Are the Moncton Wildcats Looking For Another New Head Coach?

Are the Moncton Wildcats Looking For Another Head Coach?

Will the revolving door of Head Coaches continue for the Moncton Wildcats?

Will Daniel Lacriox be back as Head Coach?

Will Josh Hepditch be the guy at the helm if Lacroix doesn’t return?

The Moncton Wildcats have a lot of unanswered questions surrounding their coaching situation.

Realistically the Cats have bigger fish to fry than their coaching issue and that’s saying something with the QMJHL Draft fast approaching.

Ritchie Thibeau and his scouting staff did an excellent job building a championship caliber team this season, but now there’s a price to pay for loading up.

The cost of doing business is one thing, but they now find themselves on the bottom side of junior hockey’s dreaded cycle.

Thibeau and his staff have to start the process all over again.

The Moncton Wildcats may very well be looking to hire their fourth Head Coach in a little over a year and a half, if Daniel Lacroix doesn’t return to start the 2020-2021 season.

Between the start of the rebuild, uncertainty surrounding the start up of the training camp and the season, Thibeau may have to hire a coach as well.

Lacroix replaced John Torchetti in late December, after the Cats released Torchetti after two consecutive leaves of absences.

 

It’s unclear what Lacriox’s contact looked like or if he would even be willing to coach the rebuilding Cats.

Lacroix did an excellent job fulfilling in role during his four month stay and subsequent return to the Hub City.

The former NHLer and longtime NHL Asst. Coach did a phenomenal job building team chemistry and refining team systems in his short stay in Moncton, that is if he actually leaves.

It’s been very quiet surrounding this area and really all facets of the Cats hockey operations.

Like I mean nothing in the way of information is coming out right now.

What are the chances then of Daniel Lacroix returning?

It would be very surprising to see Lacroix return given the Cats rebuild and all, but you never know, stranger things have happened especially lately behind the Cats bench.

Actually Lacroix would be a perfect candidate for the Wildcats rebuild.

He’s very methodical, tactical, structured and a very disciplined defensive coach.

Lacroix possesses all the attributes you need in a coach for a rebuild, but more importantly Lacroix is a very effective communicator and teacher of the game.

The most essential aspect of any rebuild is having the right coach in place.

Lacroix is that guy, if the Cats want to pursue that option.

What about Plan B?

What if Lacroix says thanks, but no thanks?

Paging Josh Hepditch!

Hepditch was brought back into the fold at the same time as Lacroix.

There’s no question Hepditch is ready to take over behind the bench and had a taste of what that was like for two games after the Cats fired Darren Rumble.

Hepditch is a Wildcat through and through.

If Hepditch was to take over, the Wildcats would already have their assistants firmly in place with Ryan Salvis, Darryl Boyce and goaltending coach Marc Terriault.

That foursome of coaches could definitely relate to young players and would undoubtedly get the most out of them.

Nevertheless, there’s still some questions surrounding that potential foursome.

Is Darryl Boyce looking to move into a developmental role at the pro level?

Is Marc Terriault going to take over as Video Coach and Goaltending Coach and become a full time Asst. Coach with the team or will Ryan Salvis continue in his role as Video Coach?

The questions surrounding the Moncton Wildcats are endless.

Will the revolving door of coaches finally end with the return of Daniel Lacroix or will there be another changing of the guard?