Admirals announce arrival of assistant coaches to join Bortignon behind bench

There will be some very familiar faces behind the bench this year for the Amherstburg Admirals.

Joining recently announced head coach Paul Bortignon will be Marc Crevier and Steve Spada. Crevier was with Bortignon in the past as an assistant coach and local hockey fans will know Spada as a former player with the Admirals and the Kingsville Comets.

“He (Crevier) was a defenceman and he’s always been a defensive coach. He brings a lot of experience and he can step right in,” said Admirals’ GM Andrew Sykes.

Crevier won a Schmalz Cup as a player back in the 1980’s and went on to coach for many years not only with the Admirals but the Leamington Flyers. Sykes said the fact that he and Bortignon have worked together is a huge bonus.

“In talking with Paul, he’s excited to have Crev back. We are fortunate to have guys come in and not miss a beat.”

Crevier will have a potentially strong defense on the blueline which will be led by returnees Jake Gourdreault, who was an all-star last year, along with Cooper Bulmer and Freddie McCroy. In all, seven of last year’s defensemen are eligible to return.

Spada comes in with little coaching experience, but Sykes says he will bring positive energy to the team and work primarily with the forwards.

“One of the big things for him will be player relations. We think he’ll be great talking with the players, he’s an outgoing person.”

A veteran of five Jr. C seasons, Spada had 55 points including 28 goals after playing three years with the Kingsville Comets and was part of the transition group when the franchise moved over to Amherstburg. He was an assistant captain when they took the Essex 73’s to the finals in 2015. In 136 regular season games, he had 498 minutes in penalties.

This past weekend the Admirals announced that Chad Boucher joins the team as the third assistant coach. He has 25 years of coaching experience, most recently with the U18 Windsor Junior Spitfires as well as being a scout for the Chatham Maroons Jr. B team.Spada, Crevier, Boucher and Bortignon will get their first look at the future Admirals May 11 and 13 when they have their spring training camp in Tecumseh.

Under last year’s coaching crew of Zack Gervais, Jake Archer and Justin Toth the Admirals went 15-21-6-0 and eliminated the Mooretown Flags in the first round of the Provincial Junior Hockey League West Stobbs Division playoffs.

SLAPSHOTS: Former Admirals Landon Prince, Dallas Kelly and Lukas Boudreau are part of the Lakeshore Canadiens, who won the PJHL Stobbs Division championship April 2. The Canadiens beat the Essex 73’s in Game 7 that night by a final score of 5-2.

Admirals announce arrival of assistant coaches to join Bortignon behind bench

By Fred Groves