Ailing Clowe sidelined until ‘further notice’
There’s no indication when Newfoundland head coach will return to the bench for Growlers, who take an eight-game winning streak into Jacksonville tonight
It’s not likely Newfoundland Growlers coach Ryane Clowe will be re-joining the ECHL team in Florida for a trio of games this week, or anytime soon for that matter.
Reading between the lines in a statement from Clowe’s employer, the Toronto Maple Leafs, it appears the first-time head coach could be on the sidelines for a while.
Clowe missed the final three games of the Growlers’ recent 18-day, eight-game road trip. He was back behind the bench for four games at Mile One Centre last week, but was absent in the Growlers’ first two road games of a five-game swing, in Reading, Pa., against the Royals Friday and Saturday.
A statement issued by the Maple Leafs to The Telegram Tuesday indicates there’s a possibility Clowe might not be back for some time.
“Growlers head coach Ryane Clowe will continue to be on leave for medical reasons until further notice. The health and well-being of our staff and players is first priority within our program, and our focus is on supporting Clowe and the team in whatever manner is needed,” Toronto assistant general manager Laurence Gilman said.
“Assistant coach John Snowden will continue to assume the head coaching duties during this time. The club asks to respect Clowe’s privacy and will not be making any further comment.”
The fact there is no timeline — “until further notice” — could be seen as troubling.
Though the Leafs aren’t confirming anything, it’s widely believed the problems stem from Clowe’s history of concussions.
Prior to his official retirement in September, 2015, Clowe missed virtually the entire 2014-15 NHL season with a concussion, at least the fourth of his 10-year NHL career.
And they all came within a two-or three-year period.
Every bit of medical advice told him he was risking his chances at a healthy future — that it was likely he would suffer another concussion if he continued in the NHL.
Prior to joining the ECHL expansion Growlers for his first head coaching assignment, Clowe worked as an assistant coach on John Hynes’s New Jersey Devils, reportedly without any issues.
However, Clowe has thrust himself into his new position, putting in long hours in his Mile One Centre office.
He got things started by attending with the Maple Leafs’ development camp in June, followed by Toronto’s main training camp, the Toronto Marlies’ AHL camp and finally the Growlers’ camp.
Clowe, who hails from Fermeuse, isn’t the only Newfoundlander on the Growlers who is being sidelined with concussion-like symptoms.
Defenceman Adam Pardy, a veteran of 350 career NHL games, was one of the team’s marquee signings, but he has yet to appear on the one of the Growlers’ first 18 games.
Pardy, however, has been skating in practice and is with the team on its current trip that continues tonight in Jacksonville, Fla., where Newfoundland takes on the Ice, the ECHL affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets.
And it just happens the Growlers have an opening on defence, what with veteran rearguard Kyle Cumiskey unavailable after signing a tryout contract with the AHL’S Providence Bruins.
Tonight’s game is a matchup of division leaders as the Growlers (13-5), who top the North Division and the entire ECHL, take on Jacksonville, the first place team in the South.
Growlers’ broadcaster Chris Ballard’s call of the game, which has a start time of 8:30 p.m. (NT) can be accessed online using the streaming platform Mixlr at mixlr.com/ Nlgrowlers.