Cobourg Cougars Announce New Head Coach and General Manager

In Hockey
By Jeff Gard/Today’s Northumberland
The Cobourg Cougars once again have a new head coach and general manager.
Just days after a successful Ontario Junior Hockey League season came to an end with a loss to the Toronto Jr. Canadiens last Friday in the South-East Conference final, Wes Wolfe made a surprise announcement Monday that he was resigning as the Cougars head coach and GM.
By Wednesday, the Cougars promptly filled both positions, naming Peter Drikos as Wolfe’s replacement in the dual-role.
Drikos will be the sixth different head coach behind the Cougars bench since the club won the national junior A championship in 2017. The others were John Druce, Jerome Dupont, Thomas Plommer, David DeMarinis and Wolfe.
“I’m very proud and excited to be joining the Cobourg Cougars. This is a first-class organization that is committed to player development and championship culture,” Drikos stated in a release. “I look forward to getting started and being part of not only the Cougars, but the Cobourg community.”
Drikos spent the past two seasons as head coach of the OJHL’s Toronto Patriots and assumed the role of GM during his tenure there as well. He was previously an assistant coach with the Milton Menace after gaining coaching experience as an assistant with the former Orangeville Flyers and as a head coach with the Brampton Bombers of the GOJHL.
A former Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League (now OJHL) player from 2003-2007, the Toronto native also played one season at Ryerson University before going pro and competing in the previously known as All American Hockey League, Federal Hockey League and Southern Professional Hockey League.
“We have come off of a very successful season and we are extremely proud of our accomplishments as a team and where we stand going into the 2022-23 season,” Bob Breckles, the Cougars executive senior vice-president of hockey operations, stated in the release. “With the addition of Peter, we are confident that our committed mandate for continued player development and advancement, partnership within the Cobourg community and overall club engagement will continue.”
In the statement he posted to his Twitter account, Wolfe said when he accepted the role as head coach last year his mandate was clear: help the players fulfill their potential as human beings and hockey players and help the team fulfill its potential as well.
Wolfe, who also took over as GM early in the 2021-22 season, noted he was proud of the team’s accomplishments, including having 13 players move up or commit to playing at higher levels of hockey such as the OHL, NCAA and U Sports.
On the ice, the Cougars went on a stellar run since February leading to playoff victories over the Wellington Dukes and Haliburton County Huskies to win the East Division title before falling to the Jr. Canadiens.
“While we ultimately fell two games short of our goal of making it to the Buckland Cup final, I will never forget how magical it felt to see our players commit to playing for each other and for our community. I cannot thank the players and coaches enough for their endless hard work, preparation and commitment to our process,” Wolfe stated in his announcement.
“I am grateful to the Cobourg Cougars organization and to everyone who made this season a possibility and cannot wait for what the next chapter brings.”
No specific reasons were given for his departure, though Wolfe said he is not leaving for another job at this time.
Jeff Gard
Author: Jeff Gard

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