One-time OHL scout Teakle joins Icedogs coaching staff
He will assist Niagara behind the bench after five seasons beating the bushes for Ottawa
Lineup cards and name tags won’t be needed when the latest addition to the Niagara Icedogs coaching staff welcomes players to the Ontario Hockey League team’s training camp, hopefully later this year.
After five years scouting for the Ottawa 67’s, Sean Teakle knows all about Icedogs players and how head coach Billy Burke wants them to play.
He is especially familiar with Cameron Snow. The sophomore centre spent midget seasons playing at The Hill Academy in Caledon, where Teakle spent six years as head coach.
The 31-year-old Mississauga native is confident the transition to coaching in The O from scouting in one of North America’s premier development leagues will be a smooth one.
“I think I can learn a lot from Billy, and I think I can add a lot and help develop this young team, hopefully back to the winning ways like in 2016,” Teakle said.
“I’m looking forward to bringing back that winning team and environment to the Meridian Centre.”
Niagara went 12-1 to capture the Eastern Conference championship in ’15-16 before being swept by the London Knights in the league final.
Teakle replaces Mark Mancari, who left the Icedogs after one season to become an assistant coach with the Sarnia Sting. Like Mancari, he will be working with the forwards as well as helping out with special teams.
“Work ethic” is the most important thing players can bring with them to practices and games as far as Teakle is concerned.
“You have to bring it every day if you want to compete and get better,” he said. “Driving each other to have a competitive environment leads to development.”
Teakle suggested development over the longer term and putting points in the win column in the short term aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive.
“I think having competitiveness — having the players push each other and the coaching staff pushing the players — is going to drive kids to get better,” he said.
“Obviously, in the short term they may not feel like they’re in the most comfortable spot, but they have to become comfortable with being uncomfortable to get better.”
It took Teakle “all of 20 minutes” to decide he wanted to stay in the game after playing out his junior eligibility with the Georgetown Raiders, then part of the Ontario Junior A Hockey League, in 200910.
“I’ve always been driven by hockey. Hockey has been a passion of mine since I was three years old,” he said. “So, as far back as I can remember, hockey has been part of my life.”
Teakle, who also played one season of junior with the Streetsville Derbys and two with the Oakville Blades, immediately got into coaching after he quit playing. He spent one season each with Streetsville and the Milton Icehawks and three with the North York Rangers as an associate coach.
Hockey became a year-round job when he began running a skills development program during the offseason.
Teakle coached The Hill Academy to two East Coast Elite League titles in his six seasons at the helm. He makes no secret of wanting to become a hockey lifer.
“My end goal is to make the NHL and be in the NHL in some capacity, scouting or management or coaching,” he said.
Burke called Teakle a “top upand-coming coach who has earned this opportunity.”
“He understands the grind of coaching and isn’t afraid to put in the work,” Burke said. “He has a strong background in individual player development and is comfortable in many roles.
“Sean knows our league very well and has pre-existing relationships with some of our current players,” he said. “I am very excited to get started, and I know Sean will fit in great with our team and culture.”
Burke is returning for a fourth season as head coach after serving eight campaigns as an Icedogs assistant. Also back behind the Niagara bench will be Jody Hull, returning for a third year as associate coach.
Niagara centre Cameron Snow, right, played two seasons as a midget under incoming Icedogs assistant Sean Teakle at The Hill Academy.
“Obviously, in the short term they may not feel like they’re in the most comfortable spot, but they have to become comfortable with being uncomfortable to get better.”
SEAN TEAKLE INCOMING NIAGARA ICEDOGS ASSISTANT COACH