By John Humphrey
Local coaching icon Kevin Hamlin launched his head coaching career with the then-Belle River Canadiens, and he did it in spectacular fashion – by winning back-to-back Schmalz Cups.
The 60-year-old Windsor native’s first opportunity to be a head bench boss came over three decades ago and that time has never gone unappreciated. Hamlin joined the Belle River Canadiens near the end of the 1992-93 season and proceeded to guide the team to back-to-back Schmalz Cup championships in 1994 and 1995.
“The Canadiens had a reputation for being a tremendous hockey organization back then – just as they do today,” said Hamlin. “When they extended the opportunity to bring me on board and launch my career as a head coach, I could not say yes fast enough.”
Prior to joining the Canadiens, Hamlin served as an assistant coach with the Windsor Spitfires for a couple of seasons.
The Canadiens teams guided by Hamlin were stacked deep not only in talent, but in character and personal integrity, he added.
“Among the players I was fortunate to coach back then were DJ Smith, Ron Maurice, Jason Robinson and Dan Ceman,” recalled Hamlin, who will be returning to his long-time position as the head coach of the University of Windsor’s men’s hockey team this fall. “While these guys were tremendous players, they all were great characters and people.
“I had a great time coaching them and I’m thankful to them for helping me become a better coach. And person.”
After his playing days in Belle River, Smith went on to play with the Windsor Spitfires before a National Hockey League playing career and then getting into coaching himself. He won Memorial Cups with the Spitfires in 2009 and 2010 as an assistant coach before winning a third Memorial Cup as the head coach of the Ontario Hockey League’s Oshawa Generals. A native of Tecumseh, Smith recently completed his third season as the head coach of the NHL’s Ottawa Senators.
Robinson went on to play in the OHL in Niagara Falls and Erie while Ceman played minor pro hockey in North America before an extensive pro hockey career in Europe that has been followed by a coaching career overseas as well. Meanwhile, Maurice’s number was retired by the Canadiens and his jersey is in the rafters at the Atlas Tube Centre.
The Belle River Canadiens won the Schmalz Cup in 1994 by defeating the Rockton Real McCoys and captured their second cup in 1995 under Hamlin by besting the Bowmanville Eagles.
Hamlin’s extensive resume as a hockey head coach also includes stints with the St Clair College Saints and Junior B Leamington Flyers.
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