Jr. A Trappers name McCarthy new Head Coach

Press Release

The North Bay Jr. ‘A’ Trappers are pleased to announce Tom McCarthy as the new head coach of the North Bay Jr. Trappers for the upcoming 2011-2012 season. The former NHLer has a wealth of coaching experience including turning around the struggling OJHL Huntsville franchise where he helped turned a folding franchise into an annual OJHL contender, reaching the league conference finals 3 years in a row.

Last season McCarthy returned to the OJHL to help a friend and the Trenton Golden Hawks to finish the 2010-11 season.

McCarthy who recalls playing against the North Bay Jr. Trappers as a junior player in the 1970's is hoping to help bring a Trappers buzz back into Memorial Gardens.

"There are many different ways to be a winner. I use the expression that I teach life skills first and use hockey as the learning tool as hockey is one of the best things I know and do," said McCarthy.

Trappers management was impressed with McCarthy’s passion and experience.

“We had a lot of tremendous candidates who applied for this position, but Tom’s hockey background and his ability to develop young hockey players really stood out,” admitted Jr. Trappers President/GM Chris Dawson.

CAREER AS A PLAYER

He was the number 1 overall pick in the 1977 OMJHL Midget Draft making him one of two players drafted ahead of Wayne Gretzky. He had 69 goals for the Oshawa Generals in the 1978-79 season.

In the 1979 NHL Entry Draft, he was chosen in the first round (tenth overall) by the Minnesota North Stars.

He was selected to play in the 1983 NHL All-Star Game and finished the season with 39 goals. He went on to play seven seasons for the North Stars and two for the Boston Bruins, finishing his career with 178 goals and 399 points. He had 12 goals and 38 points in the playoffs.

(Nathan can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)