Laurie Barron appointed Assistant Coach for Canada East

Press Release

Hockey Canada announced on Friday that Yarmouth Mariners head coach and general manager Laurie Barron will serve as an assistant coach for Canada East at the 2012 World Junior A Challenge. Barron, who has nearly a decade of experience coaching at the Junior A level, will not travel far to join Team East for the week-long event as it takes place in Yarmouth November 5-11.

“This is a tremendous honour for me to serve as an assistant with Canada East, especially given that the event is taking place here in Yarmouth”, said Barron upon receiving the news. “It’s also a great opportunity as I will be coaching along­side of some of the finest coaches and players in Canada. Getting to work with these individuals and players provides me with a unique learning opportunity that I know will benefit me in my coaching career. I’m very excited to be part of this

great event.”

“We are very happy and proud that Laurie has been appointed this coaching position”, said Yarmouth Mariners president and 2012 World Junior A Challenge chair Mitch Bonnar. “Laurie did a great job with the Mariners last season and given that he was named MHL Coach of the Year for his achievements, we firmly believe this appointment is well-deserved. He is well respected in this community and within the Maritime Junior Hockey League and seeing him behind the bench at home for the World Junior A Challenge will be a big thrill for all of us here in Yarmouth. We couldn’t ask for a better story leading up to the event in November.”

As Barron prepares for training camp next week, he is heading into 2012-13 coming off of a remarkable season. In 2011­-12, he led his club to a 35-14-1-2 record in 52 games. The Mariners won their division and went on to win the Bent Divi­sion in the playoffs, only losing out to the Woodstock Slammers in a dramatic triple overtime game seven in the Kent Cup final. Barron received the Coach of the Year award at the MHL Draft in Yarmouth to the delight of Mariners fans earlier this summer.

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