OHL Roundup: Coaching movements aplenty

The search for a new coach for the Ontario Hockey League’s Soo Greyhounds is fully underway as the team prepares to interview candidates for the vacant position.

The Greyhounds are looking for a new coach to replace Sheldon Keefe, who took the head coach position with the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies earlier this month.

At the time of Keefe’s hiring by the Marlies, Greyhounds General Manager Kyle Raftis said he had received plenty of interest from potential coaching candidates.

“There were obviously a lot of rumours over the last couple of weeks,” Raftis said at the time, “and there were some individuals that reached out if there was a possible change to say that they would be interested.”

As for potential replacements, Jason Clarke of the Carleton Place Canadians has been rumoured to be a possibility.

Clarke led the Canadians back-to-back RBC Cup appearances in 2013-14 and 2014-15. The Canadians played in the title game at both events.

As numerous coaching positions open up around the Canadian Hockey League, some names that have come up include the likes of former Greyhounds coach Ted Nolan and former Kitchener Rangers coach Steve Spott. Spott was recently relieved of his duties as an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Both Nolan and Spott were among the candidates up for the coaching position with the Western Hockey League’s Vancouver Giants.

The Giants have reportedly narrowed down their search to five candidates, which includes Nolan and Spott as well as former Saskatoon Blades coach Lorne Molleken.

It’s been a busy summer around the OHL for teams as they look for new coaches.

The Kitchener Rangers are the latest team to have hired a new staff.

The Rangers didn’t renew the contract of former coach Troy Smith and have hired Mike Van Ryn.

Van Ryn spent the last two seasons as an associate coach with the Rangers. Jay McKee has been hired by the Rangers as Van Ryn’s associate coach while Daniel Tkaczuk has been hired as an assistant coach.

Smith was subsequently hired by the Hamilton Bulldogs (formerly the Belleville Bulls) as an associate coach to work with George Burnett.

The Sarnia Sting will have a new coach when the 2015-16 season opens as Derian Hatcher takes over for Trevor Letowski.

Letowski remains without a job.