New NHL Franchise Winnipeg Jets, Name Manitoba Moose Coach Claude Noel as their Head Coach
The start of the 2011 National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft brought many changes for the new Winnipeg city franchise, the Winnipeg Jets, as they finally chose their name based on the former team’s name and promoted the Manitoba Moose head coach Claude
Noel.
Claude Noel, the now former head coach of the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Manitoba Moose is owned by the same group, True North Entertainment and Spots, which bought the Atlanta Thrashers club and relocated it to the city of Winnipeg.
Noel received the call on Wednesday, but the deal was not officially announced until Friday, and it could not have been any better for the hard working 55 year old.
“I would have just rather him say ‘you got the job’ but he didn’t and I went through a living h**l for a minute”, said Noel. “I had daggers flying everywhere, my heart was jumping. There were a lot of emotions, I was really appreciative. Almost tears of
appreciation for me”.
It is his first opportunity as a head coach in the NHL, after spending a full previous season in the WHL and three seasons prior to that as an assistant coach of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
“I was in the produce section at Superstore”, said Noel after receiving the phone call about his new job. “I’ve gone through this process a few times. I can’t tell you how happy I am. In my world, there’s a high level of joy and we’ll be dealing with that
a lot this year”.
The decision had been with senior executive vice president and general manager of the team, Kevin Cheveldayoff, the Chicago Blackhawks former assistant GM. He shortlisted the candidates to two people who included Noel along with Blackhawks assistant coach
Mike Haviland, who had later been informed that he will not be getting the job.
Noel is believed to have signed a multi-year contract with the new Winnipeg franchise, according to sources, a three year deal. His experience of over two decades in the coaching field will certainly help lift the new team in the upcoming season, which is
what the Jets want.
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