FOUR POSSIBILITIES
The Bulldogs are hoping to tick off a lot of boxes with their new head coach. Here’s a look at four potential candidates who could fit the bill:
Troy Smith: A Hamilton native with a decade of OHL coaching experience, Smith is the obvious front-runner. Before joining the Bulldogs at the start of last season, he spent nine years behind the bench in Kitchener, including his final two as head coach. That means the former Kilty B is one of the authors of this year’s Rangers squad, which consistently ranked among the country’s top-10 teams. A defensive expert, Smith also has a good rapport with players.
Guy Boucher: The Quebec-born Boucher has history in Hamilton, leading P.K. Subban and the Bulldogs to the third round of the AHL playoffs in 2009-10 — the same season in which he was named the league’s top coach. The former Lightning boss, who spent parts of the past two campaigns in the Swiss league, also won a QMJHL championship at the helm of a Drummondville team short on stars.
Ryan Kuwubara: Another Hamiltonian, Kuwubara has been head coach and general manager of the Bulldogs’ Jr. B affiliate Ancaster Avalanche for the past six seasons — so there’s trust there, particularly when it comes to developing players. Given his lack of higher-level experience, however, he might make more sense as an OHL assistant.
Marc Crawford: The Stanley Cup winner is back from a three-year stint in Switzerland and has his sights set on a return to the NHL. A stopover in Hamilton could be a step in the right direction. Keep in mind that long before Crawford, a Belleville native, ever manned a bench in the big leagues, he got his start as head coach of the OHL’s now-defunct Cornwall Royals.