A look back at 30 years of professional hockey in St. John’s and celebrating the local stars who gave fans plenty of reason to cheer

It’s been three decades since professional hockey arrived in the province’s capital, a sports journey that has embraced several franchises, two leagues and an alumni of NHL legends.

The Baby Leafs 

That first year was pure magic for the province as the American Hockey League’s St. John’s Maple Leafs, the farm team of the storied Toronto Maple Leafs, captured the hearts of sports fans – narrowly losing the 1991-92 league championship. 

The Baby Leafs – featuring 21-year-old Corner Brook forward Todd Gillingham and led by rookie coach Marc Crawford – gave fans at Memorial Stadium its first taste of the pro game.

But the city’s first dalliance with the pro game actually came way back in 1983 when Ian McKenzie, owner of Regatta Ford, organized a four-team AHL exhibition tournament with an eye to bringing a pro team to St. John’s. AHL president Jack Butterfield balked at the idea of having his teams, which travelled exclusively by bus, fly to the island.

 But by the early 1990s pro hockey talk heated up. In 1990 the NHL’s Minnesota North Stars and general manager Bobby Clarke signed a deal with Mayor Shannie Duff to place Minnesota’s minor league affiliate in St. John’s. 

There was only one problem, the North Stars minor league team at the time was based in Kalamazoo, Michigan of the International Hockey League and the AHL refused to allow Minnesota to simply transfer the club to the league without buying an expansion franchise first and the deal fell through.

Standing room only

Undaunted, the city turned its attention to the Toronto Maple Leafs, who were unhappy with their AHL franchise in Newmarket, Ontario. Shifting the franchise to St. John’s would not pose the same problem the North Stars encountered. And despite Butterfield’s concern about travel, Cliff Fletcher and his Toronto Maple Leafs would be finally bring pro hockey to Newfoundland.

Rabid St. John’s hockey fans quickly snapped up every season ticket available in the 3,500 seat Memorial Stadium and the standing room only crowd were treated to an exciting brand of hockey that culminated in a Calder Cup run.

Gillingham was the first of many Newfoundlanders to play the pro game in St. John’s. Players like Terry Ryan and Harold Druken followed with the Baby Leafs, but the most memorable was South Shore senior hockey league legend Andy Sullivan, one of the province’s all-time great amateur players, who turned pro with the Maple Leafs as a 32-year-old.

First pro goal

Venerable Baby Leafs radio broadcaster George MacLaren said when Sullivan scored his first pro goal it was like the roof just about blew off the old Stadium — cheering never heard since the night George Spracklin scored for the St. John’s Caps senior hockey team versus the visiting Soviet national team, featuring the likes of Vladislav Tretiak.

 By 2005, the pro hockey landscape had changed and many teams wanted to have their AHL affiliate close to the parent club for salary cap reasons and the Maple Leafs were one of those clubs — moving the Baby Leafs to the Ricoh Colleseum in Toronto.

 While the St. John’s Fog Devils of the Quebec Major Junior league filled the hockey void for a couple of years, it would be several years until the American Hockey League would return to St. John’s.

Miracle on ice

In nothing short of a miracle, former Premier Danny Williams convinced the newly-formed Winnipeg Jets to place their AHL franchise in St. John’s. The IceCaps were a smash hit at Mile One Stadium — setting an AHL record for most consecutive sell-outs and advancing to the league semifinals in year one, led by Corner Brook native Jason King.

The IceCaps would advance to the AHL finals in 2014 and play one more year as the Jets’ top farm club before, like Toronto, the club was moved to the same city as the parent club. 

As a stop gap, the Montreal Canadiens, building a new AHL arena in nearby Laval, needed a place to temporarily house its minor league team and the IceCaps lived on for two more years.

Go Growlers, Go!

There was another absence of pro hockey in the capital city until 2018 when the Toronto Maple Leafs came into the picture once again, this time with an ECHL affiliation for St. John’s.

The ECHL is considered a tier below the AHL, but the team would be considered the class of the league, bringing St. John’s its first professional sports title. And like the city’s previous hockey clubs the Newfoundland Growlers were led by a handful of Newfoundlanders — NHL veteran Adam Pardy, snipers Zach O’Brien and Marcus Power and tough defenceman James Melindy. The club was also coached initially by long-time NHLer Ryane Clowe, of Fermeuse, who had to leave the bench due to lingering concussion issues.

