ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — It is not every day that you have an Olympic champion working the bench at a hockey game in St. John’s.
Yet, there was two-time Olympic gold medalist Danielle Goyette, lineup card in hand, doling out advice and making defensive decisions as a part of the Newfoundland Growlers coaching staff for three games at the Mary Brown’s Centre over the weekend.
In one instance during the second period, the Hockey Hall of Famer slid a couple of feet to her left to chat with Growlers captain James Melindy and his defence partner after a turnover had turned into an odd-man rush.
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After the team gained control of the puck again, Goyette tapped both on the shoulder to offer a slight suggestion through conversation as the puck moved up ice.
It was her third game as an assistant coach with the Newfoundland Growlers.
“For me, it was an opportunity to come here,” said Goyette. “My first goal was to come here and help (assistant coach) Nate (McIver) and (video coach) Ryan (Stacey) on the bench and try to add some little details with the players.”
Goyette was in town on loan from the parent Toronto Maple Leafs, with whom she has served as the director of player development since 2021.
Goyette was headed on the road with the AHL Toronto Marlies when she got the call that she was going to St. John’s.
She was needed after Growlers head coach Eric Wellwood entered COVID-19 protocols ahead of the series with the Reading Royals.
“I was only here for three games, but it feels like I was here for a couple of weeks,” said Goyette. “It was an easy transition for me to get to know these coaches and they were really welcoming, and for the players, the same thing.”
Having Goyette on the bench produced a piece of history for both the Growlers and the league. The minute she stepped behind the bench in St. John’s, Goyette became the first female assistant coach to work a game in the ECHL.
“I was only here for three games, but it feels like I was here for a couple of weeks."
— Danielle Goyette
It was a fact Goyette wasn’t aware of until she landed at St. John’s International Airport before the series.
“I came here, my main goal was to help the coaches in any way possible,” she said. “For me, for sure, it is an honour and it's another door that we open for the future, but my main goal is to be here this weekend for the team.”
Goyette brought a considerable amount of experience to the Growlers bench for the brief period she was in town.
Her resume is long and dotted with championships. Aside from the Olympic gold medals as a player, Goyette is an eight-time world champion.
She can also point to a world championship, an Olympic gold medal and a Canadian national university championship as a coach in her trophy case.
The experience Goyette brought to the bench for the short time she was with the team wasn’t lost on the players.
“Obviously, it was very cool being able to have someone with her knowledge, experience and pedigree come down,” said Melindy. “I know a lot of us have watched her play in the Olympics, and a decorated Olympian. She just knows how to win at every level.
“We feel very fortunate that we were able to get her here for the weekend.”
Goyette’s arrival in St. John’s aligned with Melindy’s return to the Growlers lineup from injury. During the action, Goyette — who counted handling the defence group among her duties — made sure to stop players for short conversations between shifts.
She also made sure the right players got on the ice for certain matchups.
“(Goyette) is a very, very smart hockey mind that is very good, very personable,” said Melindy. “(She) really cares about you getting better and is willing to work with everybody.
“Kind of hard for her coming in not knowing some of the players … and their styles, but she did an excellent job behind the bench giving us little tips in the game.”
Looking back on the experience, Goyette thanked the Growlers organization for the smoothness of the transition for her on the bench and how they welcomed her to the team.
While she lamented that they couldn’t pick up a win, she counted the experience as an important one for her growth as a coach.
Goyette said she was happy she made the trip.
“It was a really good experience for me because these coaches can lose a player any time and these coaches have to deal with a lot of changes,” she said. “If you want to coach in that league, you have to be able to adapt to the changes, and that’s not an easy thing to do daily.
“Every day I got a little bit more comfortable with the players on the bench and I was able to give more feedback there.”
Goyette’s stay in St. John’s was a short one. She was scheduled to fly out of the province Sunday evening.
With her coaching duties finished Saturday night, she got the good weather she was hoping for on her last day and was looking forward to exploring the city a bit.
Goyette said she plans to return in the future.
“I feel really good leaving here because these guys are in good hands,” she said. “The coaching staff works hard, they know what they’re doing and I know it is going to turn around.”
Danielle Goyette leads the forward group this morning during morning skate.#RANTnROAR pic.twitter.com/tmO3usqThZ
— Newfoundland Growlers (@NLGrowlers) February 4, 2022
