Fired coach Troy Mann in happier times. The Belleville Senators find themselves 1 point out of last in the AHL’s North division. The team currently has a record of 17-22-3-1. Photo credit to bellevillesenators.com
By Jordan Mills
BELLEVILLE – The Ottawa Senators surprised the hockey world late Thursday night by relieving Troy Mann of his duties as head coach of their farm team in Belleville.
Mann’s firing came following a 5-3 win over the Rochester Americans. Assistant coach David Bell will assume the head coaching role for the rest of the year.
In a statement following the firing, Belleville Senators GM Ryan Bowness said, “A change like this is a difficult decision, but we are aligned internally and feel this is necessary for the short and long-term growth of the players in our organization as well as the cohesion in systematic play between Ottawa and Belleville. I want to thank Troy and his family for their contributions to the Belleville community.”
Mann was in his fifth year as head coach of the Senators and he will leave with a record of 150-117-15-7. This is also the first time an AHL head coach has been fired mid-season since 2014, when Kurt Kleinendorst was let go by the Iowa Wild.
During his tenure with Belleville, Mann has been credited with the development of several current and former Ottawa Senators. Josh Norris, Drake Batherson, Nick Paul, Alex Formenton, Erik Brannstrom, Parker Kelly, Mark Kastelic and now Ridly Greig have all spoken highly of their time under Mann.
“While a change at the coaching position during the season is not an ideal scenario, we felt it was necessary to deliver improved team and performance,” said Ottawa GM Pierre Dorion in the statement. “We are confident that David (Bell) and his staff will make the most of this opportunity.”
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