BERLIN, NJ - With only 14 games remaining in the 2008-2009 Schedule, Sylvain Cloutier was dismissed as Coach of the Corpus Christi Ice Rays.  It was not mentioned on Hockey Night in Canada.  ESPN chose not to mention it.  Nor was it included in the glib banter on tonight’s Versus Intermission Report.

You may have missed it as well.  Nonetheless, a life long lover of the game had his dreams crushed, his heart pierced and his reason to wake up in the mornings taken away from him.  Quickly and quietly, the sum total of his year's dedicated to this great game became an overwhelming defeat suffered at the hands of a ruthless enemy – Victory.

Only months ago he arrived in southern Texas with praises coming from the high heavens.  He leaves with an obituary flying so low that it can not be found on hockey’s radar screen.  What happened?

What happened to the optimism that enabled Sylvain to move his wife and three young children from Ontario to Texas?  Only one of the 3 is of

Photo courtesy of the Corpus Christi IceRays

school age.  The youngest has her time here on earth measured in weeks as opposed to even one year.  Only months ago they arrived triumphant as Mr. Cloutier was selected over 31 other candidates for the job.

Today they have been cut loose to drift in the winds of fate.  What could have possibly happened to create such a dramatic change in so short a period of time?

Prior to the start of this season, the Ice Ray fans were told that management would search “the country and Canada to find the best coach and get that coach no matter what it took”.  At the start of the season, Sylvain Cloutier was that coach.  Today he is not.  What happened?

Kindly permit me to say that I do not blame the Corpus Christi Ice Rays.  I am sure that they did not enjoy these proceedings any more than the Cloutier family did.

Pat Dunn, the Ice Rays GM, said that the move was necessary.  I believe him.  This is not the good guy vs. the bad guy.  This is victory vs. defeat.  This is about the life that we coaches live.  This is about standing behind the bench, urging players and God for favorable results – so that we might stand there again tomorrow night.

This is about spending your entire life trying to learn everything there is to know about the great sport so that you can get what amounts to a temp job – Head Coach.  No matter what the title is, we are all interim – and we know it.

I have read everything that I can get my hands on about Sylvain Cloutier.  At the end of the day I would declare that he is, without doubt, a good soldier.  He is, as well, an innocent victim in the war of Wins & Losses.  Today I mourn him.  Tomorrow night there will be thousands of people pushing through the turnstiles giddy with anticipation.  Dozens of players will jump on the ice bursting with promise.  In order to start the festivities in proper fashion, the ref will blow his whistle.

Tonight, Sylvain Cloutier, that whistle will blow for thee. 

Contact the author at pops.ryan@prohockeynews.com.