Exactly one week to the day that Marty Williamson ended his six-ear tenure with the Barrie Colts, the club has named their fifth Head Coach in franchise history.

Orangeville native Dale Hawerchuk was introduced to the Barrie media Friday morning, signing a three-year deal with the defending Eastern Conference Champions.

“I’m thrilled to be a part of this team,” stated the 17-year NHL veteran. “With my experience as a player at the pro level as well as my recent experience as owner and director of hockey operations of the Orangeville Crushers in the Ontario Junior A league, I think I bring some relevant experience to the Colts organization.”

Hawerchuk will make his OHL coaching debut in September when the Colts open up their 16th season in the league.  Coming off the second best season in OHL history, Dale knows he has some tough shoes to fill.

“Well I like the pressure,” stated Dale.  “Most outsiders look at it as pressure, but even going back to my playing days I used that pressure to build excitement for the game.”

A strategy that the two-time Memorial Cup Champion will use with his players.  “Well again I think that pressure can be a good thing, and in my opinion I feel that players are at their best when you place high expectation’s on them.”

With ten of 24 Barrie players from last season already drafted and/or signed to the NHL, and another potential top-ten pick in Alexander Burmistrov for the 2010 draft, team brass knows that there will be some changes heading in to this season.

“Well our goal is still to win the Memorial Cup,” said Colts President Howie Campbell.  “People are looking at the team we had last season, and what changes are coming, but the bottom line is that we’ve got a lot of pieces coming back.  We have a few holes, but it’s not as bad as some people think.”

The Colts made several key trades last year in an attempt to bring the city its first Memorial Cup.  After leading the OHL in points and being named the top team in the CHL, the Colts would eventually fall to the Windsor Spitfires in the OHL Finals.

“Well I was lucky enough to win two Memorial Cups in Cornwall,” said Hawerchuk with a smile as he reminisced about his days playing in junior.  “But just two seasons before we went on to win those Championships the franchise was in a bit of disarray, and it just goes to show you that it is a very quick turnaround in this league.”

He was named playoff MVP in his first year of junior while leading the Cornwall Royals to a Memorial Cup Championship.  In his second season he scored 81 goals and 183 points to lead the Royals to their second consecutive Memorial Cup title.  He was named a QMJHL First Team All-Star, the Canadian Major Junior Player of the Year, and Memorial Cup MVP.

No matter how many returning players the Colts get back, or how many trades are made between now and September, Hawerchuk will carry the same coaching philosophy come opening night.

“Well you can definitely count on the fact that our players will be in shape and will be mentally and physically prepared to battle every single night,” said the former first overall draft pick.  “It’s easier to get the job done when you have six players and one coach who are all on the same page.”

In 1981 the Winnipeg Jets selected Hawerchuk first overall, and the young forward became the youngest NHL player in history to reach 100 points.  He would go on to win the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's Rookie of the Year.

Born in Toronto, Hawerchuk never played for the Maple Leafs, but was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001.  He played 17 years in the NHL with the Winnipeg Jets, Buffalo Sabres, St. Louis Blues and Philadelphia Flyers.

Internationally Dale played for Team Canada in the 1987 Canada Cup, and was named Canada's MVP with a goal and two assists in the decisive third game of the Finals against the Soviets.

Dale announced his retirement from the game following the 1996–97 season at age 34.  He retired with 518 goals, 891 assists and 1,409 points, placing him 17th on the career NHL points list.

Hawerchuk will get to work right away, as the Colts host their annual rookie camp this Saturday, June 5th.