CALGARY — Mike Mondin, who spent the last two seasons as an assistant, was named head coach of Canada’s sledge hockey team Wednesday.
Billy McGuigan of Charlottetown, P.E.I., will join Mondin as an assistant coach, Hockey Canada said in a release.
McGuigan is the current head coach and general manager of the Miramichi Timberwolves of the Maritime Hockey League.
He played parts of four seasons of professional hockey in the Colonial Hockey League, West Coast Hockey League and Central Hockey League.
Summerside native Billy Bridges has been a longtime member of the team.
Mondin, from Trail, B.C., was a guest coach with the sledge team in 2007-08 before joining the staff full-time.
Mondin replaces Jeff Snyder, who spent six seasons as the team’s head coach.
Under Synder, and with Mondin as an assistant, Canada won gold medals at the 2006 Paralympics, the 2008 world championship, the 2007 and 2008 world sledge hockey challenges, and the 2009 Hockey Canada Cup.
But Canada had a disappointing early exit for the 2010 Paralympics in Vancouver, losing to Norway in the bronze medal game.
Snyder will remain with Hockey Canada in an advisory role.
Canada’s national sledge hockey team opens the 2010-11 season with a selection camp Sept. 9-12 at CFB Petawawa in Petawawa, Ont.
A final roster of 15 players will be selected from the 30 players invited to the camp.
