Mason building new career
Mason Howard could think of no better scenario to begin his coaching career than with the Thorold Blackhawks.
The 22-year-old London native began his junior career under coach Scott Barnes with the Hawks, so when Barnes called last summer about the possibility of coming on board as an assistant, Howard was quick to say yes.
“Barnes gave me a call, we chatted, and here I am on the bench helping out coaching,” Howard said.
Barnes played for Barnes as 16-year-old rookie after being drafted by the Niagara IceDogs and developed quickly to the point he was playing for the IceDogs the next season.
“I’ve had a great relationship with Barnes,” Howard said. “When I left the IceDogs last year I reached out to him right away. I skated with them three times before I was moved to St. Catharines. Barnes and Chris (assistant coach Chris Goulet) have always been good to me. They treated me well and always had my back so I felt going back to help them out was an easy decision for me to make.”
Barnes was more than happy to have Howard come on board.
“He had a history of playing at a high level and knew our league and wanted to get involved,” Barnes said. “I think at this level any good hockey minds you can get on board, it’s worth it.”
Howard played two full seasons for the IceDogs before wrapping up his junior career with the St. Catharines Falcons last year where was part of a Sutherland Cup championship.
“Obviously, going out on top was really cool winning a Sutherland Cup with St. Catharines,” he said. “I had a couple teams reach out to me about playing but I was at the point in my career where I wanted to get my schooling done and switch to the other side of hockey, developing and coaching and hopefully moving up coaching or being a GM one day.”
Howard is majoring in sport management at Niagara College.
“I’ve always wanted to get into coaching when I was done playing,” he said. “I wanted the ability to get into the coaching side as well as learn the management side. I feel working with Barnes has really helped with the coaching side and then I’m in school for the other side of it.
“I’m checking all the bullets when it comes to my future.”
Howard has ample experience as a leader from his playing days, which has also helped with the transition.
“My rookie year in Niagara we had a pretty good team. We loaded up to go on a run and then the year after we were a young team,” Howard said. “I had to switch my role from a rookie to being one of the oldest guys on the team, a veteran almost, so I’ve been an older guy on the team since my second year in the OHL helping and teaching younger guys. It was always something I enjoyed and I’ve had a lot of experience with that.”
Barnes said he got a thumbs up from Falcons coach Tyler Bielby about Howard’s contributions to the Falcons.
“Talking to Bielby I think he was almost a player/assistant a little bit from what he was able to provide them so it’s nice to get a young guy who is in touch with the game,” Barnes said.
Howard feels being just one year removed from the game — he was a teammate of current Blackhawk Jagger North in St. Catharines — is a big plus.
“I’m a young guy but the guys have respect for me in the room and know I’ve won,” Howard said. “All those guys are there to get better and I’m there to get better as a coach and they trust me enough when I’m talking to them and teaching them. They have that respect and they know I was a decent player and just trying to help them out.”
Howard tracks face-offs during the game while Barnes and Goulet handle the forwards and defencemen, respectively.
“I really enjoy just being back around the guys,” Howard said. “It’s like I’m still on the team. I get to hang out with the guys and go to practices and games. I just don’t get to play anymore. It’s more of a teaching role which I enjoy a lot because I like helping other guys develop.”
The Blackhawks dropped an 8-1 decision at Caledonia Wednesday in the opener of their Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League best-of-seven quarter-final series, but Barnes isn’t about to panic.
“Whether you lose 1-0 or 8-1, it’s still only one game,” Barnes said. “We had three breakaways when we were down 2-0 and could have been up 3-2. We had plenty of chances. We should have been tied or ahead by the 10-minute mark.
“I don’t think we’re discouraged too much. Once it got to 5-0, it’s more about getting ready for tomorrow and making sure we match them physically.”
Game 2 is in Port Colborne Friday at 7:30 p.m. with Game 3 back in Caledonia Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
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