Coyotes secure top-notch coach

Creemore’s new Senior AA team has signed ex-NHLer Sylvain Clouthier as coach.
“Boys, we have a top notch coach,” Creemore Coyotes president Tom Macham told members of the team gathered at his home for a recent signing party. “This guy’s the real deal. We will be playing against teams that don’t have near this calibre of coach.”
According to his career history, Cloutier played junior hockey for the Guelph Storm (OHL) from 1991 to 1994, scoring 237 points, 106 goals while also serving as team captain. He was drafted 70th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1992 NHL entry draft and spent the next four seasons playing in the AHL for the Adirondack Red Wings but never made Detroit’s main lineup. He went on to play seven NHL games for the Chicago Blackhawks in the 1998-1999 season.
Cloutier joined the Coventry Blaze of the United Kingdom’s Elite Ice Hockey League in 2006 and helped the team win the Elite League title. In 2008, he won his second Elite League title with the Blaze. He then became the head coach of the Corpus Christi IceRays in the Central Hockey League (CHL). He later returned to the Elite League and became player-coach for the Hull Stingrays. His number, 83, was retired by the Hull Pirates, the successor team for the Stingrays following their liquidation in 2015.
Since retiring from playing, Cloutier has been coaching tier two junior hockey the past seven seasons. He said, with Covid, the Stallions ended up folding.
Cloutier said despite having other offers, joining the Coyotes will allow his family to remain in Barrie.
“It’s another challenge and something new and it seems to be a great group of guys. I’m really looking forward to working with them,” he said. “I think we have a really solid chance of being a really good hockey team. If they buy-in to the system and buy-in to what I put in place it could be a good season.”
Players are coming from junior level and OHL, giving them another chance to play high-level competitive hockey.
The team roster so far includes 22 players, including 13 former Stayner Siskins.
“Having their own team at the arena in Creemore will be great and I think we will get the support and I think the people that do come out to watch us will really enjoy the game,” said Cloutier. “We are really excited to be part of the community. I am sure people will be excited to get out of their homes and it’s definitely going to be a good product on the ice and I think it’s going to be exciting hockey.”
Both Cloutier and Macham are hoping to navigate the pandemic and get as many spectators into the arena as possible.
The first home game in Creemore will be on Oct. 16 but the team is playing two exhibition games this month in Mount Forest, going up against Shallow Lake on Sept. 12 and Shelburne on Sept. 19. Both games are at 5 p.m. For a full schedule, visit creemorecoyotes.com.