MAITLAND, FLA – Coaching a professional sports team is at best a cliff hanger of a job. You win, everybody loves you; you lose, you end up on the outside looking in.
Drake Berehowsky (right) returns to Orlando for his second stint behind the Solar Bears bench (Photo courtesy of Orlando Solar Bears).
Orlando Solar Bears head coach Anthony Noreen found that out the hard way on Monday.
Late in the afternoon, the Solar Bears announced that Noreen, who was eleven games into his second season behind the bench, was relieved of his duties. In his place, Orlando announced that Drake Berehowsky, who was the head coach in the team’s “Out of Hibernation” season in 2012-2013, will take over the reigns. Assistant coach John Snowden will retain his position of assistant coach under Berehowsky.
“It is always an extremely difficult decision to part ways with a head coach. We want to thank Anthony for his service to the team, which he always approached with energy and passion, and we wish him success in his future endeavors,” Solar Bears Chairman & CEO Joe Haleski said in a team press release. “At the same time, we are extremely excited to welcome Drake back as the new head coach of the Solar Bears.”
Berehowsky, a 44-year old native of Toronto, returns to the City Beautiful for the first time since his Solar Bears team posted a 28-37-0-7 record in the franchise’s first season in the ECHL. His record included a home mark of 20-11-1-4 that overshadowed a less than stellar record on the road.
A first-round draft pick (tenth overall) of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1990 NHL Draft, Berehowsky had been an assistant coach for the AHL’s Peoria Rivermen for three seasons prior to joining the Solar Bears. After leaving Orlando, he took over the helm of the Western Hockey League’s Lethbridge Hurricanes where he stayed for two seasons, compiling a record of 32-99-0-13. Last season he signed on as an associate coach for the Ontario Hockey League’s Sudbury Wolves.
Berehowsky’s lengthy playing career included stops in Toronto, Pittsburgh, Edmonton, Nashville, Vancouver and Phoenix in the NHL. His career stat line in 549 games in the NHL includes 37 goals, 112 assists and 848 penalty minutes.
Berehowsky is also a co-founder of Statstrack, a firm specializing in analytic tracking software that can track and manage a myriad of statistical measurements in real time. He founded the company with his sister Danielle.
“I’m excited to be returning to Orlando,” Berehowsky said. “The season is still very young, and I see a lot of potential with the roster that has been assembled.”
That roster Berehowsky made reference to was built by Noreen and Snowden with a healthy dose of assigned from the Toronto system.
Noreen made the jump from the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms to the ECHL a year ago, bringing with him enthusiasm and a new energy that everyone hoped would equate to playoff success. In 83 pro games as the head coach, Noreen posted a record of 38-35-0-10. His hiring was a joint collaboration of the Solar Bears and the Maple Leafs organization.
Part of Noreen’s undoing may have been the Solar Bears home record. In 43 games at the Amway Center, Orlando went 17-23-1-2 as the Solar Bears struggled at times to defend their den. This season, Orlando was 3-0-1-0 on the road and just 2-5 at home including Sunday’s 3-2 loss to the South Carolina Stingrays.
Berehowsky’s debut will be Thursday morning when the Solar Bears host the Greenville Swamp Rabbits in Orlando’s first “School Day Game” at the Amway Center. Puck drop is set for a special time of 10:30 am.
Contact the author at don.money@prohockeynews.com
Follow the author on Twitter @phnsingleaedit or @prohockeynews
You must be logged in to post a comment.