Hounds extend John Dean
Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League have opted to retain veteran head coach John Dean via new two year contract. The deal extends through to, and including, the ’26-27 OHL season.
Dean gets the extension despite the fact that the Greyhounds have had losing seasons in two of the last three. (He does have an overall winning record through six seasons as the Hounds bench boss.)
In ’24-25, the Greyhounds finished seventh among the 10 teams of the Western Conference with a record of 29-35-4 before losing to the Windsor Spitfires in the first round of the playoffs.
In ’23-24, the Greyhounds were strong third place finishers in the Western Conference with a record of 45-18-5 before losing to the eventual Memorial Cup champion Saginaw Spirit in. the second round of the playoffs.
In ’22-23, the Greyhounds missed the playoffs entirely, finishing ninth in the Western Conference with a record of 20-33-15.
At any rate, Greyhounds president and governor Tim Lukenda heaped praise on Dean in conforming the head coach’s two year contract extension.
“We are pleased to extend Coach Dean’s contract through the 2026-2027 season. Our goal is to bring a championship to our great fans and community and we believe that the continuity, enthusiasm and leadership that John brings to our dressing room will be key to achieving this success,” Lukenda said of Dean, who was originally hired by the Greyhounds as head coach back in 2018.
Through six seasons with Dean at the helm, the Greyhounds have an overall regular season record of 206-155-43 and have advanced to the second round of the post season three times in four playoff appearances.
Dean talked up the talent level on the Greyhounds.
“I would like to thank Tim Lukenda, the board, and (general manager) Kyle Raftis for giving me the opportunity to lead this group for the next two seasons. The level of talent and character in our dressing room is reason for excitement and I am grateful for the privilege of guiding these young men to a potential championship,” said Dean.
Raftis, as the GM, noted a number of positives relative to Dean and his coaching ability and leadership.
“We are looking forward to having a steady and familiar voice behind the Hounds bench, for both our new and returning players, as we take the next steps forward as a team and organization. John’s growth as both a coach and a leader over the years is something we believe will pay off in a big way as we continue to elevate our program. I’m excited to work alongside John and his staff, and we fully expect to hit the ground running when camp opens in August,” said Raftis.