The former head coach of the Pictou County Weeks Crushers and Campbellton Tigers, and three-time MHL Coach of the Year, is now the bench boss for the Canadian women’s hockey team. Hockey Canada says Troy Ryan will take over the role of head coach, effective immediately.
In a statement to The Canadian Press on Thursday, Gina Kingsbury, Hockey Canada’s director of national teams, says, “We have made a difficult decision to relieve Perry Pearn of his head coaching duties.”
The move to replace Pearn comes less than three months before the start of the world championship.
Ryan, from Spryfield, N.S., has been an assistant coach of the national women’s team since 2016. He was the first coach in Crushers’ history. Ryan spent five years with the organization, winning Coach of the Year twice and leading the team to the 2008 Fred Page Cup championship on home ice. He also spent three seasons with the Campbellton Tigers, where he won Coach of the Year for a third time in 2015-16.
Canada will host the Women’s World Championship in Halifax and Truro, N.S. from March 31st to April 10th.
Ryan’s former teams, Campbellton and Pictou County, will meet Thursday night in New Glasgow.