Jon Greenwood is ready for first year as Dal’s men’s hockey head coach

Truro may have won a championship banner last season, but their former bench boss has a new team to call home.

On April 30, the Truro Bearcats announced that Jon Greenwood, the team’s head coach, would join Dalhousie University’s men’s hockey team as their new head coach. Greenwood replaces Dal’s former head coach, Chris Donnelly, who served the Tigers for 15 seasons. 

Greenwood spent the past two seasons as the Bearcats’ head coach. On April 27, the Bearcats won their fifth Metalfab MHL Cup. 

“It was a big challenge when I first went there, and obviously it was pretty rewarding in the end,” says Greenwood.

Cindy Tye, Dal’s director of athletics and recreation, says that Greenwood brings a strong background and experience across many levels.

“His recent success with the Truro Bearcats speaks for itself,” says Tye. “With those experiences come connections that assist in recruiting and attracting top student-athletes to Dalhousie.”

For Greenwood, the decision to join Dalhousie also marks his return to Atlantic University Sport. For three seasons, Greenwood served as an assistant coach for the Saint Mary’s University men’s hockey program until his departure in 2024.

He says his goal is for every player to leave the program with a degree from Dalhousie in their pocket and a chance to keep playing at some professional level.  

“You have your degree and your backup plan for life, but play hockey as long as you can because…you’re not going to be able to play forever.”

Greenwood’s Early Career

Greenwood’s coaching career first began at the Junior A and B level while he studied for a teaching degree at the University of Maine at Fort Kent.

He continued to develop as a coach in Charlottetown before moving to Cole Harbour, N.S., where he coached at the under 18 level for a couple of years. Eventually, he made the jump to major junior hockey in 2014, where he served as the Halifax Mooseheads assistant coach for seven seasons.

“You get to meet a lot of people along the way, and I had a lot of people that helped me out over the years by giving me their time, says Greenwood. “I was pretty lucky.”

The Tigers finished last season at the bottom of the AUS with a 2-28 record. As the team prepares for a new season, Greenwood hopes they will grow while staying disciplined and structured. 

“We want to be the most improved team in the league,” Greenwood says.

Also joining the Tigers from the Bearcats is Jake Todd, a first-year arts and social sciences student and forward. Todd says fans should be excited about the coaching changes coming to Dal. 

“I don’t think [other teams] have the coach that we have, and they don’t have coaches willing to go all the way to push the limits like Jonny will for us,” says Todd.

Liam Welsh, a first-year management student and forward for the Tigers, also played under Greenwood last season. 

“When he first started coaching me two years ago, his professionalism — no matter who he’s talking to — his organization and his consistency stood out right away,” says Welsh. 

How does Greenwood handle the adversity?

The last time the Tigers clinched a playoff spot in the AUS was during the 2021-22 season.  Greenwood hopes that he will help the Tigers win games.

In Greenwood’s first year with the Bearcats, the team started their season with eight losses.

Greenwood says that his focus with Dalhousie is to create positive team chemistry while staying competitive on the ice.

“It’s about improving the overall environment and mood and atmosphere here as much as possible,” he says.

Greenwood found success in his second year as the Bearcats went 34-14-3 during the MHL regular season and ultimately won the Metalfab Cup. 

“He pushes people to their limits,” says Todd. “Everyone just gets better when they’re surrounded by Jonny.”

Greenwood begins his coaching career at Dal on new ice as the team gears up to play their first game on Oct. 9 in the newly built Oulton-Stanish Centre. 

“We would love to see the rink full of students, for alumni to come back and support the team, to put on a good show and give them a team that they’re proud of,” says Greenwood.