FORMER OJHL ASSISTANT JIM HULTON NAMED CHL COACH OF YEAR
Former Ontario Junior Hockey League coach Jim Hulton was named the recipient of the Canadian Hockey League’s Brian Kilrea Coach of the Year Award presented by CoinSmart during the CHL’s awards presentation in Saint John, NB Tuesday night
The 53-year-old from Kingston, ON was behind the bench for a seventh consecutive season with the Charlottetown Islanders in 2021-22, leading his team to a 103-point campaign (48-13-7-0). The Islanders finished the season third in goals scored (283) and second in goals allowed (179).
Hulton is general manager and head coach of the Islanders.
Hulton began his junior hockey coaching career as an assistant coach in the OJHL, first with the Kingston Voyageurs (now Collingwood Blues) from 1994-96. He was an assistant with the OJHL’s St. Michael’s Buzzers the next season.
Since then, he has coached with a number of teams in the Ontario Hockey League, spent three years as assistant coach of the Florida Panthers in the National Hockey League, from 2008 to 2011, and then worked with the Tri-City Storm of the United States Hockey League as their head coach and general manager.
Jim lives in Cavendish with his wife and their two sons.
Hulton’s special teams also played a significant role in the team’s success this past season; the power play (26.2%) was ranked fifth in the league, while the penalty kill was the most efficient in the QMJHL (84.3%).
Jim Hulton’s record as coach of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Charlottetown Islanders.
2020-21 35-5-0-0, lost in semifinal to Victoriaville.
2019-20 33-26-5-0, playoffs cancelled due to COVID-19.
2018-19 40-21-4-3, lost to Cape Breton in first round.
2017-18 37-24-7-0, lost to Blainville-Boisbriand in semifinal.
2016-17 46-18-4-0, lost to Blainville-Boisbriand in semifinal.
2015-16 35-26-5-2, lost to Shawinigan in second round.
With files from The Guardian (Charlottetown, PEI)
Photo credit: Canadian Hockey League
