Reports about a coaching staff change within the Memorial Cup host Saint John Sea Dogs have been confirmed.
Team officials announced on Tuesday that head coach Gordie Dwyer had been relieved of his coaching duties.
Gardiner MacDougall, head coach of the University of New Brunswick’s men’s hockey program, will coach the team through the end of the Memorial Cup tournament.
Former San Jose Sharks associate coach Rocky Thompson, who spent three seasons with the former Saint John Flames, has been named Memorial Cup Advisor.
“After our upset loss in the first round, we took a step back and saw a need to support our players and staff differently in preparing for, and competing in the Memorial Cup tournament,” Trevor Georgie, president and general manager of the Sea Dogs, said in a news release.
“We identified a small group of winning coaches with experience having won tournaments. There are no active coaches in Canada that have prepared teams for and won more tournaments than Gardiner. He’s a motivator and has coached in high-pressure situations.”
The Sea Dogs were eliminated in the first round of the President Cup playoffs after falling to Rimouski three games to two. Saint John, which ended the regular season third in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League standings, was favoured to win the first-round series.
MacDougall has led UNB’s men’s hockey program since 2000, winning seven national titles since the 2006-07 season. He will return to his full-time post at UNB after the Memorial Cup tournament.
Thompson, meanwhile, was head coach of the Memorial Cup host Windsor Spitfires in 2017. The Spitfires were eliminated in the first round of the Ontario Hockey League playoffs but went on to win the Memorial Cup as hosts.
“Rocky has lived through what we’re currently living through,” said Georgie. “He prepared and led the Spitfires to a Memorial Cup and that experience is invaluable. He is smart, passionate and wants to contribute in a meaningful way. He wants to win and we hope to accomplish what he did as host in 2017.”
News of Dwyer’s firing was first reported on Sunday by TSN hockey insider Darren Dreger. Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek later confirmed that MacDougall would be taking over on an interim basis.
Dwyer was named head coach of the Sea Dogs last summer, becoming the team’s fourth head coach in less than four years.
Georgie and MacDougall are expected to speak during a news conference Wednesday afternoon.
