Wilderness hire new head coach; Boitz remains GM

For the third time in three years, the Minnesota Wilderness junior hockey team has made a coaching change. On Friday, the Wilderness announced that Jon Vaillancourt will take over for Dave Boitz, who will continue on in his role of general manager.

A year ago Boitz stepped into a dual role as both the GM and the head coach of the Cloquet-based North American Hockey League team, following the departure of Tim Madsen, who left after two seasons to become the head coach of the St. Scholastica men’s hockey team in Duluth. Madsen had replaced Cloquet native and former NHL player Corey Millen in 2016, who coached the Wilderness to a Robertson Cup title in 2015 and another playoff run in 2016.

“After much discussion and consideration with the team owners we decided it was best for the organization and our players to have a separate full-time GM and a separate full-time coach,” said Boitz in a press release last week. “I have worked with Jon over the summer months and have been very impressed with his leadership and coaching abilities. He is clearly ready to take this next step.”

Vaillencourt comes to the Wilderness after a playing career that saw him play college hockey at Framingham State University and professionally in the East Coast Hockey League for the Elmira Jackals. The past two seasons Vaillencourt was the head coach of the Coulee Region Chill of the NAHL.

“I’m extremely excited to be working for an organization of such pedigree as the Minnesota Wilderness,” Vaillancourt said. “It’s an honor and a privilege to coach in the NAHL and I am fortunate to have the guidance of GM Dave Botiz along with our owners Chris Trapp and Joe Dusek. I can’t wait to continue the Wilderness proud tradition of excellence in player development and advancement as we work to bring another championship back to Cloquet.”

The press release also mentioned that both Trapp and Dusek are supportive of Boitz’s decision to return to the general manager position and to give Vaillencourt the opportunity to step in as head coach.

The Wilderness will open the season at the NAHL Showcase hockey tournament which will feature all 26 teams from the league playing four games each. The tournament will take place Sept. 18-21 at the National Sports Center in Blaine at the Super Rink.