Glenn Stanford

The Growlers did not get to defend their title in 2020 as the playoffs were cancelled due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Growlers then voluntarily suspended operations for the 2020-21 season as the pandemic still had ongoing travel restrictions.

Of course, no story about professional hockey would be complete without mentioning Glenn Stanford, the executive who has overseen every interaction of professional hockey in the city and has a sterling reputation in pro hockey circles. 

Buddy the Puffin

Another fixture on all pro hockey teams in St. John’s was Buddy the Puffin. He was previously the mascot of the St. John’s Maple Leafs and later the St. John’s IceCaps and Growlers. Buddy’s number is 92, which represents 1992, the year that he was introduced as the mascot of the St. John’s Maple Leafs. For most of Buddy’s tenure, the man in the suit was Chris Abbott, who tragically passed away in early February.

Pro hockey dream

Among coaches who steered St. John’s pro hockey teams two men — Marc Crawford and Joel Quenneville of the St. John’s Maple Leafs – went on to coach NHL teams to Stanley Cup championships. Arguably the greatest player to ever play the pro game in St. John’s is former IceCaps goalie Connor Hellebuyck who won the 2020 Vezina Trophy, the only St. John’s pro hockey alumni to win a major NHL individual player award.

The pro hockey dream continues in the province’s capital with the Newfoundland Growlers still chasing another ECHL title. This team –and the many teams over the past three decades – continue to give fans a reason to cheer.

Nathan Noel is proud to be playing professional hockey in his home province. He says he is “really feeling the love” from the fans.  

“I think there’s a lot of support for our hometown guys on the team and for guys who have been here in the past, like Todd Skirving,” he said, and he’s “looking up” to those who have played here longer, like James Melindy, Zach O’Brien and  Marcus Power. 

“It’s definitely really cool to be able to represent your home province,” he said. While his parents are “well-travelled,” having followed his hockey career, it’s nice to have family and friends in the stands for home games. “My parents  have basically followed me everywhere in my career – from Minnesota to Rockford to St. John, New Brunswick. Anywhere I’ve went, they were able to come and see a lot of games. But obviously it’s a lot easier when it’s in your backyard,” the St. John’s born player said. 

The loss of Buddy (Chris Abbott) goes beyond the loss on the ice. “I played soccer with (Chris Abbott’s) son growing up, and I knew him pretty well. I knew (Chris)  as a guy, I knew him outside his Buddy suit. So it was a big shock to everyone here. And whenever you lose someone you know or you’re close to you just obviously feel for the family. I mostly thought of (his son) when it happened. That was my  first concern, for his mental health and how he took it.”

But his memory remains, he added.  “We keep him and his spirits on the ice. Hopefully we can show just a fraction of the passion he put into the game.” 

 As the playoffs loomed, we ask if there’s any advantage to playing with guys like James Melindy and  Zach O’Brien. For sure, he said.  “Those guys are leaders on this team and they’ve won before, so they kind of carry the torch and they kind of show the way for us younger guys in the room, the new guys to this side of hockey. We just got to do our part and we’ve done a good job of that so far this year and moving forward in the playoffs, we’ve just got to keep that rolling. 

Matteo Pietroniro was born in Boise, Idaho, but the game of hockey has kept him well travelled. As for his stint with the Newfoundland Growlers? “So far so good,” he said with a laugh.  “You got to go to the hockey so you travel around everywhere but I love it here. I think it’s a very prideful town and when you come play for the Growlers, you’re proud to be a part of it and people are welcoming. The teammates were welcoming from the start, so it’s been an easy adjustment and I’ve enjoyed it a lot.” 

How is it to play with people like (Zach) O’Brien and (James) Melindy and (Marcus) Power, we ask. “I think when you can have guys that are from St. John’s and they are leaders, you feed off their energy and how much pride they take to win games and the pride in the fans so you learn from them,” he said. 

“The leadership. How they play the game … it’s been great for me as a overall learning experience and for making friendships as well.” 

 As COVID restrictions lifted, the game became more exciting too as the fans started to fill the stands. “Raising the capacity and seeing more fans come and seeing the fans have a good time has been great.”

