Thunder Bay's Trevor Letowski ousted as Sarnia coach

Thunder Bay’s Trevor Letowski has been fired from his post as coach of the Sarnia Sting.

Just days after the team was ousted in the first round of the Ontario Hockey League playoffs, new Sting owner Derian Hatcher, who like Letowski is a former NHLer, announced he was stepping out of the owner’s box and behind the bench.

“Head coach Trevor Letowski and assistant coach Andy Delmore have been relieved of their duties with the club and will not be part of the coaching staff heading into the 2015-16 season,” team president Bill Abercrombie said in  a brief news release issued Tuesday on the team’s website.

Letowski told the Sarnia Observer the news didn’t come as a complete surprise.

“We hear rumours and things, but to be honest we weren’t sure,” the 38-year-old told the Observer’s Terry Bridge.

“There just wasn’t a lot of dialogue ever since the new ownership came in, so obviously that wasn’t the best sign, but we really weren’t sure. Yesterday it didn’t catch us completely off guard, but when it happens it still seems surprising when it actually does happen.”

Letowski, who spent three seasons with the Sting as a player during his junior days, before going on to a nine-year NHL career with Phoenix, Vancouver, Columbus and Carolina, joined the major junior club in 2010-11 as an assistant, taking over the coaching reins for the remainder of the season after Dave MacQueen was let go.

Letowski served as an associated coach for the next two seasons and compiled a 53-84-6-9 record behind the Sting bench over two-plus seasons.

Sarnia was knocked out of the playoffs in five games by top-ranked draft prospect Connor McDavid and the Erie Otters.

Letowski told the Observer he plans to head to Phoenix with his family.

“I’m excited for the next opportunity. Who knows what will be next,” he told the newspaper.