The Fort Frances Lakers have relieved Paul MacLean of his head coaching and general manager duties.
The Superior International Junior Hockey League team said it made the change on Wednesday in advance of the break for Christmas and the postponement of Wednesday's scheduled game against the Wisconsin Lumberjacks.
Gary Silander, the president of the Fort Frances Lakers, said the board of directors was not satisfied with the team's production.
“We’re here to help these kids make progress, and we weren’t making any progress, so we thought we’d better change things around a little bit,” he said.
Silander said Tyler Miller, who was the assistant coach under MacLean, is now head coach and general manager of the team for the rest of the season.
“We’re not going to make any more changes until then, and then we’ll see what next spring brings,” he said.
MacLean, who had previously coached the Dryden GM Ice Dogs, was just hired earlier this year.
“We’d like to thank Paul for his time and effort that he put in here and we’re sorry that it’s come to this at this time of year, but we got to do what’s best for the team.”
The Lakers currently sit in last place in the seven-team league.
Silander said the team shows promise.
“We just need a full 60 minute effort from the boys,” he said. “We got to pick our socks up.”
