FLAMES INTRODUCE GOUTHRO, GILL

Glens Falls, NY – Adirondack Flames Head Coach Ryan Huska introduced today Assistant Coach Todd Gill and Goaltending Coach Scott Gouthro as members of his coaching staff for the 2014-15 season.

“Todd is someone that’s going to be invaluable to our organization because of his experience,” Huska said. “It’s not every day you’ve got someone on staff with over 1,000 games in the NHL and that’s going to be real helpful for our young defensemen here in Glens Falls. Scott’s had a strong track record over the past ten seasons in Cape Breton as the goaltending coach there and has also had numerous experiences and opportunities with Hockey Canada, particularly with the U-18’s program of excellence. I feel that the group of us, our coaching staff, has a great mix of personalities to get the best out of our team and help our players develop.”

Todd Gill joins the Adirondack Flames after he spent the past three seasons as Head Coach of the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Gill compiled an overall record of 85-99-20 over his three seasons in Kingston, which included playoff appearances in both 2012-13 and 2013-14. While in Kingston, Gill coached the Calgary Flames’ 2014 first round draft pick Sam Bennett from 2012-14. The 48-year old Gill also has international coaching experience as an assistant coach for Team Canada, which captured the bronze medal at the 2012 (April) U-18 tournament. Gill was also the head coach for the U-18 team that won the gold medal at the Ivan Hlinka Tournament in August of 2012.

“Not only did I get to experience some ups and downs as a player on the ice but I got to experience it off the ice, too,” Gill said. “A lot of time you can help a kid as much off the ice as on and explain to him, ‘I went through this, this is what happened, this is how I reacted to it and these are the steps I took to move forward.’

Gill, who played over 1,000 games in the NHL, will be primarily responsible for the development of the Flames young defensemen at the AHL level. The Brockville, ON native played 1007 games in the NHL with Toronto, San Jose, St. Louis, Detroit, Phoenix, Colorado and Chicago and recorded 354 points (82-272-354). He played another 103 games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, where he amassed 37 points (7-30-37). Gill was originally drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round of the 1984 NHL Entry Draft and played the first 12 years of his career in a Leafs uniform.

“I’m not here to change a player, I’m here to develop him into being better and improve on the things that he’s not so good at which will allow him to take the next step,” Gill added.

Huska also introduced Scott Gouthro as the Flames’ goaltending coach. Gouthro joins the Adirondack Flames after nine seasons as the Goaltending Coach with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).

Gouthro, a Cape Breton native, also has a background with Hockey Canada. Gouthro worked with the Canadian Sled Hockey team at the 2014 Paralympics in Sochi as well as the 2011 Canadian U-18 team at the Ivan Hlinka Tournament in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, where Canada won gold.

“For me it’s a great step,” Gouthro said. “I talked to Jordan Sigalet [Calgary’s goaltending coach] and at the end of the day you’re working with goalies, whether it be at a major junior level or here where they’re just a bit more mature. The speed of the game has increased which leads to mistakes from goalies at this level. It’s about developing that relationship with a goalie, the trust, allows us to fine tune the details to get them ready for Calgary.”

Scott played for Dalhousie University before a junior career in the QMJHL, MJAHL and QSPHL that concluded at Winston-Salem in the SPHL. Gouthro posted a 2-1-0 record and a 2.94 goals-against average in three games with the Screaming Eagles in the QMJHL in the 2000-01 season. The 33-year old also helped to lead the Halifax Oland Exports to the 2002 Royal Bank Cup, where he was named the tournament’s top goaltender.

There are still plenty of great seats available for Opening Night, through a full season, 22 or 12 game plan for the 2014-15 season, in addition to group outings and flex tickets, which are now on sale. For more information, contact the Adirondack Flames front office at 518-480-3355.

Adirondack Flames Hockey • Fired Up

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