 For now, he’s focused on the playoffs.

“I would like to go all the way and win, and I might have to get on a plane pretty soon after that to get married. But winning? That’s the biggest thing on my to do list for sure.” 

  Has he and his fiance been enjoying their time here?  “We are having a blast. We got a dog and are just enjoying life here. It’s definitely been a great experience so far.”

 Marcus Power doesn’t miss a beat. He’s excited for the playoffs and it shows.  “It’s exciting this time of year and it’s really fun to be a part of it. And we’re just hoping we can bring the (Kelly) Cup home again this year.” 

Power has been playing with (James) Melindy, (Zach ) O’Brien and (Todd) Skirving for three seasons now. Does that make a difference, we ask? “Having some familiar faces around and then us being the older guys on the team helps. We’re trying to mentor the younger guys and make sure they’re comfortable and create that winning culture. And I think we’re doing a pretty good job with that so far,” he said. 

  The fans have noticed, it seems. “We got a lot of loyal fans so that’s great to see. And we’ve had a few Saturday nights here where the place is rocking, so we’re hoping to see that in the playoffs because it definitely matters. When the building is loud and you can hear that the fans are behind you, it’s great,” he said.” 

Power had known Buddy the Puffin (Chris Abbott) pretty much all his life. The loss was “tough,” he said.“That was heartbreaking. We’d see him every morning and he was just so happy and so joyful and I would see him and you just yell out to him and he’d yelled back. He was just such a loving, joyful guy, and I can’t really put it into words how much he’s missed out here.” 

 Power had a setback this season and had sat out a few games tending to an injury. How’s he feeling? “I’m taking it day by day as this is my seventh concussion overall, so it’s been pretty hard. You do have a life after hockey so you try to do the right things and hopefully I’ll be back for playoffs.”

  While an injury is a setback, he still says he had a great season. One highlight? “The first game we played back down here (Mary Brown’s Centre). Getting back into this building was awesome. We really missed playing down here. CBS were great to us and they treated us really well, but getting back was incredible.” 

Grit. What separates the haves from the have nots in the world of sports. Sandpaper readies for the rigours of playoff hockey far more than feather pillows, and the Newfoundland Growlers have been worn and polished down to a fine suit of armour ahead of their return chase for the Kelly Cup.

No, it hasn’t been easy.

From very public arena conflicts, to a carousel of rotating goalies, a seemingly endless bout with the injury bug, and the passing of a man considered to be the joyous symbol of provincial hockey, it has been anything but a cakewalk. But pressure, and grit, makes champions.

“It felt like three seasons for us,” shared Coach Eric Wellwood in a sitdown with The Herald. “We started the year off on a road trip, which is fun. And then you come back and when we land, we find out we don’t have our arena … We were doing our work in either my house or the assistant coach’s house. And then in December a lot of guys got COVID, we lost a lot of guys to injuries and call ups. Our team was decimated. It has been a long year, to say the least. So we’re glad that it’s coming down to the end, and the real season starts.”

Adversity perhaps looks good on the Growlers, who, after being forced to sit out the 2020-21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic (being forced to watch the Cup they never lost handed to another club), have bounced back to clinch a playoff berth, with numerous players hitting career highs.

‘Outrageous goals’

NL’s own Zach O’Brien has had a career year, with 78 points (as of press time). Orrin Centazzo, Jeremy McKenna, Tyler Boland and Marcus Power have been point per game players, with Ben Finkelstein banking over 50 points  (as a defenseman!).

“I always tell them I give them outrageous goals just because I want them  to think a little bit outside the box. Double your production from best you’ve ever had. You know, a guy like O’Brien, that’s very difficult because his best production year is like a 1.3 points per game, so to go to 2.6 is virtually impossible. But he can improve it, which he has. But then you can look at a guy like Todd Skirving who’s, not only the doubling his production, his most goals, he’s got 18 already. I don’t think he’s gotten more than 18 points in a season,” Wellwood shard proudly. 

“Yeah, I’m really, really happy with it. I thought this was a year that if we have our team for most of the year we could try to break records almost.”

Back from the inaugural Cup run are team anchors James Melindy, Zach O’Brien, Marcus Power, Derian Plouffe and Todd Skirving, all of whom Coach Wellwood will lean on to help guide a re-tooled roster of largely young and hungry Cup hopefuls. 

