Spring is in the air. The days are getting longer and warmer, the trees and flowers are blooming. Professional hockey coaches are looking for work.
On the same day that the Ottawa Senators cleaned house, the Prince George Cougars ended their three-year relationship with Mark Holick. The Cougars made general manager Todd Harkins -- and only Harkins -- available to give the team's perspective on what both sides were calling a mutual decision.
Holick was one of the two major holdovers from the Rick Brodsky owernership of the Cougars. Hired in the middle of the 2012-13 season, Holick made the best of a bad situation, earning the respect of the new ownership group, led by Greg Pocock. That respect, however, didn't extend to making Holick both head coach and general manager, a job he applied for. Instead, they promoted Harkins -- the other major Brodsky holdover -- to be GM. Harkins started with the Cougars as a scout in 2012 and then moved up to head scout and director of player personnel.
If there was ever any awkwardness in the relationship between Harkins and Holick, it never showed publicly, a testament to the professionalism of both men. After two full seasons with Holick running the bench, Harkins had to make an honest evaluation of his coach and whether the returning players would be better served with someone new providing direction.
On the plus side of the ledger, the Cougars under Holick have been no quitters. After a disastrous 12-game losing skid in January 2015, the team roared back in February with a spirited run that qualified them for the playoffs. Although they fell in five games in the first round to the Victoria Royals, they identified themselves as a team on the rise. Both last season and this season, there were several home games where the Cougars dug themselves a hole to start the game, giving up several early goals, but showing a lot of heart and character to battle back to make it a close game or to steal a win.
Holick's final game as coach was typical. Down 2-0 in Game 4 on home ice and already down 3-0 in their first-round playoff series against the Seattle Thunderbirds, the Cougars found another gear, clawing their way to a 3-2 lead in the third period. Even when Seattle tied the game late, the Cougars kept pushing and had several great chances in the dying minutes to force Game 5.
Sadly, Seattle ended the series and the Cougars' season just 34 seconds into overtime.
That team grit, however, points to Holick's failures as a coach. Too often, the Cougars found themselves behind early in games, a clear indication that the players were inadequately prepared. Too often, the Cougars were killing penalties, and they were the most penalized team in the league this season. That speaks to a lack of discipline among the players and that also falls on Holick.
Last season's 12-game losing streak was nearly matched by the nine-game losing streak to end Holick's career with the Cougars. The four-game sweep by Seattle was preceded by a five-game skid to end the regular season.
The numbers added up against Holick.
One win in nine playoff games over the past two seasons and two quick playoff exits.
On Dec. 20 of this past season, the Cougars were 20-10-1-1 and were given an honourable mention in the top-10 national rankings of major junior teams. After that, it was downhill. They won only 16 times in their last 40 regular-season games.
Lack of consistency. Lack of discipline. Poor playoff record.
Harkins had to make a change.
Spring is a good time for coaches to be looking for work and teams to be looking for a new bench boss. Harkins now gets to make the single most important decision a general manager gets to make in hiring a head coach. He should have some excellent candidates stepping forward but he must choose wisely. His choice will inherit a talented and experienced core group of players Holick developed and it will be that coach's responsibility to make this team even better next season.
Harkins now gets to pick his own man. Cougars fans hope he's as successful recruiting a top-level coach as he has been scouting talented junior hockey players.
-- Managing editor Neil Godbout
