blind River Beavers and Jeremy Rebek accepted a position to become bench boss of the major midget Soo Indians of the Michigan Amateur Hockey Association.
And just yesterday, in the span of a few hours, first general manager Jamie Henderson and then president of hockey operations Kevin Cain abruptly resigned their respective positions with the reigning NOJHL champs.
Lambert, in addressing the dual departures of Henderson and Cain with me, did not hesitate when asked about the resignations.
“I have a lot of respect for what Jamie and Kevin have done,” Lambert said evenly. “I wasn’t involved in what went on here before but they were obviously a part of the success that the Thunderbirds had. I wish them the best of luck as they move on.”
When asked if he offered Henderson and Cain the opportunity to remain with the Thunderbirds in some capacity, Lambert again did not flinch.
“What they did is a role I am overseeing now,” Lambert began. “And the fact is they both put in their resignations. So I’ll take some time, talk to some people and re-align things.”
As for Lambert possibly coaching the Thunderbirds next season, the former Greyhound bench boss had this to say.
“Coaching is what I know and love,” he began. “But I didn’t get into this just so I could coach again. This is about the whole hockey process, expanding my knowledge on the business and management side and getting to know the structure of the Thunderbirds.”
Lambert did say that he “will continue to talk” to holdover head coach Jordan Smith, who has been behind the Thunderbirds bench for three very-successful seasons.
“I am in communication with Jordan,” Lambert noted, “and I am interested in continuing to talk to him. There is no rush. I am going to take my time and at the end of the day, the Thunderbirds will be in good hands and we will be happy with the people who are in here.”
On to the hockey academy plans that The Tech 1921 Ltd. has, Lambert and company colleague Trev Zachary recently returned from an excursion to Cornwall, Ottawa and Toronto where they visited academies that are successfully-existent in those cities.
“They all have a unique version of what they do,” said Lambert. “We are in our open stages of research and we want to make sure everything is in place when we are ready to go.
“We will do what is best for Sault Ste. Marie,” Lambert continued. “It takes time and research and it’s a process but we will come up with a model that best fits us and our location.
“We will be sanctioned by Hockey Canada and follow the guidelines that Hockey Canada has in place,” Lambert noted.
These are very-busy days for the likeable Lambert and the former un-drafted OHL and NHL player who went on to play the game at its highest level likes where he’s at.
“The goals are to get the academy up and running properly and as for the Thunderbirds, we want to continue the success the former group had with a philosophy of development and winning. I can see a lot of good happening in what we are aiming to do here. It’s a process and it will take time but we are working on our plans as we speak,” he concluded.
PHOTO: Denny Lambert has spent a good part of his life in the game of hockey, including several years as a coach with the OHL Soo Greyhounds.
You will do a great job!!Denny, you have come a long way..many successes to you …
From what I was told both Henderson and Cain were asked if they wished to resign their positions or be fired.
That’s great – Fire somebody who had so much success.
We will see if that success repeats now?
Good idea Denny …direction and knowledge for boys who love the game could work ….especially in a Sault setting.Good luck !
I’m sure the rest of the NOJHL is kicking their chops with all this news out of the soo!
Licking not kicking lol
It’s ok, anyone who gets fired from the Thunderbirds, will just end up in Blind River. The Beavers will be more successful and end up defeating the Thunderbirds the same way the Thunderbirds defeated the Beavers by scores of 10-0 and 12-1. They don’t realize what Tech 1921 Inc is doing to a great organization.