The Airdrie Thunder’s season may have ended, but those involved with the team are already looking back at the 2010-11 campaign.
What will the season be remembered for?
The answer is clear: The three coaching changes.
“It was definitely instrumental in a lot of things that happened,” said Thunder general manager Frank McEvoy. “It definitely slowed us down a couple times and probably caused us to end up third in our division. Three coaching changes are unheard of. I don’t want to blame it on that, but it’s going to be part of the storyline looking back.”
Darryl Einarson was hired by McEvoy during the off season, and although he opened the season with a 10W-0L record, the feeling around the team is that he never really fit in with the club’s mentality. This was confirmed when he resigned on Jan. 11.
Later that afternoon, former Thunder head coach Art Krusel was re-hired and immediately took over. But less than a month into his return, Krusel broke the news to the team that he had cancer and would not be able to finish the season behind the bench.
In came Gareth Barley, who began the season as a trainer and was promoted to assistant coach when Krusel took over. Barley is a former player of McEvoy’s and was touted by Krusel as a suitable replacement.
But with only four games remaining in the regular season, he faced a tough challenge in rallying the team in spite of the off-ice circumstances.
“I don’t know if there’s ever even been a professional team that’s gone through three coaching changes in one year, let alone a bunch of teenagers,” Barley said. “Yes, it did affect them and it still does. We talked about going through adversity and building character and chemistry and I think we did that. I wish Art all the best and I hope he’s back on the bench with me as his assistant next year.”
“It was really tough for me, to find out that news, because I am really close with Art,” said Thunder captain Cache Doolaege. “I didn’t think it would affect us that much, but it did. They (Einarson, Krusel and Barley) had different styles, obviously, but we pulled together and I don’t know many teams that could have done it.”
“You just have to adjust and at the end of the day, it’s still hockey,” said Thunder leading scorer Andrew Bergmann. “It gets easier, especially when Gareth came for the final four games (of the regular season). He really stepped up our game.”
McEvoy confirmed the head-coaching job would be Krusel’s if he were healthy enough to return. The GM will also likely be back for his 20th year in junior hockey, and 18th with the Thunder.
“I’m still happy with being involved and I’m sure I’ll be back,” he said.
