Monday, April 12, 2010

Foligno steps down

Press Release

he Sudbury Wolves Hockey Club announced today that Mike Foligno has stepped-down as Head Coach and General Manager of the OHL team. Foligno will remain with the team in a managerial and player development role by becoming the Wolves’ Director of Hockey Development.

"I requested a meeting with Wolves' owner Mark Burgess recently and I advised him that I felt it was time for a change" notes Foligno. "After seven years at the helm of the Sudbury Wolves, I feel that the time is right to take a step-back and give someone else a chance to run this team."

Foligno will continue to play a leadership role with the Sudbury Wolves organization in a newly formed position as Director of Hockey Development. "For the past few years, we have identified a need for someone to closely follow the progress of our drafted players, provide additional on-ice instruction and identify free agent players that may be able to step into our line-up" notes Foligno. "I am looking forward to this new challenge and will continue with my personal efforts to help the Sudbury Wolves build a championship team.".

Foligno started his coaching career in 1996 as an Assistant with the Toronto Maple leafs. He then joined the Colorado Avalanche organization and was later named the Head Coach of the Hershey Bears before coming to the Sudbury Wolves. Under Foligno's leadership the Sudbury Wolves won the Eastern Conference Championship in 2006-07. In his 15 year coaching career, Foligno missed the playoffs only once.

Wolves' President Blaine Smith will begin the process of finding a replacement for Foligno this week. "Mike Foligno has been an exceptional leader for the Sudbury Wolves for the past seven years" notes Smith. "We are pleased that Mike will remain with us and continue to provide his expertise and experience to our organization."

(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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