The Sudbury Wolves are looking for a new coach, after parting ways with Dave Matsos.
Almost two months after the Wolves were eliminated from the playoffs, the team announced Matsos will no longer be its head coach.
The Wolves finished the 2016/17 Ontario Hockey League regular season with a 27-34-7 record; good enough for sixth place in the Eastern Conference.
The team went out to lose to the Oshawa Generals in six games in the first round of the playoffs.
“It's a results orientated business,” said Rob Papineau, Wolves general manager.
“The team made it back to the playoffs this year which is a positive, but the two previous years it wasn't in the playoffs and as we look forward we feel we want to be going in this direction.”
In a media release issued on Wednesday, the Wolves said the team will name a new head coach at a press conference on Thursday.
Matsos joined the wolves in 2013 as an associate coach and was then promoted to head coach.
Papineau said the club considered contract extensions, but the two sides were unable to come to an agreement.
"We really tried hard," said Papineau. "But we have to make a decision. If we are not going to be comfortable on the term of an extension, then let's find somebody that we can move forward with."
Matsos had one year left on his contract and Papineau said he is not going to talk about how that situation will be handled. As for Matsos, he isn’t saying much.
Two players who Matsos helped recruit to the Wolves, Darian and Drake Pilon, said they didn't see this coming.
“The whole team was close to Dave, really a player’s coach,” said Darian.
“He's a real good guy we all loved him, so it was really shocking news.”
“It's a bit scary, but at the same time it's a good opportunity to prove ourselves to another coach,” added Drake.
The Wolves said assistant coach Barry Smith is also leaving, while assistant coach Darryl Moxam will retain his role.
