Growlers unleash new coaching staff, led by NHL veteran and Stanley Cup winner Matt Cooke
Former NHL veteran Matt Cooke has signed with the Newfoundland Growlers as the new head coach. (Jeremy Eaton/CBC)
There's a new dog at the helm of the Newfoundland Growlers.
The club announced the hiring of former NHL veteran Matt Cooke as its new head coach over the weekend, and Cooke wasted no time heading for the Rock with the regular season, set to begin Oct. 20 at the Mary Brown's Centre against the Reading Royals.
"I've been here two days and I'm excited for the path and to move forward. I can't wait to get players in here and get started," Cooke, who has signed a two-year contract, told reporters Tuesday at his first news conference in St. John's.
"My goal here is to win in three ways, truly: that is to win in the community, to win in development and win games."
Cooke, originally from Ontario, played over 1,000 games spanning 16 seasons in the NHL with Vancouver, Pittsburgh — where he won a Stanley Cup — and Minnesota, where he settled with his family after retiring in 2015, coaching high school hockey and running a player development program.
He also racked up over 1,000 penalty minutes during that run.
"The game has changed a lot over the last 10 years and I've followed right along with that. I coach very differently than I play. That's because the demands of the game today are different from when I played," he said.
"Getting the opportunity to be a head coach and lead the ship was super-enticing for me. I was offered other opportunities earlier in the summer but for me wasn't the right fit."
Adam Pardy of Bonavista spend a decade in the NHL, time with the St. John's IceCaps and won the Kelly Cup with the Newfoundland Growlers in 2019. He's the team's new development coach. (Jeremy Eaton/CBC)
He said his wife will join him in St. John's once he's settled. The professionalism of the organization has already made him feel at home, he said.
Kelly Cup winner rejoins pack
Joining Cooke this year is another familiar name.
Bonavista product Adam Pardy has signed on as a new development coach.
Pardy spent a decade in the NHL — including some games against Cooke — and some time with the now defunct St. John's IceCaps.
He also played for the Growlers during their inaugural season in 2018-2019, helping the team win the Kelly Cup that year.
"It feels great, honestly. It's really good to be back, just walking into the room and feeling the energy of the walls again," he said.
"There's going to be an endless amount of work.… There's going to be a lot of work to get up to speed. Nothing we can't handle, but there's going to be a lot of things, getting our lineup shored up and making sure guys know a system and not overload them too much that way."
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