Photo: Brian Curran, middle, is introduced as head coach and general manager by Lloydminster Bobcats owner, Wayne Russell, left and Jim Crosson, who will remain with the team as a consultant for the near future. - Robb Fenton Photo
By Robb Fenton
It wasn’t an easy day Tuesday, but Wednesday the Lloydminster Bobcats were in much better spirits.
The team held a press conference to introduce new head coach and general manager, Brian Curran, who is stepping in to replace Tom Keca.
Curran won’t have a lot of time to prepare for his first game, as the ‘Cats head to Bonnyville Friday night, but despite that fact, he is ready for the challenge ahead.
“Let’s put it this way, in 25 or 26 years of hockey, I have always been nervous before a game,” he said.
“I have big butterflies, but I think when you lose those, you should get out of the game. I so much want them (the players) to succeed. This is what I love to do and I hate to lose, but I also realize they are young men. I want them to learn what it’s like when they leave here. How excited? I’m very excited.”
Curran comes over after being released by the Brooks Bandits earlier this season, after leading them to their best record in franchise history in 2008-2009.
While it’s tough to say what kind of game the Bobcats will play, Curran knows the style he likes to see from his teams.
“All I’m asking from them is that they give it everything they have in the next couple games,” Curran said of his team, adding he will try to mold his team into what he wants to see on the ice for the rest of the season. “Aggressive. When I was in Brooks last year, we had, quite frankly, a lot of similarities to this team. We had a team last year that worked very hard, very aggressive. An aggressive team is what I would like us to be. We’re going to be aggressive.”
Curran will step behind the Bobcats bench for the first time this weekend when the team travels to Bonnyville to take on the Pontiacs Friday, before returning home to host the St. Albert Steel Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Civic Centre.