Former OHL defenceman Mara coaches Boston Pride to Isobel Cup championship

 

The NWHL’s Boston Pride were crowned Isobel Cup champions this past weekend under the guidance of former OHL defenceman and longtime NHLer Paul Mara.

Following a thrilling 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Whitecaps on Saturday, the Pride became the first ever NWHL club to earn two championship titles.

For Mara, the championship feeling is just starting to sink in.

Woke up in the morning feeling like, Isobel Cup Champions ???????? pic.twitter.com/ACUtuhQmfg

— Boston Pride (@TheBostonPride) March 28, 2021

“Saturday night, we got to the hotel around midnight after the rink stuff, and the team got together at the hotel and you finally get home yesterday afternoon and then you sit back and start reading the texts and going on social media, and then it finally did hit home last night that we actually did win this thing,” he said.

Looking back on a decorated hockey career where he’s seen success both on the ice and behind the bench, Mara attributes much of his success to the life experience gained during his three years in the OHL.

“When you’re so young, you have to deal with being on your own, you learn what to do and what not to do, how to live the right way, and I give all the credit to the team in Sudbury and in Plymouth where I finished out my last year. I give a lot of credit to the people in the organization there,” he said.

A fourth round pick of the Wolves in 1996, Mara played three seasons both in Sudbury and Plymouth from 1996-99. Following two years of hockey at Belmont Hill School in Massachusetts, the Ridgewood, N.J. native’s choice to go the OHL route was quoted as “the best decision of his life.” Today, that statement continues to ring true for the Isobel Cup champion.

“Forgoing my last two years of high school and college eligibility was a tough decision but it was the correct one. I haven’t second guessed that decision in my life. It was a great learning experience. I’ve become a better man, a better person, a better hockey player and the year and a half I spent up there in Sudbury was incredible,” he recalled.

Mara averaged a point-per-game, amassing 103 points over 102 OHL matchups. His final season saw his Whalers finish out the regular season with a league-leading 106 points and an impressive 51-13-4 record.

“I think back to the great team and the great players I played with there: Robert Esche, Jesse Boulerice, Randy Fitzgerald, Harold Druken. There are so many players I remember from those days and all the fun we had and all the wins,” he said. “We obviously didn’t win the Cup that year but we had some fantastic teams. I always think about those memories and cherish them.”

Drafted seventh overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning at the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, Mara saw success in the professional ranks over 12 NHL seasons and credits his OHL stint with helping him make that professional jump.

“It fully prepared me. I don’t think at the time, there was a better league to get me prepared for the NHL. The physical play, the calibre of players playing in that league at the time were second to none. They treat you like a pro hockey player, the fans, the travel…everything about it prepared me to play in the NHL and I’m really grateful for that,” continued the OHL alumnus.

Following 734 NHL appearances, Mara’s coaching career began with the 2018 Olympic USA women’s national ice hockey team, where he served behind the bench as an assistant as the group captured gold in Gangneung, South Korea. In May of that year, he was named head coach of the Pride.

Congratulations to @TheBostonPride ????

The first two-time Isobel Cup Champions crowned in @NWHL history.

My story about their thrilling victory and an amazing showcase of women’s professional hockey in the national spotlight where it belongs.https://t.co/cKUK38biRN

— Paul Krotz (@Paul_Krotz) March 29, 2021

“I think about the coaches that I had in junior, like Tom Watt, I definitely take some experiences from them. The dedication they had to the game,” he explained. “In Plymouth, Pete DeBoer was a fantastic head coach. He’s obviously an NHL coach now and he’s had great success there. I’ve tried to take bits and pieces from each coach and implement them into my own coaching.”

Today, Mara is the winningest coach in NWHL history with 37 regular season wins under his belt. Last year, he took the Pride to the 2020 Isobel Cup final before its abrupt cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier this year, the NWHL playoffs were postponed on account of a number of positive COVID-19 cases.

The championship feeling may only be starting to sink in now, but it’s certainly been a long time coming.

“It’s been an exciting journey for these players. All the hard work and the dedication to the game that they’ve put in has been amazing, during these times we’ve gone through with COVID. It’s just amazing what these ladies have done. It’s awesome to see them win this thing.”