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Oldcastle native and former Windsor Spitfires’ forward Eric Wellwood played a big role in getting the Flint Firebirds back on track.
The 31-year-old Wellwood, who became the winningest coach in team history in less than two seasons as head coach, announced on Saturday that he had chosen not to renew his contract with the team for the 2021-22 season.
“I enjoyed my experience there and I’m grateful I had the opportunity to coach that team,” said Wellwood, who helped the Spitfires win back-to-back Memorial Cup titles as a player in 2009 and 2010. “It’s a blue collar city and reminded me of Windsor in a sense.”
Wellwood’s departure came just two days after Barclay Branch stepped down from his post as general manager of the club. Branch’s decision came two weeks after Terry Christensen was hired as president of hockey operations.
Christensen was originally hired as general manager of the Firebirds in 2015 and was fired the following year over a dispute, but was rehired under a new title of vice-president of hockey operations.
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It was shortly after that that the OHL announced a five-year suspension to Flint owner Rolf Nilsen in April of 2016 and a $250,000 fine for violations contrary to the best interests of the players, team and league. Nilsen has now served that suspension.
Wellwood cited personal and family circumstances as his reasons for not returning and did not say if Branch’s departure or Christensen’s return played a role in the decision.
“COVID-19 has had an impactful role on everyone’s life and changed our lives in ways we can’t predict,” Wellwood said. “Due to personal and family reasons, I have to look for opportunities elsewhere.”
After four years of junior hockey, Wellwood signed with Philadelphia Flyers, who made him a sixth-round pick in the 2009 NHL Draft. He appeared in 31 NHL regular-season games before his playing career was ended in 2013 when his leg was cut by a skate, which severed two tendons, along with severely damaging a third tendon, his Achilles and an artery.
After returning to the Spitfires to help as a part-time coach in 2013-14, Wellwood joined D.J. Smith’s staff with the Oshawa Generals and won another Memorial Cup in 2015.
He first joined Flint in 2016 as an associate coach, but left after one season and became an assistant coach for the University of Windsor Lancers men’s hockey team. However, after an 0-9 start in 2018-19, Wellwood left the Lancers and was named head coach of the Firebirds.
“He’s really easy to relate to and guys love him,” former Flint defenceman Owen Lalonde said. “He’s easy to joke around with and easy to talk to and when it comes to X’s and O’s, he knows his stuff.”
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Flint finished 16-37-6-0 under Wellwood in that first season, but improved 44 points in his second season going 40-21-1-1 in just 63 games before the season was called by the pandemic.
“I was actually shocked when I heard the news,” said Lalonde, who is from Windsor and won a league title with Guelph in 2019. “Probably the most fun I’ve had in hockey was playing for Welly and those guys in Flint and it’s sad to see he’s going.”
After putting up a 56-58-7-1 with the Firebirds, Wellwood has proven his ability to build and develop a team and says he’s not walking away from coaching.
“I’m really proud of what we did in Flint and my head’s up high,” Wellwood said. “It was a great learning experience and the hockey players, staff and fans enjoyed that type of hockey.
“I care about those kids and I wish them well going forward and I haven’t ruled anything out. I’ll just wait for the dust to settle.”
jpparker@postmedia.com
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