A former Terrace resident has joined the coaching staff of the newly-formed Winnipeg Jets NHL team.
Wade Flaherty has accepted the position as head goaltending coach for the team.
Flaherty had previously been working as the developmental goaltending coach for the Chicago Blackhawks. He had just signed a new two-year contract with Chicago when Winnipeg offered him the position.
“[It’s] something that doesn’t come knocking on your door every day,” Flaherty said.
And while Flaherty says it was hard to leave Chicago, he will be on familiar turf in Winnipeg, as he previously spent three years there as a player on the Manitoba Moose American Hockey League (AHL) team.
“I know the people there, and they are good solid people,” Flaherty said. “They are going to run a solid first class organization, because that’s what they did in the AHL.”
“So I am comfortable in that matter of moving, and then obviously to have the opportunity to be a National Hockey League head goalie coach is obviously excellent,” he continued.
General manager for the Winnipeg Jets, Kevin Cheveldayoff, said the organization is very happy with its decision to hire Flaherty.
Cheveldayoff said the organization asked the Jets head coach, Claude Noel, who his goaltender coach would be if he had the opportunity to take the head coach job.
“Unequivocally he said it was going to be Wade Flaherty,” Cheveldayoff said.
He added this was a suggestion that made him feel pretty good as he and many people in Winnipeg have history with Flaherty from his time with the Manitoba Moose.