Fortier loves hockey, enjoys life


By
November 11, 2016

Jason Fortier loves his gig as an associate coach with the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League — but he enjoys his time away from the rink as well.

The 42-year old Fortier has known splendid success as a coach at various levels. And while he has a self-admitted passion for the game, he tries to not let it consume him.

Don’t misunderstand.

The affable, life-loving son of Jerry and Sandra Fortier of Sault Ste. Marie is totally devoted to his job with the OHL Rangers and wants to ascend as far he can in hockey while keeping in mind that it is still a game.

“As a coach I have made it my job to try to teach and develop the kids as players and young men while combining hard work in a positive atmosphere,” Fortier told HockeyNewsNorth.com.

“At the end of the day, regardless of the goals that we have, when our players leave the rink I want them to have learned something and enjoy the game because that’s what hockey is — a game,” said Fortier.

And Fortier waxes philosophical when it comes to combining his job and personal life.

“As coaches and as much time as we put into hockey, it’s important to create a life away from the game,” he said evenly.

His formula of helping to build a strong organization and treating players well seems to be working. In the past three seasons alone, Fortier has coached three teams to five league championships.

That’s right, in both 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 he coached two teams in two different levels at the same time — the Toronto Young Nationals midgets and the Toronto Lakeshore Patriots juniors. Both teams won back-to-back league championships.

Fortier then moved up to the Quebec Major Jr. Hockey League as an assistant coach with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in 2015-2016 and helped them to a championship and eventual Memorial Cup berth which ended in a title tilt overtime loss to the OHL’s London Knights.

So, suffice to say that Fortier has been part of considerable achievement over the past three years.

It was only five years ago that Fortier became really serious about coaching.

“I was coaching without direction when I realized how much hockey is my joy and passion. It was then that I made a decision to make a run and try to become the best coach that I can be,” he relayed.

Following his midget and junior championship success in Toronto and the elevated success at the major junior level in Rouyn-Noranda came the opportunity during the past off-season to apply for the vacant associate coach position in Kitchener — and his subsequent quick hiring by new Rangers bench boss Jay McKee.

“It was hard to say good-bye to Rouyn but it was a goal of mine to return to Ontario and coach in the OHL,” Fortier explained. “And when you think about OHL franchises, the Kitchener Rangers are right up there.

“For me, right now, this is the place to be,” Fortier continued. “Not only are the Rangers a great organization but the Kitchener area is a great place to be. It’s a big OHL market, close to Toronto.

“Kitchener is like a little NHL,” said Fortier, noting that the Rangers routinely draw crowds of more than 7,000 to the stately Kitchener Memorial Auditorium.

As a player, Fortier was a fearless forward who skated in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, the Ontario Jr. Hockey League, the OHL, overseas at the pro level in Germany and Holland — and at home with the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association champion Sault College Cougars.

Now as a coach, he’s in the OHL in Kitchener with a Rangers organization that is at the forefront of Canadian Hockey League franchises.

“It’s hard to imagine being in a better place than where I am now,” said Fortier. “Let’s face it, the Kitchener Rangers are an iconic franchise.”

Fortier said the Rangers hockey department, which includes general manager Murray Hiebert, assistant general manager/assistant coach Mike McKenzie, aforementioned head coach Jay McKee and assistant coach Matthew Barnaby, makes for an exceptional environment.

“As a GM, Murray oversees things and trusts the coaches to do their jobs,” Fortier pointed out.

“As far as the coaching staff, there is the sense that we all respect one another and the jobs that we do. And away from the rink, we do things together. We are a close-knit group.”

As players, the 39-year old McKee and the 43-year old Barnaby both played the game at the highest level. Both suited up for close to 900 National Hockey League games apiece.

Then there’s the 30-year old McKenzie, a former Division 1, National Collegiate Athletic Association academic and playing standout who multi-tasks with the Rangers as assistant GM and assistant coach while carrying an OHL reputation as a hawk-eyed scout.

“He’s a very-smart kid who is wise beyond his years,” Fortier said of McKenzie. “He’s very disciplined in the way he does his job and the way he leads his life while still being a fun guy to be around.”

As for this edition of the Rangers, who are near the top of a hotly-contested Western Conference that includes the Erie Otters, London Knights, Sarnia Sting, Windsor Spitfires and Soo Greyhounds, Fortier opined that “we have a team that can surprise. We have good, young players, our goaltending has been good. I wouldn’t want to face us in the playoffs.”

As for his future aspirations, Fortier said he set a goal a few years back of being a major junior head coach by age 45.

“If that happens, I will be ready for it,” he said. “But if it doesn’t, I can see myself being happy in my current position in Kitchener for a long time.”

PHOTO: Kitchener Rangers associate coach Jason Fortier.


What you think about “Fortier loves hockey, enjoys life”

  1. That’s a good read! Another franchise that is revered to their fans by their program and record of graduating players!

  2. What a nice article about one of our Coaches.
    As a supporting fan of the Rangers for many years dating back to when my Mom & Dad use to go the Games when the Rangers first started playing at the Aud back in ’63 it is always nice to read about the Rangers from a another perspective.
    Great article by Randy Russon.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *