WESTVILLE ROAD, N.S. – The Junior A Crushers are looking for a new coach.
Doug Doull submitted his resignation this past weekend, after a four-year stint behind the bench that included the organization’s first-ever Maritime Hockey League championship in 2016.
“I have given it considerable thought and I made a decision here that’s it’s probably best that they move forward with a new coach,” said Doull, who put a lot of miles on his truck the past four seasons, commuting to Pictou County from his family’s home in Dieppe, N.B.
“It’s tough, but you move on.”
The Crushers were purchased earlier this year from the Weeks Hockey Organization by Scott Burden and Bruce Ryan, both of whom have sons currently on the Crushers roster.
They officially assumed ownership on April 1.
“I had a great experience and I made a lot of great friends there,” Doull said.
“I had a goal to win a championship in Pictou County and we did that. And I’m proud of the fact that we could move players on to different levels,” after they graduated from junior.
Less than a year after he was hired in the late spring of 2015, the Crushers beat the Dieppe Commandos in six games to win what, thus far, has been their lone MHL championship.
The next season, they had the league’s best record but were upset in the first playoff round by the Amherst Ramblers.
Due to a host of factors – chiefly among them a mindset that had the team intent on rebuilding – the Crushers fell short the playoffs each of the past two seasons, barely missing the post-season this year with a young roster that, on paper, looks to be strong heading into the 2019-2020 campaign.
Doull said on April 20 that he was unsure what his next coaching opportunity will be.
“I’m going to take a little break and look at every option.”
The team sent out a media release on April 23.
“The Crushers, along with the entire Weeks Hockey Organization, would like to thank Doug for everything he has done for our players, our program and for the community,” it stated.
The team said it hopes to have a decision on a new coach in the coming weeks.
