Matt Rabideau added to Battalion Hockey Operations

Press Release

BRAMPTON, Ont. – Matt Rabideau has joined the Brampton Battalion as hockey operations assistant to Stan Butler, director of hockey operations and head coach, the Ontario Hockey League club announced Friday.

“Stan gave me a great opportunity to be here and be associated with this club,” said Rabideau, a 39-year-old native of Wallaceburg, Ont. “There is great ownership here, and I’m thrilled to be a part of the Battalion organization.”

Rabideau, who succeeds Paul Dagg, is responsible for assisting with all aspects of hockey operations as well as relieving Butler of some administrative duties. The role includes dealing with league issues, player contracts, travel schedules and player immigration.

“After working for the league office firsthand, I’ll be able to help families make the transition and explain not only what goes on but also how things work,” said Rabideau, who spent the last six years with the OHL as manager of hockey and education.

“Once we knew that Paul was leaving for Newfoundland, I talked to a few people in the hockey business, and the name that kept coming back was Matt,” noted Butler.

Rabideau’s experience includes four seasons as general manager of Team Ontario’s under-17 programs. He also recruited and assembled Ontario’s under-16 team for the 2011 Canada Winter Games as director of operations. Before joining the OHL office, he was the western scout for the Saginaw Spirit for four years.

Rabideau, who holds a diploma in sports management from Durham College in Oshawa, has embraced the opportunity to focus solely on the Battalion.

“It’s very exciting gearing up for training camp and fielding the most competitive team. It’s about wins and losses now.”

While working for the league, Rabideau scouted bantam-aged players for the OHL’s central scouting department. He also conducted seminars for minor midget teams, explaining the opportunities available in the OHL, and coordinated joint under-16 programs of the OHL and Ontario Hockey Federation, helping their growth to seven from two.

“When a guy knows the league the way he does, it makes everything a lot easier,” said Butler.

Dagg, who worked with the Battalion for one season, now is technical director for Hockey Newfoundland, overseeing coach and player development and managing high-performance programs and on-ice clinics throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

(Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)