Change of the guard awaits T-Birds
They repeated as champions of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League with relative ease. They made it to the final game and just missed out in their bid to repeat as Dudley-Hewitt Cup, Central Canada Tournament champions.
But despite their on-ice successes, change awaits the two-time, NOJHL champion Thunderbirds.
With the 2015-2016 NOJHL season now over, the Thunderbirds will officially come under the new ownership of The Tech 1921 Ltd. at the league’s upcoming annual general meeting.
The Tech 1921 Ltd. has already hired a full-time director of hockey operations to oversee the Thunderbirds and the bantam-midget-aged academy that it has plans to start.
And not only does The Tech have a grizzled veteran of Ontario Hockey League and National Hockey League playing days at the helm in the highly-respected Denny Lambert, it has a man in charge who has also coached at a high level.
As Lambert brings his playing background to The Tech and the Thunderbirds, he also delivers a coaching resume that includes parts of eight OHL seasons as an assistant and head coach with the Soo Greyhounds.
And while Lambert has said he will carefully evaluate the men who have had key roles in the Thunderbirds hockey department over the past few years, the chain of command will definitely be altered.
As the man in full charge of hockey operations for the Thunderbirds, Lambert inherits the likes of head coach Jordan Smith, assistant coaches Ryan Maunu and Jeremy Rebek, president of hockey operations Kevin Cain, general manager Jamie Henderson and scouts Brad Boyer and Charly Murray.
To be sure, Smith, Maunu, Rebek, Cain, Henderson, Boyer and Murray represent many years of experience — and success — within the NOJHL.
Still, the Thunderbirds have carried a reputation within some local hockey circles and in parts of the NOJHL as a dysfunctional franchise with major lack of communication throughout the team and an arrogant aloofness that caused separation within the ranks.
On the flip side, Lambert, a self-made man who is big on character and team work, is an even-keeled individual who does not think he is better than anyone. As Lambert has very-little ego, those who are full of themselves are not likely to enjoy any sort of major role with the Thunderbirds moving forward.
Having said that, any of the above-mentioned Thunderbirds who may not retain a position with the organization would probably be able to land another hockey job, either in the NOJHL or at an equal or lower level.
For instance, Kyle Brick recently left his position as an assistant coach with the Thunderbirds to become the new bench boss of the NOJHL’s Blind River Beavers. Surely Brick could use the advisory assistance and/or scouting expertise of someone like Cain, Boyer or Murray, should any of them move on from the Thunderbirds.
Murray, in particular, is a retired steelworker with time on his hands and a lot to offer as someone who has performed a key role in the success of a number of NOJHL teams over the years, including the Thunderbirds, Blind River and the erstwhile Northern Michigan Black Bears. There are few in the junior game with the overall scouting/player advancement pedigree that Murray has.
At any rate, the Thunderbirds have had a good run of late in terms of championships.
But as Bob Dylan first wrote and sang many years ago: “The times, they are a changin’.”
Denny should coach this Team. A great team that lacked dissipline all season long. A stacked team that could not keep there compusure when it counted the most. At the Dudley. Get rid of all the big EGOS on this team. Starting with the Head Coach & the G.M. Rebeck is the Brains behind the Coaching Staff so keep him. My opinion.
Could not agree more with you TBirds Supporter. The best team that money could by spent the whole Tournament in the Penalty Box. Clean house!!
Looks good on these arrogant Zoo Birds and the big shot Coach behind the bench. Can you spell “Karma” ????!!!!
Given his past history I think that Denny Lambert should Coach to develop more of our Kids from bantams on up. Our system in the Sault needs to be fixed so why not go with Denny who is a true example f what it takes to succeed.
As long as the Soo Thunderbirds are in the NOJHL, they will continue to fill their trophy case.
Funny how brad coccimiglio in his sootoday article brags about the tbirds being the model junior franchise. Since the 2010-11 season, the franchise has won the regular season title five times in six seasons, and finished second in the other. The team has also been to the league final five times and won three NOJHL playoff titles. The team has also won a pair of Dudley Hewitt Cup titles (2012 and 2015).
The team also has a second-place finish in the 2012 RBC Cup.
All Jr. A teams would love to have that type of success. So what is there to change? Unless the existing staff wants to move on i think it is a bad mistake to make changes to a model franchise. I know this article made mention to egos and arrogance but any changes to this type of success will truly reveal who’s egos and arrogance are being referred to . Congrats to this year’s version of the tbirds, You should be proud of what you have accomplished.
I couldn’t see a team like the Soo Thunderbirds folding. They’ve been really defiant and dominant over the past 5 years. Of course, they played in an empty Essar Centre, and also raised ticket prices which put attendance below 200 each game, unless visiting fans were willing to make the trip. Teams like the North Bay Trappers and the Sudbury Nickel Barons relocated because of the OHL and a lack of a support. How a team like the Thunderbirds gets so much sponsorship support with the Soo Greyhounds as the main attraction is unbeknownst to me.