IceDogs add Ben Boudreau to coaching staff
St. Catharines native Ben Boudreau is joining the Niagara IceDogs as an associate coach. Photo: FORT WAYNE COMETS.
Ben Boudreau can think of no better place to continue his coaching career than in his hometown.
The 38-year-old St. Catharines native has been named an associate coach with the Niagara IceDogs after spending the last four years coaching the Fort Wayne Komets of the ECHL where he compiled a regular season record of 134-96-19-8 while leading the Komets to a Kelly Cup Championship in 2021.
“To be able to continue my career in my own backyard in special,” Boudreau said.
Boudreau will join head coach Ryan Kuwabara and assistant coaches, Brandon Shaw, Damon Racicot and Andrew Fritsch on the IceDogs coaching staff.
The son of long-time National Hockey League coach and former St. Catharines Saints centre Bruce Boudreau has significant ties to St. Catharines with his mother and several members of his extended family living in the city. He remembers going to St. Catharines Stompers baseball games as a youngster where his sister was a Purple People Greeter and later went on to play junior B with the St. Catharines Falcons.
“I have a real big family and that’s just a support system and that’s something I never had, even before having kids,” Ben Boudreau said. “To come back and have that on a daily basis is a big motivating factor to go the OHL rather than look to the AHL and stay in the United States. That’s just a personal preference at this time in my life to bring the boys home to give them the childhood I had in the city of St. Catharines which I felt was amazing.”
Ben Boudreau has two young sons, Charlie who will be two in August, and Cooper, who will be six in October.
“Something like this, knowing we’re making the move back to Canada with my boys and being around their cousins and family and friends, it’s unbelievably exciting on a personal level,” Ben Boudreau said.
Ben Boudreau, who also played for the Fort Erie Meteors and Port Colborne Sailors at the junior B level, started his professional coaching career with the Bakersfield Condors in the ECHL as an assistant coach for the 2014-2015 season followed by two seasons with the Norfolk Admirals in the ECHL. In 2017-2018 he joined the Komets where he eventually got promoted to head coach in 2019-2020.
“The Niagara IceDogs are pleased to welcome Ben Boudreau as an associate coach,” IceDogs interim general manager Wes Consorti said. “Ben brings a wealth of professional experience and is a forward thinker who will elevate everyone in our organization on and off the ice. As an organization we have put a tremendous emphasis on player development and Ben brings the perfect mix of experience and professionalism to help our players reach their highest potential.”
Ben Boudreau is well acquainted with Kuwabara from their time in the ECHL.
“Ryan has always been great to me long before we knew this might be a possibility,” Ben Boudreau said. “He’s a good coach and a better human.
“I’m not there to ruffle any feathers. I’m there to coach and to help and assist in any way I can for Ryan and the rest of the staff.”
Ben Boudreau is spending time with his father in Hershey, Pa., this week and didn’t rule out the possibility of his dad perhaps joining the IceDogs in some capacity down the road.
“At 68 turning 69, I think he’s looking for a different approach. With me and my family coming back to St. Catharines, there will be 41 years of history in St. Catharines with the Boudreau name.
“I know he’s going to find a way to get involved. How that’s yet to play out, I’m not sure, but I know his support for me is unwavering and if I’m with the IceDogs, we’ll have all his support behind us 100 per cent.”
Ice cubes: Goaltender Owen Flores (Pittsburgh Penguins), defenceman Bronson Ride (Ottawa Senators) and forward Alex Assadourian (Toronto Maple Leafs) have been selected to Development Camp rosters.
Dear reader. If you liked this story or one of the 5,200 other stories found on our website, please consider hitting the Support Us button on the right-hand side of our home page and making a PayPal contribution to our website. Your support would be much appreciated. If you are a business owner, please consider advertising on our site. Our rates are reasonable and we provide plenty of exposure for your business. Contact bpotrecz@outlook.com for more information.
