Fueled up in Flint
Flint Firebirds have been a model of steadiness and stability over the past two Ontario Hockey League seasons. Flint has registered respective regular season records of 42-21-5 and 35-28-5 and won two of its four playoff series over the past two OHL campaigns. The Firebirds have playoff series wins over the Owen Sound Attack and Soo Greyhounds. And the two playoff sets that Flint has lost have both been seventh and deciding game setbacks to higher seeded teams, namely the Windsor Spitfires in 2022 and the Saginaw Spirit in 2023.
With any OHL team, the winds of change inevitably alter the course of direction from season to season. And in Flint, the Firebirds have been active and progressive ahead of the 2023-2024 season as they aim to remain as contenders in the Western Conference of the OHL.
SHUFFLING THE DECK
Ted Dent will return for his third season as head coach of the Firebirds effective the ’23-24 season. But Dent, who did double duty as the Firebirds general manager the past two seasons, has turned the GM job over to Dave McParlan. McParlan, who had been the Firebirds assistant GM, has 17 years of prior OHL experience in management and scouting dating back to his days with the erstwhile Plymouth Whalers.
Meanwhile, Flint has added Reijo Ruotsalainen and Paul Flache as assistant coaches for the upcoming season — and McParlan as the GM likes the look of the coaching staff.
“We believe we have put together one of the most talented staffs in the entire league,” said McParlan. “Ted (Dent) is one of the best head coaches there is, and to surround him with so much pro hockey and coaching experience is a tremendous benefit for our hockey club. We feel this will really help the development of our players and give us the opportunity for great success.”
A veteran of more than 500 National Hockey League games as a high end defenseman, Ruotsalainen was a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Edmonton Oilers back in 1987 and 1990. In 532 career NHL games, playoffs included, with the Oilers, New York Rangers and New Jersey Devils, he produced 391 points. After his playing career ended, Ruotsalainen spent several years coaching in both Finland and Austria.
As for Flache, returns to the Flint for a second stint after being an assistant coach with the Firebirds from 2016 to 2018. Flache has spent the past three seasons with the Atlanta Mad Hatters of the United States Premier Hockey League, most recently as head coach and general manager. Flache played in 205 OHL games for the Brampton Battalion from 1999 to 2002 as a steady defenseman.
Firebirds owner Rolf Nilsen is impressed with his hockey staff as a unit.
“The experience of our hockey operations department for the upcoming year is almost unmatched in our league,” said Nilsen. “We have the most accomplished staff we have ever had and we believe this will help us continue to build off of our past success and work towards the ultimate goal of bringing a championship here to Flint.”
Indeed, the 2023-2024 Firebirds coaching staff has a combined 45 years of pro hockey experience and over 65 years of pro and junior coaching experience.
TOP PICKS ON BOARD
Flint has signed three of its top picks from the 2023 OHL priority selections draft — first rounder Jeremy Martin, second rounder Jimmy Lombardi and third round pick Max Anderson. All three are forwards from reputable Under 16 programs in the Greater Toronto Hockey League — Martin via the Toronto Marlboros and Lombardi and Anderson by way of the Don Mills Flyers.
Firebirds head scout Mike Oliverio, who is a Sault Ste. Marie resident, noted the strengths of all three players.
“Jeremy is a physical player and plays a heavy game,” Oliverio said of Martin. “He has the skill to match and always is coming at you. He plays with pace and has an exceptional first three steps and a scoring touch with a pro-like shot.”
As for Lombardi, Oliverio relayed that “we really like the fact that Jimmy plays the game at a high pace and skill level. He is a difference maker in any type of game and competes in all three zones. He takes time and space away from the opposition quickly and he tends to make the players around him better.”
Over to Anderson, Oliverio mentioned that “Max plays the game with a high level of compete and tenacity. He also possesses the skill and ability to be a very versatile piece anywhere in our lineup.
He plays at a high pace and is relentless in his puck pursuit.”
SAULT LINK TO FLINT
As the Firebirds head scout, the aforementioned Mike Oliverio stayed in his Sault Ste. Marie back yard to take three different position players from the Soo Jr. Greyhounds of the Great North Under 18 Hockey League at the 2023 OHL priority selections draft.
Lanky goalie Nathan Maguire went to Flint in the sixth round, high scoring forward Brendan Cooke was the Firebirds eighth round pick and hulking defenseman Rylan Fellinger got the nod from Oliverio in the 13th round.
• Playing on a first place U18 Jr. Greyhounds team, Maguire had a rather good regular season as evidenced by a 1.69 goals against average and four shutouts on a powerhouse Soo squad that did not permit many shots on goal. He then saw action in only one of the Jr. Greyhounds five games at the league’s playoff championship tournament and posted a shutout. Without Maguire in the net, the Jr. Greyhounds were upset by the North Bay U18 Trappers in the championship game.
• Hailing from the small Highway 17 town of Thessalon, Cooke connected for 19 goals, 18 assists, 37 points in 28 regular season games for the Jr. Greyhounds before exploding for nine goals, six assists, 15 points in five playoff outings.
• Regular season and playoffs included for the Jr. Greyhounds in 2022-2023, Fellinger found range for two goals, 18 assists, 20 points in 31 games.