However, after one season, McCarthy returned to Espanola and the head coaching position.
(meta data) TITLE: Espanola Express announce return of Tom McCarthy as head coach | NOJHL League Site (meta data) PUBLISHED DATETIME: 2017-04-10T07:00:48-05:00 Official Site of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League Search for: Latest News, News Article, Top Stories # Espanola Express announce return of Tom McCarthy as head coach April 10, 2017 ESPANOLA EXPRESS JR. A HOCKEY CLUB Media Update Release date: Monday, April 10, 2017 Espanola Express announce return of Tom McCarthy as head coach ESPANOLA, Ont. – The Espanola Express of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League announced is pleased to announce the return of Tom McCarthy as head coach for the upcoming 2017-18 NOJHL season. "We couldn't be happier to welcome Tom back home, as his 20 years coaching experience is matched by no other in the league," claimed Express general manager Chad Clarke. McCarthy returns with his wealth of knowledge and experience to Espanola to start the upcoming season. A coach with NHL playing experience, McCarthy played 529 games in the NHL amassing 437 points with the Minnesota North Stars and the Boston Bruins with 190 goals and 247 assists. He also played in both NHL Stanley Cup playoff games and NHL All-Star games as a star left winger. His credentials also boast being drafted No. 1 ahead of Wayne Gretzky in the OHL Priority Selection, where he went on to play two seasons with the Oshawa Generals, including a 144-point campaign in 63 outings with the Generals. "Tom will once again play a very important role in the success of our organization as we owe it to our fans, sponsors and players to build a competitive team to go deep in the playoffs this upcoming season, that our great community can be proud of," added Clarke. "We have a new approach to building our team this year and we are pleased with the results we have seen already and this is only one of the significant changes you will see this year as we revamp our image and culture from the ground up," stated Clarke. McCarthy had served as head coach four of the past five years in Espanola, helping many young student-athletes achieve their dreams and goals. During the 2016-17 he decided to pursue his own dreams and goals of coaching pro in Europe and moved on to coach in the pro MOL ligue in Eastern Europe. He has returned to Espanola to his home and family to lead the Express in the upcoming season and many more to come. McCarthy also led Team East to a victory over Team West as head coach at the 2013 Canadian Junior Hockey League's Prospects Games in Nova Scotia. NOTE: The Express will be holding only one open tryout camp this season. The camp will be open to any unattached player or having a permission to skate form who wished to attend and tryout for the team with birth years 1997 through 2001. Players can register via the team's website at espanolaexpress.com or email Randy Blake at randy_blake@hotmail.com. For more information on the Espanola Express, visit the team website at espanolaexpress.com or on social media at twitter.com/espanolaexpress or facebook.com/EspanolaExpress. # Post navigation Previous PostNOJHL announces Copeland Cup – McNamara Trophy Finals scheduleNext PostNOJHL names its Eastlink 3 Stars of the week # NOJHL News Archives NOJHL News Archives Select Month August 2019 (8) July 2019 (5) June 2019 (2) May 2019 (10) April 2019 (23) March 2019 (76) February 2019 (77) January 2019 (70) December 2018 (59) November 2018 (82) October 2018 (81) September 2018 (73) August 2018 (23) July 2018 (1) June 2018 (4) May 2018 (7) April 2018 (25) March 2018 (79) February 2018 (67) January 2018 (72) December 2017 (51) November 2017 (71) October 2017 (82) September 2017 (80) August 2017 (19) July 2017 (2) June 2017 (4) May 2017 (18) April 2017 (31) March 2017 (71) February 2017 (73) January 2017 (71) December 2016 (56) November 2016 (78) October 2016 (80) September 2016 (74) August 2016 (29) July 2016 (7) June 2016 (6) May 2016 (29) April 2016 (33) March 2016 (67) February 2016 (72) January 2016 (75) December 2015 (57) November 2015 (74) October 2015 (71) September 2015 (67) August 2015 (19) July 2015 (7) June 2015 (8) May 2015 (29) April 2015 (35) March 2015 (71) February 2015 (67) January 2015 (55) December 2014 (49) November 2014 (56) October 2014 (58) September 2014 (45) August 2014 (28) July 2014 (19) June 2014 (12) May 2014 (14) April 2014 (29) March 2014 (67) February 2014 (48) January 2014 (44) December 2013 (41) November 2013 (44) October 2013 (34) September 2013 (40) August 2013 (22) July 2013 (13) June 2013 (10) May 2013 (14) April 2013 (37) March 2013 (49) February 2013 (39) January 2013 (43) December 2012 (34) November 2012 (31) October 2012 (39) September 2012 (23) August 2012 (16)
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Espanola Express
History.
The team hired former NHL forward Tom McCarthy as its first head coach. McCarthy had previously coached the Espanola Rivermen prior to the teams disbandment. The team played its first game on September 11, 2015, losing at home 4-1 to the Rayside-Balfour Canadians before a crowd of 346. After losing the first six games in franchise history, the team picked up its first victory with a 3-2 win against the Blind River Beavers. Espanola made the playoffs in their first season just ahead of the Blind River Beavers. However, they fell to the Soo Eagles in a best-of-three series 2 games to 0. Espanola finished last in the league attendance wise, averaging only 181 fans per game. 
 In August 2016, coach McCarthy announced he was taking a head coaching position with HSC Csíkszereda in the Romanian Hockey League but would also remain involved with the Express as one of the owners. Co-coach Jason Rapcewicz took over as head coach.