Frank Maida
The Nelson Leafs would like to welcome Frank Maida as the new head coach and general manager of the Green and White.
Maida comes to the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League squad with a wealth of experience, having assisted arguably one of the best coaches in franchise history, Simon Wheeldon, for five seasons.
As coach of the defence, Maida was part of a KIJHL pennant winner in 2009 as well as helping the Leafs to the league finals in 2010. During the magical 2009 run the Leafs came within a game of winning the Cyclone Taylor Cup, emblematic as the top Junior B team in B.C.
Before his campaign with the Leafs, Maida was a successful coach in Nelson Minor Hockey with the Bantam and Peewee Rep teams.
Maida, 47, promises to continue the philosophy of “developing players” for the next level.
“My philosophy isn’t going to change,” Maida said. “We’re going to play all four lines and six defence and try to be a quick skating team that moves the puck.”
Maida, assisted behind the bench by Stuart Linnen, is manager of Rona Building Centre in Castlegar and lives in Taghum with his wife Jackie.
