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EspañolJOHNSTOWN, Pa. – In the simplest terms, the Johnstown Tomahawks have a new interim head coach – and 47 games into his first season with the North American Hockey League franchise, Adam Houli is on a leave of absence.
But the events leading to the current situation are much more complex.
With 12 games remaining in the regular season, the seventh-place Tomahawks announced Houli’s leave of absence Monday evening.
Assistant coach Geoff Beauparlant moved into the interim head coach role, and experienced assistant coach Nick Mish remains on the staff.
Houli said he would have preferred to remain in his position with the Tomahawks, even though his name reportedly has been mentioned as a top candidate for the head coaching job at the University of St. Joseph, a fledgling NCAA Division III men’s hockey program in West Hartford, Connecticut.
Majority owner John Koufis said he backed Tomahawks director of hockey operations Gary Biggs’ decision regarding the leave of absence.
“It came to our attention that Adam had some opportunity at the NCAA level that was occupying his attention a little bit,” Koufis said. “That got out into the rumor-sphere, where it got to the point he had to address it with the team, and it was just a distraction that, frankly, we didn’t think was needed.
“The decision, which I supported, was to do the leave of absence so he could figure out what his future is. This way, the team could focus on a necessary push that has to happen for us to get into the playoffs.”
In his first season since replacing one-year head coach Jared Kersner, Houli led Johnstown to a 19-21-7 record. The Tomahawks’ 45 points currently rank in seventh place in the East Division, five points out of a potential playoff berth in sixth place.
“On behalf of our players, staff and ownership, we appreciate Adam’s contributions to the Tomahawks,” Biggs said.
“He has invested a great deal into this organization, and we wish him the very best.”
The Tomahawks are at 1st Summit Arena @ Cambria County War Memorial eight times in their final 12 regular-season contests. This weekend, the team visits the Rochester Jr. Americans for two games.
‘Leaked as a frontrunner’
Houli had expected to be on the Tomahawks bench in Rochester, whether he received another job offer for 2026-27 or not. Houli said that as of Tuesday morning, he had not been offered a position at the University of St. Joseph.
“Over the weekend, my name had been leaked as a frontrunner for a Division III job at a startup for a college,” Houli said, referring to social media chatter and “word of mouth.”
“Early Saturday morning and into the afternoon, it was rumored that I was going to be taking it and vice versa.”
Houli said he and St. Joseph had connected, but no formal offer had been extended as of Tuesday.
“The realness of that is, obviously, I engaged in conversations a couple weeks prior,” Houli said. “In the hockey world, you have to engage in conversations.
“I had engaged in conversations, but there was a leak that I was going to be offered, or that I was taking the job. I had not even received an offer yet. I still have not received an offer yet, as of right now (Tuesday morning).”
In the age of social media and instant news, the coach decided to discuss the matter with his team prior to a pair of games at the Northeast Generals this past Friday and Saturday.
“We addressed it with the team over the weekend,” Houli said. “We finished the game on Saturday. On Monday, I spoke with our GM (Biggs) and walked him through the timeline because everything kind of came suddenly, out of nowhere.
“I addressed the timeline that had happened and where the current situation stands. I was under the impression, and I did speak to John (Koufis) about if there is an offer that comes in, I would give (the Tomahawks) the opportunity to speak as well, and that nothing was set in stone of what I was doing.
“My focus remained on Rochester and the upcoming week, and trying to get this team into the playoffs. That was my focus the entire time. Nothing has changed.”
But Houli said the next communication from the team took a different approach.
“Later that day, I got a text that they wanted to talk again and they were going to place me on a leave of absence because they felt it was too much of a distraction, and they still have an opportunity to make the playoffs,” Houli said.
“They felt it was going to be a distraction to the team and the fans. That’s how it snowballed into what happened last night.”
‘A very good place’Koufis confirmed the timeline and said that neither he nor Biggs were displeased with Houli’s performance leading the team.
The owner conceded the impact of the change in the locker room remains an uncertainty, although early indications have been positive.
“My understanding is there was a team meeting and they’re in a very good place with the continuity,” Koufis said.
“They’re certainly all in, and I think they want to have everybody around them that is all in.
“That’s not a criticism of Adam. You’re sort of in the foxhole or you’re not. I was happy with Adam and how he bought into everything in Johnstown, the community. All of that was really good.
“It’s nothing performance-wise at all.
“The assessment was made that he might be distracted a bit and it may create a distraction to the team with the opportunity out there.”
‘We’re all in’Tomahawks captain and leading scorer Nick Jarmain said the team was surprised, but is prepared to adapt.
“We all liked Houli a lot. It’s just unfortunate how everything went down,” Jarmain said. “We’re still hungry.
“We’re a very tight-knit group. We have six weeks left.”
Jarmain said the players are committed to making a run toward earning a postseason berth.
“We had a team meeting (Tuesday), with ‘Beau’ taking over and Nick Mish,” Jarmain said of the remaining coaches.
“Everyone in the room is still ready to go. We’re all in.
“It’s a little bit of a change. This late in the season, a coaching change can be a little bit different than a coach taking over at the beginning of the season. It’s not like ‘Beau’ is a new face in the room.
“We all trust him. We all trust each other, more importantly.”
Beauparlant is the fifth coach in the Tomahawks’ 14 seasons since 2012-13.
He is the fourth head coach in the past three seasons.
Koufis didn’t speculate on whether Beauparlant might shed the interim title after this season, or if the team would have another coaching search this spring.
“I haven’t even thought out that far,” Koufis said. “There is no active search at all. Our focus is 100% on getting this team in the playoffs. That’s it.”
‘It’s advancement’Houli had hoped to be along for the stretch run, but the coach said he understood the leave-of-absence decision.
“Is the timing great here in Johnstown to have that happen after having three coaches in three years?” Houli asked rhetorically. “No, but I think this is a little bit different. If I were to take that job, it’s advancement. That’s what we’re here for, to advance our players and our staff.
“But at the end of the day, I do respect and understand the organization’s decision. I know their profound respect and wanting to get Johnstown a championship. They felt this was going to be a distraction, and I completely understand their side of it.
“I had hoped to finish it, but I do understand and respect it. I was hoping that my leadership, my character and my background would allow them to remain steadfast that I was going to put Johnstown 1,000% forward no matter what.”
Mike Mastovich is a sports reporter and columnist for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 814-532-5083. Follow him on Twitter @Masty81.