“We have a younger team than what’s been here in the past. So there was a lot of unknowns and of course, my staff never being in this league before, we don’t know what we were getting into ourselves. I knew we had a strong team and the potential to have a really strong team. And our goals were to be in first place,” shard Wellwood. 

“I think now, from what we’ve seen all year, I think you can be a lot more confident saying you have a real good chance of being champions. It’s still very difficult to do and a lot of things got to go your way as well. There’s some type of luck involved to some extent whether it’s not getting injured or whether that shot that hits the post and goes in or goes out could be the difference.

“Once you’ve been there, you know what it takes. And we’re lucky to have these guys on our team. You’re going to get into these big games and there are going to be key moments in the games and in the series, and you’re going to know how to handle it. You’re going to have adversity. It’s guaranteed. You could go down 2-0 in the series right away to start. If you’ve been there before, you just know that’s alright. It’s a new game and you have to win four out of seven. So it doesn’t matter if you lost three in a row, you still have to win four.”

Buddy the Puffin

Looming large over the Growlers forthcoming playoff run is the memory of the late, great, incomparable entertainer Chris Abbott, who fans knew and loved for three-decades as the man behind Buddy the Puffin. 

This run to the Cup, and all thereafter, are dedicated to his life and memory.

“We are playing for him now. If we do win, it’s for him,” Wellwood shared, impassioned. “Obviously that just adds a little bit more pressure. But at the same time, I think it’s something that you use. It’s not something that you want to have to use, because you’d much rather him be around for this. But at the end of the day, it all could be used for good. And we’re going to use his memory to get us through some of the tough spots that we’re going to find ourselves in when we’re going on this journey in the playoffs. 

“It’s extremely sad,” he adds sincerely. “I only got to know the man for (a few) months and I’m sure, like anybody else that knew him, he instantly had an impact on your life. Especially for the guys that have been here for a while and the guys that are from here, that’s a huge loss to the community. Not just the hockey world, but the whole community. An absolutely amazing person and it’s tough when you lose somebody like that. I guess the best thing that we can do under the circumstances is use that energy in a good way, and that’s what we’ll be doing. And we’re dedicating this run to him.”

For playoff tickets and more  information visit nlgrowlers.com

MVP – Zach O’Brien

Top Forward – Zach O’Brien 

Top Scorer – Zach O’Brien

Top Goaltender – Keith Petruzzelli

Top Defenceman – Ben Finkelstein

Top Rookie – Orrin Centazzo 

Community Player of the Year – Todd Skirving

Fans Choice Award – Todd Skirving

Unsung Hero Award – Marc Johnstone

Glenn Stanford Leadership Award – James Melindy 

Affectionately called ‘Obie,” the Growlers winger  is this year’s MVP and the team’s top scorer (78 points with three regular season games remaining as of press time).  The affable St. John’s raised hometown hockey hero opened by offering that this has been “one unique season.”

“We’ve been through a lot as a team with COVID and injuries and being in lockdown, but at the end of the day, I feel like it just brought us together as a team more. We’re like a family now and everyone plays for each other and wants each other to be successful,” he said. The team has the winning formula, he added. “It’s a really fun group of guys, a mix of young and old and I’m one of the old guys now. At 29 years old, I’m the old guy, but we have a really fun group and we’re really looking forward to playoffs,” he said. 

Not that things haven’t been tough, he admits, particularly the call up of goalie Keith Petruzzelli. “This year has been so crazy with call ups (to the Marlies/AHL) and injuries and everything but the guys (goaltenders Chase Perry and Angus ‘Beef’ Redmond) have been able to kind of step in and join our group. We try to make it as easy as possible for  them and just make them comfortable and they’ve been doing a great job so far.” 

There’s a contingent of Newfoundlanders on the team that have played together for years. Does being from ‘home’ and playing at home make a difference, we ask. “Growing up, when I moved away at 17 or 18, I never really thought I was going to be able to get the chance to play at home again. Now with players like (James) Melindy and Marcus Power, it just feels perfect. And I obviously love playing here. During the game I look into the stands and I’ll always find a friend or family member there watching every single night, which is pretty cool, and it’s definitely a blessing to be able to play professional hockey at home.” 

