One reader this week couldn’t quite figure out why Ryane Clowe would be coming back to coach in the ECHL after two years as an assistant in New Jersey, with the NHL’s Devils.
For starters, his contract just expired this past season, though it’s believed his job in Jersey was there if he wanted it.
But more to the point, if Clowe hopes to make coaching his full-time job in his post-playing days, he will need head coaching experience, and the ECHL isn’t a bad place to start.
While the number of players who advance from the ECHL to the NHL is scattered, the NHL coaching fraternity last season was well represented by ECHL grabs, including five head coaches — Bruce Cassidy in Boston, Jared Bednar in Colorado, Bruce Boudreau in Minnesota, Peter Laviolette in Nashville and Glen Gulatzen, since fired in Calgary.
On top of that, there were 12 coaches who worked as NHL assistants last season who rose up through the ECHL ranks, including former NHL head coach Davis Payne.
So while I’m sure Clowe and his family are looking forward to coming home, make no mistake: this is about a career move for a chap who’s all in on the coaching thing.
Nobody asked me, but …
I don’t understand how NHL teams work these days in terms of media availability. Not that you, the readers, care. I learned a long time ago readers, listeners and viewers aren’t concerned with how reporters get the story. Just get the story. But just to share with you what we’re up against sometimes: it was more than a tad perplexing the Toronto Maple Leafs didn’t make Ryane Clowe available to the media when his appointment was announced this week as the Newfoundland Growlers coach (this is not on Clowe, by the way; most of the time, the players and coaches are perfectly fine speaking with reporters, and Clowe’s always been the consummate pro dealing with the media). And this was, with all due respect, an ECHL appointment. The media is a conduit between the team and the athletes and their fans, so this move by the Leafs makes it quite evident Toronto could care less for the fans of the Newfoundland Growlers. There is no other reasonable explanation. That, or the Leafs’ PR crowd couldn’t be bothered arranging it. Anyway, c’est la vie …
When will Carl English just make it official and announce he’s coming back to play next year? … Look for the Growlers to start signing a few players shortly … Too bad ball hockey is not part of the Canada Games program (it’s not officially recognized by Sport Canada), because Newfoundland and Labrador would be a perennial medal contender … Steve Power is the best executive not to win Sport Newfoundland and Labrador’s executive of the year award. The provincial and Canadian ball hockey president, Power’s helped revive the game in this part of the country…
The Growlers’ assistant coach will also be an employee of the Toronto Maple Leafs, which means the organization will have the final say on the hiring. Couple of points. The Leafs received a lot of resumes for the head coaching position — some of whom were said to be very, very impressive — but I’d be inclined to believe many of those applicants won’t be interested in working as an ECHL assistant. Secondly, one would think Clowe will have a big say in who’s hired. He’ll want someone with whom he’s comfortable working, someone who has his back. Wondering if that someone could be local? Wondering if it could be long-time friend Mark Lee of Mount Pearl, who played in the ECHL for four winters, and has enjoyed a lengthy pro career in North America and Europe? However, as Telegram colleague Brendan McCarthy points out, though, ECHL roster guidelines can be tangly meaning the Growlers will probably need someone in place who has an intimate knowledge of the league and its rules. As for attracting players, I’m certain Clowe must have a big rolodex full of contacts …
The Field Turf at King George V Park will be replaced after Memorial University concludes its varsity soccer season in the fall. The city’s kicking — pardon the pun — in $900,000 towards the project. No word yet on where the old turf’s going, but I’m sure some of the existing sports facilities around town could use a bit of it … Still think Adam Pardy would make a great player-assistant coach on the Growlers … Who were the two fools on the NHL awards show the other night, introducing the EA NHL ’19 cover guy (P.K. Subban)? Hard to believe someone in the league’s office gave that lame skit a stamp of approval … How about these numbers? Of the prep schools/hockey academies that are out there to which Newfoundlanders are attending — at least 10 schools by my count, and there could be more — 17 hockey players in total from that collection of programs were selected among the 250 drafted into the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League earlier this month. That’s it. Of the 17, five were Newfoundlanders. Of course, maybe the $30,000 or $40,000 annual tuition to these institutions really is about the education. Let’s hope it is … The Newfoundland and Labrador Soccer Association has do something to fix the Jubilee Trophy women’s league. There is no competitive balance, not with Holy Cross going 5-0 (and likely headed to an unbeaten season), outscoring their opponents 40-0 so far. It’s not doing the Holy Cross players any good to have a cakewalk every game, and nor is it good for the other teams to get hammered when they go up against the Crusaders. I don’t know what the answer is, but the powers to be need to put their heads together and come up with some sort of plan …
Robin Short is The Telegram’s Sports Editor. He can be reached by email [email protected] Follow him on Twitter @TelyRobinShort
