The North Bay Battalion has shaken things up off the ice.
Stan Butler has been reassigned from the head coach and director of hockey operations position to special advisor to owner Scott Abbott.
Skills coach Ryan Oulahen has taken over as the interim coach.
“I’ve wanted to coach in the OHL and, from the time I was a player, it’s the Battalion that I’ve wanted to coach,” Oulahen said. “I’m looking forward very much to getting started.”
Oulahen was a one-time player and captain of the team when it was based in Brampton. Oulahen also served as assistant coach for five seasons, ending in 2015/16 when he left to take over the head coaching duties in Flint with the Firebirds.
Those aren’t the only moves however as assistant coach Adam Dennis has taken over as the team’s general manager.
“The objective is to develop the roster of talented young players we have here and to add more in OHL Priority Selections to come, as we work to getting the Battalion back in contention for a championship,” Dennis said.
In addition, Bill Houlder, a part-time assistant coach has been promoted to full-time assistant coach and Scott Wray continues in his position as full-time assistant coach.
Butler had served the team as the only head coach since the Troops inception in 1998/99 in Brampton. He holds a 667-737-52 in 1,456 games with the Battalion franchise, 199-189-48 since the team moved to North Bay.
He ranks fourth all-time in OHL wins with 737, behind Brian Kilrea, Bert Templeton and Dale Hunter, and third in games coached with 1,588, behind Kilrea and Templeton. Butler’s OHL record is 737-786-65 between the Troops and the Oshawa Generals.
This season, North Bay is last in the OHL with a 5-23-0-0 record.