After a dismal season where the team managed only three wins, the St. Paul Junior B Canadiens selected a new coach and general manager to take on the task of rebuilding the club to a potential championship winning organization.
Joe Young has been appointed the new head coach while Ted Graling, who coached the St. Paul Peewee A Canadiens to the Alberta Winter Games and provincials this season, is the new GM.
Prior to accepting the offer, Young was coaching minor hockey in Lloydminster and has some Junior B experience with the Canadiens, the Lloydminster Bandits and Saddle Lake Warriors where he won the North Eastern Alberta Junior B Hockey League.
He will replace outgoing Habs coach Tony Meger, who wished to thank team president Lisa Davies and vice president Pierre DeMoissac for their support throughout a very tough season both on and off the ice.
“They supported me with everything that was going on,” Meger said. “It’s a tough row when you’re not doing as well as you’d like to and the controversies that go on within the team.”
“I think they have good people coming in,” he added. “I believe in the boys that are around. If they would stay around and play I believe there is a future there, but they do need help from the outside.”
Meger said despite the results, he “enjoyed every minute of the season” and feels the connections the new coach brings will help the team acquire the right players it needs to compete.
Stepping into the general manager’s shoes and sitting in the stands as opposed to standing behind the bench, Graling is eager to begin working with the community and the new coach to get the Canadiens to where they need to be.
“There’s no reason why we should be where we’re at and we’re going after change. From the board to the coaching staff, to the players, we’re going to instill some commitment here,” Graling said.
“We’re going to have to get a better product on the ice,” he continued. “This thing is run on community support and if you don’t have a product it’s tough to get the community support so that’s one thing we’re going to address. They kind of go hand in hand.”
This past season was full of accomplishments for Graling and his peewee A team after it attended the Alberta Winter Games in Edmonton and were narrowly defeated by Okotoks in the semifinals of provincials two weeks ago.
“It’s going to be stepping away from the on-ice stuff and that’s something I’m going to miss, but I understand that the coach is in place to do the coaching,” he said. “I want to get working with the board and have some life back into the club.”
Regarding the Habs’ new coach, Graling said a decision was made between himself, Davies and DeMoissac to select Young after several interviews with other candidates. Young’s winning record proved convincing.
“He’s had some success in Saddle Lake and in Lloydminster … that was the main thing,” he said about appointing the new coach. “He demands a lot out of the kids. We did put thought into it and he was the one that made the most sense.”
Although there is still plenty of time before training camp and next season, Graling said he’s already been in touch with the Town as well as St. Paul Minor Hockey President Calvin Bespalko to assure a good working relationship.
In terms of coaching a minor hockey team next season, Graling said he’s still uncertain due to timing concerns, but stressed to younger players that playing in the Junior B is a great option to continue to play competitive hockey after midget.
“Not everybody is going to be in the NHL or Junior A or the Western Hockey league,” he said. “Junior B is still a good option, it’s still some good hockey. There’s good value there and there’s no reason why we can’t have it in the local arena.”
