Hi, this is Fred Wallace with ” Off the Wire “, brought to you by Auto Logic, the Logical Choice.
In one of the craziest scenarios ever, the Owen Sound Attack of the Ontario Hockey League sit with no coaching staff, plus a vacancy for the Head Scouting position.
It started with Assistant Coach Daniel Tkaczuk desiring more responsibility, and departing to join the Kitchener Rangers.
Next, Drew Bannister, who many thought was in line to be the head coach with the Attack one day, accepted the head coaching job in Sault Ste Marie with the Greyhounds.
Friday, in the parking lot at Saugeen Golf Club prior to the Jeff Preston Tournament, the Attack confirmed that Head Scout Bryan Denney was departing for a scouting position with the L.A. Kings of the NHL.
And then the Saturday morning, after a billets meeting the night before with Attack GM Dale DeGray, Head Coach Greg Ireland submitted his resignation to join Adler Mannheim in German pro hockey.
Unreal.
In the Spring and Summer of 2007, the Attack had 5 departures and 4 newcomers in the coaching, management and pr departments, but looking back, it seemed that carousel was spaced out somewhat….
Four major departures. Four significant vacancies. All in a span of 4 weeks, almost in 4 days. All about a week before GM DeGray departs on a Hockey Canada junket to the Under 18 Ivan Hlinka Tournament.
Through almost a decade, we’ve seen that DeGray is not one for snap decisions or panic. But this scenario is truly time sensitive and will be a major test to see if positions can be filled and more significantly, filled successfully.
I’m Fred Wallace