After 3 1/2 seasons behind the bench, Mark Holick is out as the Prince George Cougars head coach.
In a news release this afternoon, the Cougars announced that the team mutually parted ways with Holick, who posted an overall record of 101-119-20 in 240 regular season games.
Under the 47-year-old Holick, the Cougars were 7-17-2 in his brief stint in 2012-13 after he replaced the fired Dean Clark on January 23rd, 2013.
The Cats were 27-37-8 in 2013-14 and followed that up going 31-36-5 in 2014-15 and 36-31-5 in 2015-16.
However, the Cougars this season were 21-11-2 before Christmas and 15-20-3 after the break falling from 2nd to 4th in the B.C. Division.
Prince George lost its last five regular season games before the quick post-season exit, losing four straight to Seattle.
In addition, The Cats also dropped 12 of their last 13 road games, a total that includes the playoffs.
Cougars General Manager Todd Harkins says he conducted a year end review on the whole organization, but that playoff performance and late season play was not the only factor.
“We talked about it, obviously the lack of success we had, and then at that point we were thinking that is was best he goes to pursue hockey life somewhere else and we decide to find a new coach. That’s how we came about it; it’s not like it was one thing or another or there was a specific reason.”
“Mark is a great man, he’s a great family man. He cared about those kids down there and this organization and this great city of Prince George. So he’s sad about me moving on, but excited about pursuing something else…It’s important that we recognize all the success he’s had as a coach here.
Harkins added the assistant coaches will remain under contract for the incoming head coach to evaluate.
The Cougars are now searching for the 11th head coach in team history.
Photo Credit: Prince George Cougars
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