We ask about the come-from-away contingent of players, and O’Brien shared that “they’ve embraced this place.”

“Todd Skirving, whatever’s going on in the community, if it has to do with the Growlers, Todd is there. For him to do that, to take time out after being on a road trip for 10 days with eight games and he will come home the next day and Todd’s out doing something for the community, so he definitely deserves a shout out there, and a lot of guys follow his lead when it comes to that.”

The best part? It’s something Todd loves to do, he added.  “He’s a special person and he’s been having a great season on the ice as well. So I’m really happy for Todd and he’s a big part of this group.” 

Another big part of the team was Buddy the Puffin/Chris ‘Abbo” Abbott. “He was just always such a positive guy. Days where maybe you didn’t want to come to the rink, you’d see Abbo and hear him yelling and screaming something and you’d find a way to put a smile on your face. He was a massive part of hockey in Newfoundland, and you can see how many people he touched. He was an amazing person and he left a lot of great memories for everyone, and it’s very sad we lost him.” 

As for the games ahead (three left before the playoffs when we spoke) the team just tries “to get better every game,” he said. “Every game means a lot as we push for a playoff spot.  We got to start really dialing it in and just trying to get better every single day, whether it’s practice or a game. Do whatever it takes to win.”

This, he added, is “the best time of the year” for a player. 

“It seemed like such a long year with everything that’s gone on, so we’re just looking forward to playoffs.”

James Melindy is a mountain of a man and stands an imposing figure on a pair of skates. The Goulds native, however,  is all charm as he talks about the support he and the team have received from local fans. 

“It’s obviously super special to come home and be able to play in front of friends and family. Since I was 14 years old I was living away from home and the only time you played in front of family was once in a blue moon if they flew to catch some games. So to be able to come home and play in front of them is super special,”  he said. Especially his parents, he added.  “They are very proud of what I’ve become and the person I’ve become, so any time Mom gets the chance to get out on the concourse and brag a little bit, she doesn’t mind doing that.” But “it’s awesome,” he added. “You’re paying your parents back finally for everything they’ve done and for the sacrifices. Seeing the smiles on their faces during games and giving that little wave during warm up means a lot,” he said. 

Melindy says he feels the passion to give back to the community too.  “Obviously, any time you’re a professional athlete or somebody that’s a role model in the community, you try to get out as much as possible and interact with fans because a lot of times, you know, they only see you on the ice.” Being able to interact one-on-one with fans is a bonus of the profession, he said.  “That part is super special for all of us, especially for  some of the local guys. Todd (Skirving) also obviously takes big pride in giving back to the community. I know how important it was when I was a kid when the St. John’s Maple Leafs were coming around to schools and helping out with the Janeway and whatnot. So we just try to keep progressing in the community and giving back in any way we can.” 

At heart, he’s still just a fan of the game, he added. “Being a little boy and going down to Memorial Stadium and watching the ‘Baby Leafs’ was all good memories. Then the Fog Devils and the IceCaps, and to have an opportunity later to come back and play against the IceCaps and to now play for the hometown team is amazing. It’s such an honor and an opportunity not a lot of people get. And to be very fortunate to have good teams here with lots of success has been a bonus. We’re just trying to keep that running and hopefully come out with another trophy again this year.” 

On the loss of Chris Abbott, Melindy paused. “We had a tough spell there with the passing of Chris, who was just an amazing human gone way too early. The arena never really feels the same since he’s been gone. He’s one of those guys that you hear him before you see him and he always brought a smile to everybody’s face and made everybody’s day better.” ‘Buddy’ was more than a mascot, he added.  

“I’ve known the mascot side of him and what he brought to the community and coming down to the game as a kid, he put smiles on our faces and those are memories a lot of people cherish, but I was lucky enough to be able to meet him on a more personal level and to get to know him as a person. There’s not many humans as good as him around, and if there was, the world would  be a lot better place, for sure.” 

As for the fans, ‘thank you,’ Melindy said.  “We know, throughout this season, it’s been a little bit difficult just because of restrictions … but there’s no better place to play than here at home with the fans. We had a great season, so that’s something that’s easy to get behind and then with Newfoundlanders on the team, we’re hoping that we’re getting a lot of support here come playoff time because it really does make a difference for us.” 

