Kevin Henderson isn't afraid of hard work.
It took him all the way to the NHL, and he plans to put that same effort into the next stage of his hockey career with the Charlottetown Islanders.
The 32-year-old Toronto native is the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League team’s new assistant coach.
“I am just going to put everything I have into making the team successful,” he said Tuesday.
“I am very, very excited for this opportunity and the next chapter in my career but also looking forward to developing these kids,” he added. “We have a great team there and I am just excited to get started and have a very successful season with the Islanders.”
Henderson will fill the position held for the previous three seasons by Charlottetown’s Brad MacKenzie, who is the new head coach of the New Brunswick-based Grand Falls Rapids of the Maritime Junior Hockey League.
“It is appealing to have a former player, especially a guy who is only a year removed from playing,” Islanders head coach Jim Hulton said. “I think it is a big win for our players.”
Henderson played three seasons with the Ontario Hockey League’s Kitchener Rangers, breaking out in his final season with 33 goals and 48 points in 56 games.
“I was never drafted. I was a late bloomer. Just kind of had to always earn my spot on the team,” he explained.
His path to the NHL, like many players, wasn’t a straight one.
There was no NHL contract after his junior career ended, but that junior career did provide him an education package. He left Ontario for Fredericton, N.B., to be part of the UNB Varsity Reds.
He put up 15 points in his 27-game rookie season but when opportunity presented itself in Year 2, Henderson took advantage.
A pre-season injury to the team’s No. 1 centre left the Reds looking for alternatives. While the left-winger hadn’t played much in the middle, he was willing to give it a shot.
He teamed with Jimmy Cuddihy and Hunter Tremblay to form arguable the top line in the country that season. It ended with the Reds winning the David Johnston University Cup in Thunder Bay, Ont., in 2009.
His 19-goal, 31-assist season in a 28-game schedule caught the eyes of talent evaluators at the next level.
He signed with the San Jose Sharks and proceeded to have a 10-year pro career, which included four games in the NHL with the Nashville Predators in 2012-13.
He spent six seasons in the AHL, winning a Calder Cup with the Texas Stars, in 2014. He spent the past four seasons overseas. He played with the Nottingham Panthers of the British Elite Ice Hockey League in 2018-19. Islanders David Ling and Logan MacMillan played for the Panthers in 2015-16.
When a coaching change occurred this season in Nottingham, the assistant coach became the head coach and Henderson became a player-coach.
“(Coaching) was something I really wanted to get into,” Henderson said.
When the season ended, he looked at a few options. He contacted some of his former coaches to see if they knew of any openings.
UNB’s Gardiner MacDougall, a Bedeque native, connected him with Hulton in late June.
Hulton, associate coach Guy Girourard and Henderson did a Skype interview and the offer was made soon after.
“What a guy to learn under. He’s just an amazing coach,” Henderson said of Hulton. “He and Guy are both great coaches, so I am very excited for the opportunity.”
MacDougall called Henderson a great communicator and a tireless worker.
“He has a great love of the game and a great passion,” he said. “I’m sure he’s going to put in whatever (time) it takes to be a successful coach. . .
“He’ll relate well to the players in Charlottetown that obviously want to do the best for the team, but also want to reach as far as they can in their hockey career. I think he’ll be a really good resource for Jim in that aspect.”
Hulton said they cast a wide net to ensure they were getting the right person to join the staff.
“The one thing we didn't want to let slip was the individual player development that has been very, very important in our program and Brad took the lion’s share of that on,” he said. “We’ve discussed that with Kevin and he’s quite comfortable with that.”
Related links:
• Henderson's HockeyDB profile
• Brad MacKenzie taking next step in coaching career
Need to know
Kevin Henderson
Who – A 32-year-old Toronto native and new assistant coach with the Charlottetown Islanders.
Hockey career – Henderson played three seasons with the Kitchener Rangers in the Ontario Hockey League, two seasons with the UNB Varsity Reds in U Sports and six seasons in the AHL with the Worcester Sharks, Milwaukee Admirals and Texas Stars. He scored a goal in four games with the NHL’s Nashville Predators. He’s also played 25 games in the ECHL plus four seasons combined in Finland, Slovakia, Denmark and England.
Fiancé – Henderson is engaged to Emily Moore, a Cavendish native currently working in Toronto.
Coaching staff
Head coach – Jim Hulton.
Associate coach – Guy Girouard.
Assistant coach – Kevin Henderson.
Goalie coach – Paul Drew.
Athletic therapist – Kevin Elliott.
Equipment manager – Andrew (Spider) MacNeill.
