Moe Mantha is new coach in Saginaw
Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League has fired head coach Greg Gilbert and replaced him with veteran bench boss Moe Mantha for the balance of the 2015-2016 season, HockeyNewsNorth.com has confirmed.
The 55-year old Mantha was coaching the expansion French River Rapids of the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League and serving as an area scout for the OHL Spirit when he got the call from Saginaw general manager Dave Drinkill asking him to take over from Gilbert.
Saginaw is in possession of the eighth-and-final playoff spot in the OHL’s Western Conference but the Spirit has been staggering with an 0-6-2 record in its last 8 outings. The Spirit has 46 points from a record of 20-29-6 with 13 games to play in the regular season.
Mantha, who spent the previous four years as coach-general manager of the erstwhile Michigan Warriors of the North American Hockey League before returning to his northern Ontario roots to coach French River this season, is no stranger to the OHL.
He previously coached in Saginaw during the latter portion of the 2003-2004 season and then coached the Windsor Spitfires during the 2005-2006 campaign.
And during his playing days, Mantha was an OHL defenseman with the erstwhile Toronto Marlies before going on to skate in 673 National Hockey League games.
(Art work by Saginaw Spirit.)
huge loss for the Rapids I’d gather, but a huge gain for the Spirit I would say !
French Rivers loss is Saginaws gain.
Moving the players and coaches ahead, is what the league is all about.
Any word on a replacement in the River?
no word on replacement in FR yet.
I wonder if he will live in Sag……hope he returns to run the course this summer….best coach my son ever had…
barclay, when he coached the Michigan Warriors (Flint) of the NAHL, he always returned to Sturgeon Falls for the summer.
Just talked to Moe, he’s on his way to Saginaw, meets with his players today. Said he’s sad to leave French River, has nothing but respect for players and organization.
God Luck to you Moe, Class Act all the way.
Good Luck Moe!
There is a lot of experience left on French Rivers benchand within the organization no doubt Mantha will be missed