And, he added, you simply can’t beat playing the game you love on home ice. “Our families supported us and put us in a situation to be able to chase our dreams. You’ll never be able to repay how much they’ve given to us, but to be able to play games here while living across the street from my parents, and to go over and have a chat with them after games means so much.”

So does playing with b’ys you grew up with, he said. “Myself, Zach (O’Brien)and Marcus (Power) all grew up playing against each other and playing with each other so the familiarity is there and that helps new players adjust a little bit easier too,” he said. 

Newfoundland, he added, is a “different place.”  “It’s a super special place and we’re very fortunate to get a chance to play here because we get treated exceptionally well. It’s a very unique place with amazing people.”

Who says you can’t go home again?

Nathan Noel’s dream to play professional hockey has seen the 24-year-old St. John’s native hit the ice across North America in roles demanding both leadership  and support, but Noel’s next assignment will see him return to The Rock to help a group of champions vie to regain a title they never lost.

‘A Great Opportunity’

Noel, a fourth round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks in 2016 and former QMJHL champion alongside the Saint John Sea Dogs, was amongst the earliest crop of signings for the 2021-22 St. John’s Growlers of the ECHL.

“It’s definitely a great opportunity, no doubt. And I’m just excited for it,” Noel shared in a one-on-one with The Herald ahead of November’s home opener.

“Right now my biggest concern is just getting back in the swing of things and getting playing in the pro-hockey circuit  and the Growlers have given me a great opportunity to do that. So I’m very thankful for that.”

Having spent his first three pro-seasons split between Chicago’s AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs, and the ECHL – including stints with the Indy Fuel, Reading Royals and South Carolina Stingrays – Noel knows what it means to be an everyman on a roster. From grinder to scorer and locker room leader, he’s ready to take on many hats for the new-look Growlers. That includes blocking out any potential hometown noise and jitters.

“It’s like anything,  like any other game you go into. You gotta stick to what’s going to help your team win and that’s kind of where your head has got to be at. Your head can’t be anywhere else,” Noel adds.

“But obviously, it’s exciting. Whenever you have family and friends watching you, you want to do well for them, too, so obviously it’s a motivator, but at the same time it’s just hockey. You got to play for your teammates and you got to play in the coach’s system and find a role for yourself on the team.”

Another in the recent run of promising Newfoundlanders and Labradorian pro-hockey prospect – a list that includes Alex and Abby Newhook, Dawson Mercer, Maggie Connors, Evan Fitzpatrick, and Clark Bishop among countless others – Noel proudly waves the flag of his home province both on and off the ice, particularly when it comes to inspiring the next wave of NL’s young hockey hopefuls.

“I think that you want to make your province proud and I think you said it, you hit the nail on the head. Right now our province is producing a lot of high level players and it’s just good to see you, because obviously this is a new era of hockey,” Noel comments.

RELATED: NEW & POPULAR
Writing World | Linden MacIntrye’s The Winter Wives
CONCERT | Johnny Reid Announces NL Tour
CONCERT| Alan Doyle to Make Live Theatre Debut

Pandemic Downtime

“We haven’t seen a lot after Ryder and Cleary and all those guys, Teddy Purcell, Ryane Clowe, all those great NHL players who we grew up watching. Then there was a bit of a taper off for a few years. So it’s great to see that there could be a push for more Newfoundlanders in the NHL, which is obviously great to see and great for the province, because it’s good for our young here because they get to watch. They get to watch and realize that the dream is real, and that’s really the biggest thing is inspiring them.”

Noel, much like the glut of professional athletes who found themselves waylaid by the COVID-19 pandemic, took the downtime as an opportunity to retool his game and body, crediting much of his rehab and growth to trainer Ryan Power of Power Conditioning Inc.

“I mean it’s tough, obviously, when you’re not in the normal routine. But I was able to keep working out and keep running and doing conditioning, and I feel good going into this year,” Noel explained, sharing that while he’s missed the competitive nature of the game, his training alongside Power has proved to be instrumental in readying him for his run with the Growlers.

“That’s where Ryan Power comes in. He’s really helped me. My body feels a hundred per cent right now and he’s the trainer here in St. John’s for a lot of the guys here. One name you’d know is Alex Newhook. He trains him and a lot of us guys and Maggie Connors.

