The next coach and general manager of the Lewiston Maineiacs will not only be an integral part of the organization, but will play a larger role in the community, according to majority team owner Mark Just.

In a move that surprised many people on Sunday, Just announced that he would not re-hire general manager Normand Gosselin, nor would he pick up the option on coach Mario Durocher’s contract for a third season.

“There was nothing personal at all,” Just said on Monday. “We are in a unique situation in Lewiston, a situation that no other team in this league has, and more than anything else we want people in the organization that are committed to not only the team, but to the fan base and to the community. The decision had nothing to do with not liking Mario and Norm on a personal level. I like them both, and when we met on Sunday we wished each other well.”

Gosselin continued to live in Montreal during the team’s inaugural season in Lewiston, and Durocher lived locally, but maintained his home with his family near Sherbrooke. According to Just, the next person filling those roles with the team, and it will be just one person, will not only be more visible, but will become a part of the community.

“Say there is an education problem,” Just said. “If Roger Lachapelle (the Maineiacs’ education coordinator) has a problem and needs to deal with the GM, he will be here in town. I have full confidence in this staff, and everyone was great this year, from Matt McKnight to Rob Mainville to Ron Guerin in handling all of those issues. But by being here locally, everyone will be able to concentrate on what their particular job is, including the coach and GM.”

On the administration side of things, Just said he is pleased with the way things went over the last year and no changes have taken place in the front office. As far as filling the coaching vacancy, Just said that from the moment he made the decision to make the move, he had one person in mind.

“It was a long weekend,” Just said. “I met with Mario and Norm on Saturday in Montreal and went back to my hotel room. I was up all night, and even went to a deli at 1:30 in the morning because I couldn’t sleep. By that point I decided that we needed to make the change. I called the first person that I wanted to offer the job to, only after I had decided to make the move, and we talked for a long while on Saturday night.”

Just wandered back to his hotel room and woke up early on Sunday. He spoke to the potential coaching replacement again, and at that time the two men came to an agreement.

“Early Sunday morning he made the commitment to me, told me he’d be there,” Just said. “It was my first choice, and when people see his background, his credentials, and the kind of people person he is, they’ll be blown away. Players will run through a wall for him. When we make the announcement, it will be a red-letter day in Lewiston. He’s been everywhere, at the highest levels.”

Just also said that his choice had close ties to him that “allowed him to say yes so quickly.”

“He said that the only reason he said yes so quickly was because it was the right situation,” Just said. “He and I have a good rapport together.”

Team Vice President and Governor Matt McKnight is currently on vacation, otherwise Just said that an announcement could have come as quickly as Thursday morning.

“I expect that when Matt gets back on Sunday, we’ll be able to draw up the contract on Monday and have a formal press conference in the middle of next week. Right now we are shooting for Wednesday.”

Assistant coaches Ed Harding and Jeff Guay have been offered contracts to return to the team under the new head coach, and Just expects them both to meet first with the new coach before officially agreeing to return.

The move comes two months in advance of the QMJHL entry draft, being held this year in Baie-Comeau.
jpelletier@sunjournal.com

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