Coaching Staff

Your 2024 / 2025 Junior A Valley Wildcats Coaching Staff

Brandon Benedict –  Head Coach & General Manager

Brandon is entering his sixth year as the Head Coach and General Manager of the Wildcats  organization in 2024-25. He played his entire major junior career with the Halifax Mooseheads followed by a four-year university career with the Acadia Axemen. His pro career saw him make stops in Texas, Denmark, Belfast, Northern Ireland, and Nottingham England. His love for the game was evident at every level Brandon played, and he looks forward to bringing that love for the game, along with his reputation as a digger and a hard-working mentality to his new position. His experience as an assistant coach with the Belfast Giants of the EIHL will certainly be an asset for the Avondale NS native.

Corey Mullett – Assistant Coach / Assistant General Manager

Shawn MacKenzie – Assistant Coach

MacKenzie, a Bedford, NS native and former professional hockey player, rose through the ranks from his hometown of Bedford, NS to the NHL. After his playing days concluded, Shawn embarked on a Major Junior coaching career that would span 16 seasons and over 1100 Major Junior hockey games. Shawn was an Assistant, and Head Coach in both the OHL, and QMJHL, and was an original member of the Halifax Mooseheads – spending over 10 years with the team. Shawn is a former QMJHL coach of the year and has coached dozens of players that went on to play in the National Hockey League.

 

Ethan Landry – Assistant Coach / Video Coach

After a minor hockey career with the Halifax Hawks, Ethan joined the Halifax McDonald’s U18 Major program in 2017. In 31 games played with the McDonald’s, Landry tallied 36 points, and was named to the Rookie All-Star team. Landry then went on to play two years of prep school hockey with the St. Andrew’s College Saints, one of the top prep schools in North America, known for producing NCAA D1 and professional talent. After his senior year, Ethan was selected first overall in the MHL draft by the Wildcats in 2020. In his first year with the team, he was a frequent call-up for the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL. He played seven games with the Mooseheads, which includes a two goal game performance against the Charlottetown Islanders. Landry played three seasons with the Wildcats, finishing his career as a co-captain and the team’s leading scorer. In the three seasons with the Wildcats, Landry ranks 7th in all-time points (93) and 9th in all-time games played (120).  Ethan also volunteered in the second half of this year’s season, working as a video coach with a focus on special teams.
Thomas Durant – Goaltending Coach

Currently residing in Halifax, NS, Thomas began his coaching career in 2019-2020 as a goaltending coach with Bedford Minor Hockey, working alongside recently-hired Assistant Coach, Shawn MacKenzie. After two seasons in Bedford, Thomas moved to Halifax, where he was goaltending coach for the the Hawks U13 AAA team alongside Head Coach Greg MacDonald & staff. After the 2021-2022 season in Halifax, Thomas was hired by the Valley Wildcats U15 Major team as an Assistant Coach, where he has spent the last two seasons lead by Head Coach Scott Trask.

Outside of the Valley, Thomas has been coaching the past 4 years with FinnGoalie, a goaltender training company based out of Bedford, learning from long-time professional goaltending coach Jack Hartigan & his expert staff. Thomas is also involved with Hockey Nova Scotia’s High Performance Program, with roles of both a Goaltending Coach and Assistant Coach for the past 3 years.

Carl Howard – Athletic Therapist/Equipment Manager

Born in Calgary Alberta, Carl moved to Nova Scotia at a young age, and is now a permanent resident of the Annapolis Valley. Carl started his career as a primary care paramedic back in 2003. He now holds a diploma in Advanced Care Paramedicine, in which he has worked ground ambulance, air ambulance, industrial paramedicine, and as an Emergency Department paramedic. Carl lives in Aylesford with his wife Cindy, and 2 children Caleb and Chloe. Carl has been an equipment manager and coach for minor baseball, minor hockey and soccer in the valley for the past 5 years.