NIPAWIN — After 11 and a half seasons, someone other than Doug Johnson will be leading the Nipawin Hawks.
The team announced Dec. 4 that it had parted ways with its head coach and general manager. The Hawks had a 10-12-0-5 record at the time of the decision.
Former Hawks standout Tad Kozun was named the interim head coach and led the team Saturday in La Ronge. Kozun had been in his first season as an assistant coach with his former club after wrapping up his pro career.
Johnson piloted the team to the 2018 Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League championship. With a 342-207-25-31 record, he is the winningest coach in Hawks history. Johnson had been the second longest tenured current head coach in the SJHL behind his foe in the Sherwood Division, Mike Reagan of the Flin Flon Bombers. Three times he was named the SJHL Coach of the Year.
Johnson is a former Nipawin player who went on to play professionally and coached in various U.S. leagues before returning to the Hawks.
