Author of the article:
Jim Parker • Windsor Star
Published Jun 23, 2023 • Last updated 1 hour ago • 3 minute read
Windsor Spitfires’ associate head coach Jerrod Smith, at left, is interested in the club’s vacant head coaching post. Photo by Nick Brancaccio /Windsor Star
The Windsor Spitfires’ vacant head coaching position should be one of the most coveted posts in junior hockey.
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The last four head coaches for the Spitfires have all moved on to coaching positions in the NHL with the latest being Marc Savard, who is leaving the club after two seasons to take a coaching post with the Calgary Flames.
“Marc did a good job with two back-to-back Western Conference (regular-season) titles and with our team leading the league in scoring both seasons,” Spitfires’ general manager Bill Bowler said. “We were an exciting group.”
Savard’s departure follows Trevor Letowski, who left to join the Montreal Canadiens in 2021, Rocky Thompson, who is now with the Philadelphia Flyers after guiding the Windsor to a Memorial Cup title in 2017, and Bob Boughner, who has been head coach of the San Jose Sharks and Florida Panthers and is now associate coach with the Detroit Red Wings after leading the Spitfires to back-to-back Memorial Cup titles as head coach and former majority owner.
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“This is organization, this community and our players deserve a quality coach and person,” Bowler said. “We will explore all avenues.”
Bowler said he is already receiving calls about the position from interested parties, but insists his search will also include those in the organization.
“We have candidates within,” Bowler said. “It’s prudent we give everyone in our organization a chance to apply for this position as well as extending that search outside the organization.”
Former NHL defence man and assistant coach Andy Delmore was not available on Friday to gauge his interest in the job. However, associate coach and director of player personnel Jerrod Smith was interested in the job before Savard was hired and remains interested.
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“Of course I’m interested,” said the 39-year-old Smith, who has been with the club since 2011 and worked under Boughner, Letowski, Thompson and Savard. “I’ve taken bits and pieces form everyone I’ve worked with, but at the end of day I’m ready to put my own imprint on this team.”
Some other familiar names will also pop up like local product and former Spitfire Eric Wellwood, who was also interested in the job before Savard was hired.
The 33-year-old Wellwood has guided the Newfoundland Growlers to the third round of the playoffs in back-to-back seasons in the ECHL while posting a 90-42-6-1 regular-season record for a .673 winning percentage. He also turned the Flint Firebirds from a 16-46-0-6 team in 2018-19 to a 42-20-0-5 squad in 2019-20 before the remainder of the OHL season was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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“Oh, I’m definitely interested,” said Wellwood, who won two Memorial Cups with the Spitfires as a player. “My contract has ended with Newfoundland. I’d love to be home, especially having a little one now.”
Savard was hired by the Spitfires on Aug. 24, 2021, which was just weeks before the start of training camp. The move worked out and Bowler said he feels no pressure to make a quick hire this time around.
“The timing is irrelevant,” Bowler said. “We hired Marc later in the off-season and we will explore all avenues. There’s no timeline and this is a normal process that needs to happen in our organization.”
Aside from a one-year stint as an assistant coach with the NHL’s St. Louis Blues, Savard had no real coaching experience above minor hockey before joining the Spitfires.
“Having been a head coach is a good quality to have, but it’s not a necessity,” Bowler said. “I’ll be looking for someone that is aligned with where we are as an organization.
“We want to make this a fun and a safe place to work and play. We’re focused on developing players and our staff and, similar to Marc Savard, we do our best to everyone and our (next) head coach will have great support.”
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