As Boston Fleet of the PWHL transition to their new home at the Agganis Arena, they’ll be joined by two new faces behind the bench.
Get to know the coaching staff!
Francois Methot – Head Coach
Methot joins the Fleet as their third head coach in four years as former Head Coach Kris Sparre will lead the PWHL Hamilton team this season. Methot has more than 11 years of coaching and player development experience, according to the Boston Fleet. His most recent gig was in the North American Hockey League as the Rochester Jr. Americans’ general manager and head coach.
“He has a proven track record of developing elite players on both the men’s and women’s sides of the game, including NHL and PWHL athletes,” Fleet General Manager Danielle Marmer had said about him. Methot helped train and develop Fleet defender Haley Winn.
“His perspective is shaped by a 17-year professional playing career and extensive experience developing players at every level,” Marmer said.
Methot had a 17-year professional career including time in the DEL and AHL. He was selected 54th overall in the 1996 NHL Draft by the Buffalo Sabres.
Derek Whitmore – Assistant Coach
At the end of July, GM Marmer announced Derek Whitmore as the newest assistant coach for this upcoming season. Whitmore was previously the team’s player development coach. Marmer said in a press release that he played an integral role in the Fleet’s success last season, built a strong relationship with the players. This will be his second season with the Fleet. Prior to the PWHL, Whitmore ran the Whitmore Hockey Development in Maine and has more than six years of experience being an assistant coach at different levels. He brings professional experience from a seven-year stint in the AHL, including three seasons with the Portland Pirates and time in the DEL, EBEL and ECHL. Whitmore played two NHL games with the Buffalo Sabres.
Jordan Lavalle-Smotherman – Assistant Coach
Jordan Lavalle-Smotherman will return this season as an assistant coach. He worked with the power-play units last season in his first pro coaching position. Lavalle-Smotherman played a few games in the NHL and had a minor league career in the AHL and ECHL besides playing in Europe. Locally, he was on the Providence Bruins, Springfield Thunderbirds, Worcester Railers and Manchester Monarchs.
Lenny Mosca – Goaltending Coach
Lenny Mosca is back for his third season with Boston. Mosca is from Ludlow, Massachusetts, and has held various coaching positions over the years, including Curry College’s goaltender coach from 2011 to 2016 and two years in the same role for UMass Dartmouth. He also served as the Masscrease Goaltending School as its director, according to the Boston Fleet’s website.
Shawn Roche – Video Coach
Shawn Roche is also back for a third year. Before Boston, he was Quinnipiac University’s video coach and director for the men’s hockey team. He’s also held positions within the AHL and NHL, including being the video coordinator and assistant video coach for the New York Rangers, according the Boston Fleet’s website.