Season of alteration in OHL


By
September 27, 2022

Changes to coaching staffs, the hiring of a legendary National Hockey League head coach as a senior advisor, milestone team anniversaries, and updates to the rule book are part of what is contemporary in the Ontario Hockey League for the 2022-2023 season.

ON THE BENCH

• Two thirds of the Soo Greyhounds coaching staff is new this season. The off season of change began when veteran assistants Jordan Smith and Jamie Tardif both moved up to the pro ranks to take assistant coach positions in the American Hockey League. Now on board as assistants to seasoned head coach John Dean are Brendan Taylor and Brent Hughes. Notably, Hughes (in above photo by Bob Davies) is a former head coach in the Northern Ontario Jr. Hockey League with the Espanola Express, now known as the Espanola Paper Kings.

• Down Highway 17 from the Soo, the Sudbury Wolves also have two new assistants on the coaching staff under holdover bench boss Craig Duncanson. Gary Ricciardi and Rick Dorval have taken over from former associate coaches Zack Stortini and Darryl Moxam in the Nickel City. Stortini took a minor pro assistant’s job in the AHL while Moxam is now the head coach of the Sudbury Cubs of the NOJHL.

• In Flint, returning head coach Ted Dent was officially named general manager during the off season and will perform the dual role for the Firebirds. Meanwhile, Jeff Blum is the new assistant coach in Flint.

• Over to Guelph, Scott Walker has taken over as head coach of the Storm from good guy George Burnett. Burnett, who is one of the winningest coaches in OHL history, has stayed on in Guelph as general manager of the Storm. Walker was with the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL as an assistant coach in 2021-2022.

• In Kitchener, Chris Dennis is the new head coach, which allows Mike McKenzie to fully concentrate on his duties as the Rangers general manager. Dennis formerly worked for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL as an assistant coach and a video coach. He was with the OHL’s Barrie Colts as associate coach in ’21-22.

• Meanwhile, history has been made in Hamilton with Laura Fortino becoming the first female assistant coach in OHL history. The 31-year-old, who won gold with Team Canada at the 2014 Olympics, will also serve as the Bulldogs director of player development.

JACQUES MARTIN!

Meanwhile, in what can very simply be described as a major addition, the Kingston Frontenacs have brought in long-time NHL head coach Jacques Martin as a senior advisor to the management and coaching staff.

“Jacques’ experience and knowledge at the NHL level from player development, team structure, and roster management, amongst many other things, will be invaluable to our organization,” Frontenacs general manager Kory Cooper said of the 70-year old Martin.

Jacques Martin

Martin started coaching in the NHL back in 1986. He began his outstanding NHL career as bench boss with the St. Louis Blues, leading them to a Norris Division title in his first season in the Show.

In 1995, Martin joined the Ottawa Senators, the team that he recorded more than half of his NHL wins with. Between 1995 and 2004, Martin led the Senators to three division titles and a conference finals appearance during the 2002-2003 season. He still holds the Senators franchise record for wins with 341.

“I am excited about the challenge and to be able to help a junior organization,” said Martin. “I have really enjoyed my years in junior hockey. It is a great experience coaching and dealing with younger kids, trying to get better on a daily basis. For me, to have this opportunity to work with the young staff in Kingston is a nice challenge and something I am really looking forward to.”

In total, Martin was a head coach in the NHL for 17 seasons, working for St. Louis and Ottawa as well as the Florida Panthers and Montreal Canadiens. He has an NHL head coaching record of 613-481-200 in leading his teams to four division titles and 12 playoff appearances.

He also has winning experience in the OHL. As a rookie OHL head coach, Martin led the Guelph Platers to a Memorial Cup championship during the 1985-1986 season. Before that, he had been an assistant coach with the Peterborough Petes.

“Using my experience from over the years is going to help,” said Martin. “As coaches, we are always learning. I am still going to be learning from the staff in Kingston, as well as from the young players. Players have changed a great deal and when you look at the skill level of the younger players in today’s game, it is tremendous. I am hoping to be able to guide the staff as to what expectations are like at the next level and to use my experience to try and help the Kingston program succeed.”

RULE CHANGES

Icing – Line Changes (Rule 81.4)

  • When a team ices the puck they will not be permitted to make any player substitutions prior to the ensuing faceoff save an except for instances involving the replacement of a goaltender who had been removed for an extra attacker, an injury, or when a penalty has been assessed which affects the on-ice strength of either team. Should either team elect to utilize their team time-out at this stoppage of play, both teams will be permitted to make a player change.

Overtime (Rule 84.1)

  • Unlike past seasons, teams will now change ends for the overtime period, often times resulting in a longer distance to the bench for both teams while making a line change.
  • Teams will then change ends again for the shootout.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

The ’22-23 season has three teams celebrating milestone anniversaries — Kingston, Kitchener, and Sudbury.

• The Frontenacs franchise will play their 50th season in the league this year. They joined the Ontario Hockey Association in 1973-19774 as the Kingston Canadians and changed their name to the Raiders for one season in 1988-1989 before settling on the name Frontenacs.

• The Rangers are celebrating their 60th year in the OHL, a tenure that includes four OHL championships and two Memorial Cup titles.

• And the Wolves are also in their 50th season. Sudbury entered the league in 1972-1973 when original owner Bud Burke merged the Wolves, who were an NOJHL team at the time, with the Niagara Falls Flyers.


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