Bakersfield Condors hire new coach

STOCKTON, Calif. – The summer is filled with changes and preparations for the coming season. The Bakersfield Condors will experience some significant changes in team leadership as Matt O’Dette takes over behind the bench for the 2011-12 season. O’Dette is a 35-year-old Oshawa, Ontario native. He joins the Condors club to assume the role formerly filled by Marty Raymond. O’Dette served as the assistant coach to Matt Thomas of the Stockton Thunder for the past two seasons and played his active career for six seasons under the direction of Thomas for Stockton and the former Fresno Falcons.
 
In 1994, the Florida Panthers drafted O’Dette in the seventh round (157 overall). He was a successful defenseman, playing with teams from the OHL, ECHL, and AHL during his career.
 
O’Dette said of his selection for the coaching position, “I’m grateful for the opportunity to take the next step in my coaching career. As my playing career winded down as team captain, it transferred to the coaching side. It prepared me to take the next step as assistant coach. The next step was to head coach. I wanted to stay in the game; I have been in it my whole life. Those experiences have served me well.”
 
O’Dette is the fourth former player or assistant coach under Matt Thomas to earn a chance at a head coaching position, joining Ryan Mougenel (Las Vegas), Kevin Colley (Utah) and Mark French (Hershey, American Hockey League).
 
“I’m sure [Coach Thomas’] input was helpful. I think it is a testament to how he is as a coach; the way he prepares his assistants. He knew that one day this opportunity would come for me. He gave me responsibilities that would prepare me. It’s been good to have him as a coach and a friend.”
 
The Condors and Stockton Thunder have been fierce rivals since Stockton opened their franchise. O’Dette hopes to maintain some of the philosophies of both teams when he takes the lead.
 
“My style will be a little different from Thomas. He is animated. I am more of a reserved and calculated guy. I don’t run off of emotion.”
 
O’Dette will keep the hard-working and tough philosophy, similar to Thomas, but adds, “I’m going to put my own spin on it. I’ve got to create my own identity.”
 
O’Dette already knows quite a lot about this team, and has already been in contact with Raymond on some of the insider details.
 
“Marty has been great for me. He has given me insight on the players; how they are on the ice and their personalities. It is nice to have that. I have some good pieces to work with there,” said O’Dette about preliminary preparations on the move.
 
O’Dette will get an opportunity to meet some of the fans as he arrives in town this week. Then the real work begins; he must begin to build his first team and get ready for the season to begin.
 
Marty Raymond accepted a position as the head coach of a team in the Austrian Elite League just following the end of the 2010-11 season. He leaves the Condors as the second-longest tenured coach in the ECHL, and as the all-time Condors franchise leader in games coached, wins, points, playoff games, and playoff wins. Raymond began his stint with the Condors in February 2003, leading the team to 23 of 26 playoff victories. Last season, he led Bakersfield to their second straight Pacific Division title.
 
O’Dette will test his coaching skills in two preseason match ups against the Stockton Thunder. The Condors will travel to Stockton to face his former team on October 7 and then return home on October 8. The Bakersfield Condors will face the newest ECHL team, the Colorado Eagles at home on October 15 for their season opener.
 
Contact the writer at Shellie.Lima@prohockeynews.com Contact the photographer at Jack.Lima@prohockeynews.com