Daily News

Jordan Smith Named Assistant Coach of Springfield Thunderbirds

SPRINGFIELD — St. Louis Blues President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Doug Armstrong announced that the club hired Jordan Smith as an assistant coach for the Blues’ AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds.

Smith spent the last five years in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) as an associate coach with the Sudbury Wolves (2017-18) and Soo Greyhounds (2018-22). He was on the same coaching staff as current Thunderbirds Goalie Coach Dan Stewart with the Greyhounds from 2018 to 2020. Smith reached the postseason with Soo in 2019 and 2022.

Smith is now the third member of the Thunderbirds’ coaching staff with ties to the Soo organization. Head coach Drew Bannister served in the same position for the Greyhounds from 2015 to 2018.

A native of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Smith began his coaching career in 2012-13 with the Thunder Bay North Stars of the Superior International Junior Hockey League before serving four seasons as a head coach with the Soo Thunderbirds of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (2013-17), where he won four division titles and compiled a 176-29-10-3 record.

In his playing career, Smith was a second-round selection by the Anaheim Ducks in 2004 but was forced to retire from professional hockey due to injury after two AHL seasons with the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks and Portland Pirates. He also skated for the Greyhounds from 2001 to 2005, putting up 68 points in 211 games in the OHL.

In addition, the Springfield Thunderbirds announced two staff promotions and two new hires ahead of the 2022-23 season.

Matthew McRobbie has been promoted to director of Business Development. An original member of the Thunderbirds’ front office, this is McRobbie’s third promotion within the organization. He served as a senior account executive from 2016 to 2021 before taking on the role of manager of Ticket Sales last season, where he oversaw the Thunderbirds’ team-record year in tickets sold and ticket revenue. In his new role, McRobbie, an alumnus of Springfield College, will be focused on working with local and national brands in the Thunderbirds’ Corporate Sales department.

“Matt has been a dedicated and reliable member of our team from our very first day,” Thunderbirds President Nathan Costa said. “He has repeatedly met and exceeded every goal thrown his way, and we could not be happier to see him continue to grow his career here in Springfield.”

Additionally, John Jones, Jr. has been promoted to senior account executive. An alumnus of Florida State University, Jones has been a member of the Thunderbirds’ Ticket Sales department since the 2018-19 season.

The Thunderbirds have also announced the hires of Nate Lynch and Alana Mather as account executives in ticket sales. Lynch joins the Thunderbirds full-time after serving as an intern in the team’s Ticket Sales department. He graduated from Eastern Connecticut State University in 2021. Mather joins the Thunderbirds after serving as an intern with the team for two seasons while a student at Western New England University.