Auburn, ME – When the 2020-2021 Central Maine Community College hockey season kicks off there will be a new—but not unfamiliar—face behind the Mustangs bench. Former team captain and assistant coach Jordy Knoren has been named the fourth head coach in program history, athletic director Dave Gonyea announced last week, filling a void left by outgoing coach Matt Buotte after three years with the program.
In some ways, Knoren's hiring has been a long time in the making. One of the first recruits in program history, Knoren played on the inaugural Mustangs club in 2016-2017 and was a three year captain with the team over his decorated career. Graduating in 2019 with a degree in physical fitness, Knoren hung up his skates as the program's all-time leading scorer and capped off his final season by being named 2019 Male Athlete of the Year at the college.
"We are very excited Jordy has accepted the position as head hockey coach," said Gonyea of the new hire. "He has been a loyal CM guy. He went to school here, was captain of the first team, and has been an assistant coach since he graduated. I see him taking the program to the next level."
Knoren's road to Central Maine has been a long, winding one. A native of Heerlen, Netherlands, Knoren represented his country at the U18 IIHF World Junior championships in 2012 and 2013, winning the gold medal in Serbia in 2013. He also skated internationally for his home country at the U20 level in both 2013 and 2014.
After concluding his career overseas, Knoren first made the jump to the United States in the 2013-14 season. After a stint with the Maine Timberwolves in the NSHL he would then spend two years in the NA3HL with both the Cape Code Islanders and Maine Wild. He amassed 68 points in 80 games over his two years in the NA3HL, which garnered him attention for several NCAA Division III universities. It was at this crossroad, however, when he found his home in Central Maine. It was also when he began to develop a calling to coach.
"During my junior hockey years I started helping with youth practices," he says. "I found a passion in coaching. I coached with [current Edward Little High School coach], who was a great mentor and who really helped in finding my passion and joy in coaching."
Recruited by the first coach in program history, Kevin Cady, Knoren joined a Mustangs team that had a successful 10-6-0 record. But the going was not always easy during his playing days with Central Maine—he had a different coach for all three years and a revolving door of players as the program struggled to find its footing in its infancy.
The third coach in his tenure here, Matt Buotte, quickly named Knoren captain for his third straight year. He also quickly recognized that he would have a long career behind the bench.
"I didn't want to wish his playing career away but I couldn't wait to get him on the coaching staff," said Buotte. "He is just one of those guys who has a penchant for it. He is a great leader, charismatic, and has an incredible knowledge of the sport. I am lucky I got to coach alongside him. He brings so much to the table and I am thrilled that the program is going to be his now. Nobody deserves it more."
He joined Buotte and assistant Lane Feldman, who will remain an assistant under Knoren, at the beginning of the 2019-20 season. The team made vast strides as the staff implemented culture changes on and off the ice that saw the team improve both in the standings and in the classroom. Things seemed poised for a breakout year in 2020-21 before the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This opened up an off-ice opportunity for Buotte, who plans to move out of Maine this summer. For Knoren, it was an opportunity he had been dreaming of.
"I wanted the job because I love the game of hockey and I knew I wanted to be a head coach," he said. "For me, it was the right moment to take it. After considering it for a few days, talking to my family and my mentors, I knew that I wanted to apply for the position. I was very excited that they wanted to hire me. I have been involved with the hockey program here since it started and I want to see it succeed. I am beyond grateful for this opportunity."
The hiring process was a challenging one. The school received several fantastic candidates for the job but in the end, Gonyea couldn't help but circle back to the man who has been there through thick and thin for the fledgling hockey program.
"We had some tremendous candidates," said Gonyea. "I want to personally thank them all for their interest in the program. I am really thrilled, in the end, to announce Jordy's hiring. He is a great man with a great relationship with the players. I even had some of the players calling me to advocate for him."
One of those players had a unique perspective on the newest Central Maine head coach. Charles Campagna, who played with Knoren from 2016 to 2018, is returning to further his education in Auburn in the fall. As soon as Campagna heard of the job opening he knew there was only one man for the job.
"In the two years I played with Jordy, I learned to respect the game even more while practicing and hanging around him," Campagna said. "I always tell people that he's the smartest hockey player I've ever played with. He has a calming presence about him and hockey is such an emotional sport that you need that rock to calm you down in hard times. He's the type of individual you build a franchise around, the type of coach you want to win for. You can feel the genuine love that he has for his teammates, players, and the game. It's special."
Knoren inherits a team that is high on skill but has, like most of the ACHA, spent over a year apart. When the team returns to the ice this fall only a handful of holdovers from the Mustangs last game—a 7-3 win again the University of Southern Maine all the way back on February 22nd, 2020—will remain.
"In a way I think it really benefits Jordy to come in the year after the pandemic," said Buotte, who oversaw the Mustangs to a 19-25-1 record over his two full seasons—and one pandemic-canceled season—with the club. "He can come in with a clean slate and start putting his ideas in place on day one. I'm so excited for him to be able to take charge. The players are going to take to him and he's going to do a phenomenal job."
The transition from Buotte to Knoren figures to be a seamless one. The two worked closely together over the past two seasons and shared similar visions for the program. With Feldman remaining on the staff the program keeps some continuity within the program.
"I already told Jordy that I plan on watching all of the games on Munzing media just to critique the coach," joked Buotte. "In all seriousness, the hardest part of our decision to move was leaving the hockey program at CM behind. I am going to miss working with Jordy, Lane, and everyone else who has made these last few years special. I couldn't be more proud that Jordy is taking over--I know the program is in great hands now and that Jordy has a tremendous vision for how to drive it forward."
Knoren has a specific vision for what the next steps will look like.
"We want to find students who are going to work hard on and off the ice," he explains. "The classroom portion is a big key. We want to move away from the rebuilding philosophy and strive for more. The culture has been established and I believe we can now achieve some great things in the coming years. Regionals is the end goal for us and I want incoming players to understand that we expect more than just showing up for practices and games. We need total buy-in for workouts, video sessions, and team building to reach that full potential as a team. I want our team to play fast, high intensity hockey."
Now that the coaching vacancy has been filled an agonizingly long summer awaits. The 2021-22 team, led by Knoren, can't wait to get back on the ice. It's an opportunity the newest Mustangs head coach is excited to seize.
"I am beyond grateful for this opportunity," said Knoren. "I would like to thank Dave Gonyea for trusting and believing in me, as well as Matt Buotte for believeing in me and for the time and dedication he put into the hockey program the last few years. I also wouldn't be able to take the job without the support of my family and I am beyond grateful they are supporting me each and every step of the journey. I am sure my 6-month-old son Brooks will get a kick out of seeing the Mustangs take the ice in the fall."
And what should the players expect?
"This year the challenge will be that some of the players have played and some have had a year of no hockey," Knoren continued. "I am expecting some rust in the beginning but the expectation will be that the players are in shape and ready to go in training camp. I am expecting a hard-working, competitive preseason…but it will all be worth it seeing those great Mustangs fans back in the stands come the home opener!"
