A 4-3 loss to the Kingston Frontenacs on November 29 was when North Bay Battalion owner Scott Abbott knew something had to change.
“I have been grappling with this for several weeks now,” Abbott said. “I came close to finalizing the conclusion with the game in Kingston. We had a 3-0 lead and lost.”
The change that is being alluded to is that Stan Butler, the only coach known to the team, has been relieved of his duties as of Tuesday.
“It has been a difficult few days,” Abbott continued. “We didn’t foresee this happening at the beginning of the year when we made a commitment to going with a really young team in a rebuild. I thought that given the season we’ve had to this point and how the players had been performing, it was time for a different look behind the bench.”
Ryan Oulahen, a former player, captain and assistant coach with the team has taken over on an interim basis. The former Flint Firebirds head coach is excited to get going in North Bay.
“Monday was when I found out and it was a crazy day for sure,” Oulahen said. “It’s always been my dream to be standing behind that bench. You never want it to happen in a midseason form, and the way it did happen, so for sure I was shocked.”
“When I got the phone call from Mr. Abbott, I was thrilled and honoured right away,” he continued. “It took a little bit of time to decide, but the decision was pretty quick.”
“We are the youngest team in the league,” Abbott said. “To me, the most important thing to me, beyond wins and losses, although they are important, is that we get those players headed in the right direction. That they embrace the day to day, work ethic and improvement that they will require because one day they will be the leaders on the next team that contends for a championship here.”
“They have to have the proper foundation this year,” Abbott continued. “I was seeing in recent weeks that they were getting away from that.”
Oulahen served as an assistant coach for five seasons under Butler, the final two seasons in Brampton, and the first three in North Bay. He then took the head coaching job in Flint for parts of three seasons, before stepping down for personal reasons and his family. With his family’s approval, he will see out the end of this season for the boys in green.
“Family is the number one priority. I would not be here tonight if I could not go home to my kids tonight and sleep in my own bed. My wife is really happy, my kids are really happy, and the timing is everything and to give this a try and come back with the Battalion is where it’s at.”
Not only that, but through his playing days, and coaching days, Oulahen says he bleeds green.
“That’s what I told them yesterday, I am a Battalion,” Oulahen said. “Funny enough, since I played here I have had two green vehicles, I always seem to buy green jackets. I wear camo, my kids wear camo, my wife wears camo, it is in me. This gets my blood going a bit, and it is why I am here, that jersey has a lot of different meaning to me than someone else.”
Oulahen describes himself as an always-changing coach.
“I want to make sure that the players can come to me with anything,” Oulahen stated. “This is a scenario that I am excited for because I can rely on the staff. I see this as a very collaborative effort.”
Brad Chenier, the captain of the team, says it has been a change, but the players are looking forward to the challenge.
“Stan has left his mark here, and he has done a lot for me,” Chenier said. “But it’s a new start for us for the next 40 games. The mood in the room is pretty light, and we are excited to get going with ‘Ouly’ here.”
“I have to be the positive guy,” Chenier continued. “I have to be the backbone and show the guys the ropes. I have help in my leadership group, and I think we are going to get through this and surprise some fans with the next couple of games.”
The coaching change wasn’t the only organizational change on Tuesday however. Adam Dennis has been promoted from assistant coach to General Manager, and Bill Houlder has been promoted from part-time assistant coach to full-time assistant coach.
Butler will stay on as a “special advisor” to Scott Abbott.
“Stan Butler has been invaluable for this franchise,” Abbott said. “He started working for us in 1997, the year before we started playing. He has a wealth of institutional intelligence, organizational knowledge, which I think will be valuable moving forward.”
“He said he will do anything I ask to forward the prospects of the team, and to help,” Abbott continued. “I have some ideas as to the areas he can contribute beyond the bench, or the coach’s office and I look forward to him doing that.”
As for Oulahen’s interim tag, he and the team will play out the year and re-evaluate at season’s end on their partnership.
Gone is coach Butler from the day to day operations of the team, but coach Oulahen will take some teachings from Butler.
“There’s no doubt that Stan is a big part of me, a big believer in me and I could not be here right now if he wasn’t supportive of the situation. There has been so much learning from Stan Butler.”