“I think that for me personally, he’s helped me a lot to kind of put my body back together. And you need that. Hockey isn’t exactly the easiest on the body. You need to rebuild your body in the offseason. He’s the best at that. He’s great. So all the credit to him for how my body feels right now after being away from the game for so long.”

And while Noel has built his body and mind to aid the Growlers in a legitimate run in the 2021-22 season, he’s also aware of the opportunity that comes with signing in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization, of which the Growlers are a proud affiliate.

“It’s outstanding. It’s first class and you hear so many good things,” Noel shared of the Leafs’ developmental system. 

‘Defending Champs’

“So really I’m just excited to get going. It’s a dream come true to be a part of Toronto. They were kind of in my family. There was always a Leafs game on growing up, so it’s pretty cool to be able to be a part of that organization.”

Playing alongside fellow Newfoundlander and captain James Melindy, ex-Kelly cup-runmates Derian Plouffe, Todd Skirving, Garrett Johnston, as well as the possibility of ice-time with newly minted Toronto Marlies and fellow Newfoundlanders Zach O’Brien and Marcus Power, and Noel is well aware that the Growlers, under new head coach Eric Wellwood, could be well primed for a legitimate run at Kelly Cup glory once more.

“I’m just happy to be a part of it,” he shared proudly. 

“I mean, like you said, they’re defending champs in the league, the Newfoundland Growlers and they got guys coming back. I played with Derian Plouffe and Marcus Power, Zach O’Brien, James Melindy. All these guys coming back are all Champions in the league, so I just want to kind of try to find my role on the team wherever that may be, and help the team win.”

For tickets and more information on all things Newfoundland Growlers visit nlgrowlers.com

The vacancy of the head coaching position left in the wake of the exit of Kelly Cup winner John Snowden loomed large for the Newfoundland Growlers ahead of the 2020-21 season. 

  Eric Wellwood, a pro-player turned rising coach in North America, just may be the man to fill those lofty shoes.

Brother of former St. John’s Maple Leaf and NHL vet Kyle Wellwood, Eric’s on ice career – which included two straight Memorial Cup victories with his hometown Windsor Spitfires and over three-dozen games with the Philadelphia Flyers – was tragically cut short by-way of a freak accident on April 7, 2013. 

RELATED: NEW & POPULAR
The Man in Black’s Greatest Hunt: Johnny Cash on The Rock
CONCERT | The Once Announce Christmas Tour
CONCERT| Fortunate Ones Announce East Canada Tour

Transitioning from the ice to the bench, and Wellwood would become a sought-after coach in his own right, first as an assistant with the OHL’s Oshawa Generals, and later as an assistant and then head coach of the Flint Firebirds, where he would lead the club to their franchise best season. 

Taking up head coaching duties with the ECHL’s Growlers, we sat down with the 31-year-old prospect of the game, talking life after the ice, his connection to Newfoundland and Labrador, lofty expectations and much more! This, is coach’s playbook with Eric Wellwood.

DISCOVERING THE ROCK 

I was (in St. John’s) for a week playing the Marlies when I played. But I mean I’ve been to a lot of cities where I see hotel rooms and I see the arena and that’s about it. Other than that, I guess my wife, every single day for the past six years, she shows me Gros Morne National Park because we like to go hiking every once in a while. That’s the other thing I know and obviously now I’ve been doing a little bit more research on the province, but I can’t say that I really know it.

REGAINING THE KELLY CUP

Yeah, I think making the decision that (regaining a title the team never lost) factored in. I think it’s always difficult. Like for instance, when I took over in Flint, I think the only thing that you could have was success with how bad it had been at that particular time. So the pressure wasn’t really there. It was more time where I can just get to know myself as a coach, which I think takes time, where this situation is the polar opposite. 

You know, going to the former champion team, I’m suspecting we’ll have a good team again as well to try to defend that. But that’s the challenge that I was looking for. I think the city, it’s nice to be in an organization and a city that expects to win. I was apart of that in Windsor. Not my first year, but our second year winning the Memorial Cup, we essentially had basically the same nucleus going back. And you had that expectation that we’re going to go win again. And I think it’s a privilege to have that pressure and I’m fortunate that I get to live in that moment again.

