Head coach Letowski takes position with Habs
Letowski praises Windsor organization for creating `a real healthy environment'
Trevor Letowski will always be thankful for his time in Windsor and what being a member of the Spitfires has done for his hockey career.
The 44-year-old Letowski officially stepped down after four seasons as head coach of the Spitfires and six seasons with the club on Wednesday to become and assistant coach with the NHL'S Montreal Canadiens.
“I had some adversity with Sarnia and it wasn't performance based, but it's never a good feeling,” Letowski said. “You don't know what's going to come next, but I was lucky enough to fall into the right situation in Windsor.”
A native of Thunder Bay, Letowski played over 600 games in parts of nine seasons in the NHL. After retiring as a player, Letowski returned to junior hockey to coach with the Sarnia Sting where he had been a player for three seasons.
He was promoted to interim head coach of the Sting in 201011 and returned as an associate coach before taking over as head coach in Sarnia in 2012-13.
After two seasons, Letowski parted ways with the club after a new ownership group — including Derian Hatcher — took over the team and Hatcher opted to take over behind the Sarnia bench. When the Spitfires hired Rocky Thompson as head coach prior to the 2015-16 season, he quickly moved to add Letowski to his coaching staff as associate coach. Thompson left after the 2017 Memorial Cup and Letowski moved up to head coach.
“I remember interviewing with Bob (Boughner) and Warren (Rychel), former NHL guys, and had a great feeling coming into the organization,” Letowski said. “It's just a well-run place and coaches and players are given every opportunity and resource to be treated the right way. It's just a real healthy environment.”
The Spitfires had just extended Letowski as head coach after his original four-year deal had expired.
“I did just re-up Trevor, but it's a positive day,” Spitfires general manager Bill Bowler said. “It's a sad one to see Trevor leave, but it's just another credit to our organization.”
Letowski has had plenty of chances to move on during his time in Windsor, but always opted to stay.
“I've passed on some really good opportunities,” Letowski said. “I liked Windsor a lot. Our family was part of the community. It's a little bittersweet because I enjoyed it, but this is too good of an opportunity.”
The timing is difficult being so late in the summer, but understandable considering Montreal's late-season finish in the Stanley Cup Final during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Canadiens head coach Dominique Ducharme, who replaced former Spitfire Claude Julien as head coach in February, was only officially named head coach on July 13 and that's when he sought out Letowski, who he has worked with twice with Canada's world junior championship club in
2016 and 2018.
“I developed a productive relationships and great bond with him, especially during the experience we shared behind the bench for Team Canada at the 2018 World Championship,” Ducharme said in a team release. “Trevor is a versatile coach, a good tactician and a great communicator. His years as a player, and the solid hockey background he acquired at all levels in hockey, will make him a good reference for our players and serve as important assets for our future success.
“He has an extensive, comprehension of today's game and I am excited to add a candidate of his calibre to our coaching staff.”
The chance to work with an old friend, join a storied franchise and keep his young family in Canada proved too much of a lure for Letowski.
“It did happen pretty quick and it's kind of surreal for me,” Letowski said. “Growing up in Canada, there's a lot of respect to be a part of an organization like that and to have the chance to work with a coach like Dom, it's pretty humbling.”