When the Islanders played the Senators in mid-March of last year, Kyle McClain went looking for Bob Jones.
It had been a while since MacLean had spoken to his old coach from his junior days — they'd emailed occasionally, but that was it — and MacLean went undrafted during his time with the OHL's Oshawa Generals, but now is with the Oshawa Generals. They are islanders and have had some success.
This would have been a great moment to share that and reminisce with Jones, the Senators' assistant coach.
But MacLean was unable to find Jones, who died of ALS in August at age 54.
Jones remained on Ottawa's staff after being diagnosed with the disease in December 2022, but had a reduced role in the final months of last season.
Ms. McClain did not have a chance to meet him that night.
“I wish I had stayed in touch with him more,” McClain told the Post. “Text here and call here and there. Jonesy, he was a good coach.”
Thursday night's game in Ottawa was MacLean's first game as an NHLer, and naturally his thoughts turned to the man who coached him as a young junior player.
“I had him when I was 16 or 17. [years old]'' MacLean said. “When you develop your career, it's almost the beginning. So he was my first coach. [three] year. I learned a lot about game development. It helped me understand how to play defense, penalties, etc.
“It's good to do this when you're young.” [someone] — I also felt like he was always in my corner. And he was always looking out to help my career. ”
Jones had health issues unrelated to ALS that kept him away from the team for part of McLean's third season, but the games against Oshawa from 2015 to 2018 coincided. There was a period of competition for playing time starting when MacLean was 16 years old. One of the team's assistant captains.
Junior hockey is the kind of social experiment that can (and sometimes does) fail spectacularly.
Taking a large group of teenagers, getting them to live with billet families, and getting them closer to becoming full-time hockey players comes with unique challenges.
Jones, who spent most of his career in the OHL, primarily with the Soo Greyhounds, Sudbury Wolves and Windsor Spitfires before Oshawa, is well-equipped to get his kids through it. was.
“He would come into the theater room or the video room, probably after a loss, and start telling jokes to lighten the mood a little bit,” McClain said. “He's also a strict coach. It was definitely scary at times, but it was nice to see that side of him as well, which eased the atmosphere and brought everyone together.”
News of Jones' diagnosis was made public in January 2023 and shocked the hockey world.
Senators wore helmet stickers honoring him, and Jones spoke publicly about ALS to raise awareness about it.
“It happened to me, and it's a horrible disease.” Jones said this in a sit-down interview with Sportsnet. at that time. “But we are raising awareness and someday we will have a cure. And we just have to think positively. …Someday we have to find a cure. yeah.”
McClain never got the chance to enjoy his sudden entrance into the Islanders' lineup, his newly signed NHL contract, and his strong performance in last season's playoffs with Jones.
But he knows there was a line to be drawn between his first few years as a junior and now, and that Jones helped track it.
“He was a great coach,” McLean said. “He's been really good to me and my development, so I'll definitely keep him in my thoughts.”
