There’s a new line-up in hockey operations with the North Bay Battalion.
Team owner Scott Abbott announced Adam Dennis is now team president and director of hockey operations.
John Winstanley moves up to general manager while head coach Ryan Oulahen adds assistant GM to his responsibilities.
Abbott announced the changes saying after three successful seasons the three have been re-signed for another five years.
“I wanted to make sure we continue to go forward with a successful template and these gentlemen are integral to that success in my view,” he says.
Abbott thanked outgoing president Mike Griffin for his contributions with the team since 1999 and wished him well in his future endeavours.
Dennis says it can’t be forgotten that Griffin was a really big piece to bringing the OHL back to North Bay.
He also says being named president is a great honour for him and his family.
“I certainly bleed green like the rest of the guys and have a lot of unfinished business here,” Dennis says.
He says there’s a lot of positives the players bring to the city, including Ty Nelson’s Ty’s Troops with Community Living North Bay and Dalyn Wakely’s Wakes Sakes in support of The Gathering Place.
Dennis says they want to highlight those with the community and more.
“I’m now helping out the North Bay Minor Hockey board, I’ve got girls with the Jr. Lakers,” he says. “There’s all sorts of things that we want to get more outreach, and some things from my travels, seeing it at the Memorial Cup in Saginaw, that we’d like to try out.”
On the hockey side, Dennis says Winstanley is the General Manager and will make the decisions, although he technically has final sign off.
Winstanley says the goal is to continue to get better.
“Earn our karma as coach says all the time and continue to do things the right way,” he says. “Seeing the kids back at the rink and seeing the excitement in the city, people wearing jerseys and shirts. We just want to continue to bring that, bring good players on the ice and human beings into the city.”
Oulahen, meantime, says the future is bright for the OHL club.
“I really, truly believe things happen for a reason and we’re meant to win a championship here,” he says. “If I look at a lot of things that have happened in my life that have led me to here, that is something that is priority number one, bring a championship to this franchise. They know it. I think it is meant to be and that’s what we’re going to work towards.”
Oulahen says his first job is being the head coach, but adding the assistant general manager role will allow him to get out and see prospects too.