FROM PLAYER TO COACH

I think as I get older … and I mean, I’m still very young, so it’s not like I have a lot of life experience. But I have noticed, especially since I became the head coach of Flint, when I went into the dressing room the very first time and it felt like, not to sound morbid, but I’ve been to funerals that are more lively. These kids were just devastated. To see the impact that you can have to provide a positive experience for them. I still keep in touch with a lot of my players. And I think as I’ve been getting older, I appreciate it a lot more.

And I think when I first got into coaching I didn’t know what I wanted to do in life. I think I was so focused on just being a hockey player. And like you said, it just got taken away from you instantaneously. You didn’t go out on your own accord, or you didn’t have an impact on it in the sense of if you weren’t playing well enough then you just lose your job. That would be on you. And I’d have to live with that.

So when it all happened, I didn’t know what I wanted to do in life … But I think as I’m getting older, I’m appreciating it a lot more, the impact it can have on these people. I don’t really look at them as hockey players, I look at them as people that are trying to accomplish something that’s extremely difficult to do. And you know, to be a part of that process in a positive way, I think it’s a lot more fulfilling in my life than it was doing it as a player.

THE LEAFS ORGANIZATION

Well, I guess it’s obvious. It’s great to be a part of it and it’s great to be a part of people that in my mind are willing to take risks. I think you are taking a risk here. At times people will just take somebody with experience because of that experience and that’s a safe bet. 

I’m not sure how much you know, but the Windsor Spitfire job was up, which is my hometown team that I played for and grew up watching and I was in the running for that job. And when this opportunity came I took myself out of the Windsor job, which is something that in my lifetime I hope I get to do just because I realize this is a better spot to be. And it’s an opportunity where they really help people grow. And that’s all I’m looking for.

I’m not looking to advance my career. I don’t really have aspirations to get anywhere other than just helping the guys. But I guess my aspirations are personal growth. And this is an organization that really puts an emphasis on that. And that’s exactly what I wanted to be a part of. So I feel very fortunate that they took a risk on me, and hopefully their risk pays off.

RETURNING FAVOURITES

In the minor league pros there’s so much turnaround. To have the same nucleus come back, they already know what it takes to get to the top of the mountain. They’re great people. It’s no surprise to me how they got to the top, just the brief conversations that I’ve had with them and the interactions that I’ve had with them. And I think it’s extremely important. 

They know the city. They can help the younger guys that are coming down to us, whoever they may be, and help me get those individuals to the next level and help that individual. So I think it’s extremely important that these guys are back and I’m looking forward to working with them.

THE WELLWOOD FAMILY

We obviously became a hockey family. But my parents don’t really watch it unless we’re the ones playing. They don’t know anybody on the roster too much. They don’t really pay attention to that. We had a backyard rink that my dad would build. Now, that wasn’t for us to become hockey players, that was just because we grew up in the county and had the space. And you know, why not? We definitely didn’t grow up in a hockey family. We didn’t grow up in a family that pushed us, I should say. 

I think we fell in love with the game at our backyard rink. And I don’t want to say hockey is my love. I think sport and competition is my love. It just so happened that hockey was a sport that I chose and I think I could say the same about my brother. 

SEASON EXPECTATIONS

I know where I want this team to go. And I just always have that at the forefront of my mind. Every day it’s just working towards that goal, and I got to learn that lesson becoming a pro-hockey player, because I had to do it the hard way. I was in Windsor. I didn’t make it my first year drafted. I got to play halfway through but as a fourth liner. The next year, again, I played a fourth line role, did not get drafted.

Oddly enough I did get an invite to the Maple Leafs training camp, so I did participate in that. I knew that I wanted to get to the NHL and I knew that was the goal. And it’s little steps every day that you try to take towards that goal. 

You can’t run a marathon until you run the first mile and then the second mile and so on. And just having that realization that we want to bring the team to a certain point and to a certain competitive level and get to where we want to get to. But that’s what you’re working towards every single day and just know that you can’t get there tomorrow. Even if you do think that you’re there, that you never arrive until you actually arrive and you’ll know when you arrive. And that’s when the season’s over, hopefully you’re the last team standing.

For tickets and more information on all things Newfoundland Growlers visit nlgrowlers.com