The Winnipeg Jets’ bench will look a little different when the National Hockey League eventually resumes action.
The University of Vermont announced on Wednesday they’ve hired Jets assistant coach Todd Woodcroft to be the new head coach of their men’s hockey team.
The University of Vermont Catamounts are an NCAA division one hockey team that plays out of the Hockey East conference.
“It is with great pride that I accept the position of head coach of the men’s ice hockey team at the University of Vermont,” Woodcroft said in a statement.
“I am extremely humbled and very honored to lead the Catamounts.”
It is believed the move is effective immediately, and Woodcroft would not be behind the Jets’ bench if the NHL resumes their season.
Woodcroft joined the Jets’ coaching staff in the summer of 2016 after then-assistant coach Pascal Vincent switched positions to take over the head coaching job with the American Hockey League’s Manitoba Moose.
Prior to coming over to the Jets, he spent three seasons as a scouting director for the Calgary Flames. Woodcroft also worked for the Los Angeles Kings from 2009-2013 as a European Scout, winning the Stanley Cup in 2012.
He served as video coach for the Minnesota Wild from 2000-2005, and held the same position with the Washington Capitals for one season. The Toronto product also has a vast international resume with stops in Sweden, Switzerland, and Belarus.
“Todd’s experiences in hockey at the highest level, in the NHL and internationally, combined with his personal integrity and a strong desire to coach in a college setting that values academic excellence and personal development alongside high-level hockey, made him standout among an outstanding pool of candidates,” Vermont Director of Athletics Jeff Schulman said.
Woodcroft is just the fifth head coach in Vermont’s men’s hockey history.
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