Renfrew’s Junior B hockey team has made a major shake-up behind the bench, hiring Bryan Baird and Will Watson as their head and associate coaches for the 2025-26 season.
The organization says in a statement that Baird will bring 35 years of experience in core skill development and team leadership, starting at the minor and high school level where he has led teams in Renfrew County to three prestigious Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations championships since starting in 1999.
Baird says he’s excited to join the Timberwolves, calling the club a “long-standing hockey program [that] is committed to developing young athletes who work toward common goals and achieve success through hard work and dedication, both as players and as people.”
Joining him is Watson, whose 22 years of coaching experience have taken him to various levels of play across Canada and the United States, most recently leading the Ottawa Valley Aces Under-18 AA team to the Hockey Eastern Ontario championship last season.
Watson is also thrilled to join the organization, noting that his goal is to use a philosophy of respect, accountability, and effort to be a key driver of success for the young players under his watch.
Club President Brent Gould believes Baird and Watson will be able to continue the development of the Timberwolves program, noting that he’s eager for their upcoming prospects camp and the upcoming season.
Meanwhile, owners Jim and Natalie Seyers say, “The future is bright in Renfrew,” adding the “leadership that Bryan and Will bring to the bench will help us further our mission of developing top-level talent and preparing our athletes for the next stage in their hockey careers.”
(written by Kasey Egan)