The Toronto Sceptres have appointed their second head coach in franchise history. General Manager Gina Kingsbury announced at a morning press conference inside the team's locker room at Ford Performance Centre that former National Hockey League player Pascal Rheaume will fill the vacancy created when Troy Ryan accepted the dual role of general manager and head coach with the Professional Women's Hockey League expansion team in San Jose.
A Veteran of the Game
Rheaume, a 52-year-old native of Quebec City, played parts of nine seasons in the NHL over a 17-year professional career. He has since spent 15 years as a head coach or assistant coach at the Major Junior and American Hockey League levels. While his coaching background is in men's hockey, he is well acquainted with the women's game as the younger brother of Manon Rheaume, the first and only woman to play in an NHL game. His sister Manon is currently the general manager of PWHL expansion team Detroit. Additionally, his two daughters played for the Montreal Carabins at the University of Montreal.
Kingsbury's Confidence in Rheaume
Kingsbury acknowledged she has no personal history with Rheaume but stated that he possesses all the qualities her leadership group and the team identified as important in their next bench boss. "We were very impressed with obviously his experience as a professional athlete and as a professional coach, his ability to connect and build strong relationships with his players as well as the people he works with," Kingsbury said. "He's a people person who brings a lot of positive energy that we just felt would be really good in the locker room and in our organization."
Filling Big Shoes
Rheaume steps into a role previously held by Ryan, who was beloved by his players, many of whom had worked with him through Hockey Canada and the Canadian national women's team long before the PWHL's inception. Rheaume acknowledged the challenge, saying the draw to the Sceptres job was the opportunity to coach at the highest level. He has been a head coach in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with the Val d'Or Foreurs and an assistant in the AHL, most recently with the Bridgeport Islanders, but this marks his first head coaching role at the sport's pinnacle.
A Commitment to Learning
Rheaume admitted there is much to learn and vowed to use the four or five months before training camps open in November to study his players and watch extensive game tape to familiarize himself with the women's game. He plans to draw on his own career experiences to help the Sceptres develop. "My career as a player was pretty bumpy, pretty tough," Rheaume said. "I've been through a lot so I think I'm a person who can help a lot of players get through some hard times."
Coaching Influences
Rheaume played for a variety of coaches during his NHL career, which included stops with six different teams. Among his former coaches are Pat Burns, with whom he won the Stanley Cup in 2003 as a member of the New Jersey Devils, as well as Glen Sather, Jacques Lemaire, Larry Robinson, Lou Lamoriello, Don Waddell, Curt Fraser, and Joel Quenneville. "As a player you take a little bit of every coach you liked that you played for," Rheaume said. He highlighted Robbie Ftorek, his first professional coach with the AHL's Albany River Rats, as a major influence. "I went in not speaking much English in my first year and Robbie Ftorek was there. He made me feel like a pro. He made me, just a 20-year-old kid from Quebec, feel like I was part of it. Just a respectful coach, a friendly coach who was quiet. I wasn't nervous coming to the rink even though I'm 20 and playing against 30-year-olds in a new league. He had a big impact on my career."
Rheaume believes he embodies that style of coaching but also incorporates elements from Quenneville and Burns—demanding and fiery on the ice but approachable off it. "To me every coach was like that," he said. "When you step on the ice, they mean business. That's how I am as a coach. We're going to have fun two minutes before the practice, but on the ice I'm putting my head coach face on and we're working."
Looking Ahead
Kingsbury and Rheaume are still finalizing the coaching staff. No decisions have been made regarding the return of assistants Jim Midgley and Rachel Flanagan or performance coach Daniel Tkaczuk. Rheaume's tenure officially begins as the Sceptres prepare for the upcoming season, with training camp set to open in November.
