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The Windsor Spitfires hired Casey Torres as an assistant coach just days before the start of training camp to fill out head coach Jerrod Smith’s staff.
Less than three months later, the 43-year-old Torres will step behind the bench in Peterborough on Thursday as head coach of the Spitfires when the club faces the defending league champion Petes.
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“You don’t ever take a job like this expecting things to turn out like this,” Torres said. “That’s hockey and the nature of the business.”
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The Spitfires had planned to make Torres interim co-coach with Andy Delmore, but the former NHL defenceman handed in his resignation on Tuesday just a day after Smith was let go after the team started the season 4-16-1-0. With it, Torres assumed the head coaching title on an interim basis.
“I really enjoyed working with them,” Torres said of Smith and Delmore. “I never had a negative word for Jerrod or Andy and I wish I could have done more. I own as much of this as anybody, but this is a chance to steer things. Clearly, what we were doing was not working and we have to find a way to do things differently.”
While general manager Bill Bowler was explaining the changes on Tuesday, Torres was putting players through practice along with goalie coach Michael Leighton and skating coach Kathy McLlwain.
“Casey came in and tried to assist and help Jerrod as best he could,” Bowler said. “I don’t think he was planning on this. He’s going to do his job and try to help these players.”
This weekend’s road trip, which will also stop in Kingston on Friday and Ottawa on Sunday, will take Torres back to some familiar spots.
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A Kingston native, Torres spent five seasons as an assistant coach in the Ontario Junior Hockey League with the Kingston Voyageurs before moving on to spend two seasons as video coach for the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs. He moved over to scout for the Petes while also coaching the Greater Kingston U16 AAA team. From there, he joined the Pittsburgh Penguins as an amateur scout covering Ontario and won a Stanley Cup.
After five seasons with the Penguins, Torres joined the American Hockey League’s Hartford Wolf Pack as an assistant coach in 2021-22 before transitioning to become the club’s development coach last season. A Hockey Canada high performance certified coach, he also spends time in Ottawa with his Torres Hockey program for power skating and skills development.
“It’s disappointing it came about like this,” Torres said of the coaching change. “You never want an audition to come across this way, but this is how a lot of people get the opportunity and I have to make the most of it.”
Torres admits he would be interested in assuming the head coaching role on a permanent basis.
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“Of course I would,” said Torres, who worked on new Edmonton Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch’s AHL staff in Hartford two seasons ago. “I feel the experience is there.
“Sometimes, the biggest knock is lack of experience. This is a chance to bet on yourself. The biggest thing now is to just try and get better.”
While this roster is not the same as the one that captured back-to-back Western Conference regular-season titles, there is no one that believes that this is a team that should be sporting the worst record in the 20-team league.
“I think we’ve got some pretty talented players,” Torres said. “My main focal point is to not worry about the big hole we’ve created, but just try to get better.
“We’ve done some things well this year, but also did a lot wrong, too. We’re a fragile group right now and that’s got to improve. We’re good enough to get leads on teams, but bad enough to lose. We have to find a way to get a win.”
The Spitfires will get some reinforcements back for this road trip. Rookie defenceman Carson Woodall, who was injured on Oct. 27 and missed 10 games, will be back in the lineup along with goalie Joey Costanzo and veteran forward Aidan Castle. Defenceman Connor Toms is eligible to return from a two-game suspension on Friday.
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“The biggest thing now is to just try and get better,” Torres said. “We dug ourselves a hole and we won’t get out in one swoop.”
In order to get better, Torres said the biggest focus has to be on the team improving its defensive play. The Spitfires have allowed a league-leading 125 goals in 21 games and 27 goals in the last three games.
“Let’s not kid ourselves, we give up too many goals,” Torres said. “You won’t win anywhere if you’re consistently giving up six goals a game.
“It’s not one specific thing, it’s a lot of different areas. It’s going to have to happen sooner than later, but it’s one period at a time and it starts with the first period in Peterborough and you work from there.”
jpparker@postmedia.com
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