The new head coach of the Wallaceburg Lakers is looking to change the attitude in their dressing room, and restore the reputation of the team across the league and in the community.
Ryan Paxton told the Sydenham Current he wants to showing the community, the fans and the whole organization that the Lakers are going to start competing.
“Whatever happened in the past is over and done with,” he said.
“This week I’m going forward with a whole new fresh start. The whole players, the whole staff, everything… and showing exactly what this community can prove in the Junior ‘C’ league. The results are on the ice too… if the results are not on the ice then it’s the same old, same old.”
Paxton said years ago Wallaceburg was a crazy town for hockey.
“Mark Davis and all the things he did… I’d like to get it back to that,” Paxton said.
“That’s the goal. Getting the kids believing in themselves and getting the community behind them and restoring the Wallaceburg Lakers name.”
Paxton, who is the 4th bench boss for the Lakers this season alone, said the constant changes have been really tough on the kids. Rick Vancoillie was let go after eight games, John Hartig stepped down after 11 games and Ritch Kanally has been serving double duty with the club as head coach and general manager since Hartig quit.
“There is no stability in the room, but going forward I think we have it now,” Paxton said.
“It’s about bringing all the positives back to the kids. Give them a fresh slate to work with.”
Paxton, who is 38-years-old, grew up playing minor hockey in Dresden, also playing a couple of years with the Dresden Junior Kings.
He first got involved with coaching minor hockey in Dresden for many years with Bob Price.
At the junior level, he’s coached with the Blenheim Blades, the Kings and the Lakers for a short stint a couple of years ago.
“Now a couple years later they called me back, so I’m back in the mix,” he said.
“The last few years I’ve been around the Junior ‘C’ league, knowing the teams and the players, it’s a good advantage for me.”
Paxton said his tenure as head coach got off to a good start on Sunday, when the Lakers acquired Wallaceburg’s Noah Labonte in a trade with the Chatham Maroons.
“Kind of a start for us, bringing in new faces, kids that are going to work hard and kids that want to be there,” he said.
“I have to give all the kids credit right now that are there, they had some tough times. They’re still there playing the game they love and they’re still working their butts off, which I love.”
Two losses this week
Paxton made his debut behind the bench for the Lakers on Monday night in Wheatley.
Wallaceburg came up short against the Sharks, losing 5-2.
Austin Bentley and Cody Nicolaisen scored for Wallaceburg. Travis Moore made 47 saves in a losing effort.
The Lakers lost in Paxton’s first game at home on Wednesday night, falling to Petrolia 9-1. Ty Lucio scored the lone Wallaceburg goal.
The Lakers now have a 2-24-0-0 record on the season, last in the West Stobbs Division of the Provincial Junior Hockey League.
Wallaceburg will host Blenheim in their next game on Wednesday, December 20.
Puck drops at 7:30 p.m.
– Photo credit: Ava Andrew
