Captain to Coach: Brad Malone leads Generals to OHL Championship Series
From being on the ice last year to now behind the bench leading the Oshawa Generals to the 2025 OHL Championship Series, Brad Malone continues to bring a unique coaching perspective, building on his on-ice leadership to now guide the back-to-back Eastern Conference champions to victory.
Just last season, Malone was wearing the “C” for the Bakersfield Condors, anchoring a young American Hockey League roster with the kind of leadership that’s earned through over a decade of professional hockey. He played the game hard and with purpose, traits that defined his career with the Colorado Avalanche and Edmonton Oilers over 13 professional seasons.
🔹13 seasons
🔸769 professional games
🔹Countless memoriesOur captain Brad Malone (@Bmalone22) has officially retired from hockey. Thank you Bugs and all the best! #Condorstown pic.twitter.com/G0ufJsfUa9
— Bakersfield Condors (@Condors) September 5, 2024
Few could have predicted how quickly he’d transition from player to coach, but for those who knew the 35-year-old Miramichi, New Brunswick native, it made perfect sense.
“I guess from an outsider’s perspective the timeline is pretty short, but for me, being in the American League, being a captain, I worked with a lot of guys coming out of this situation, out of the CHL or young prospects coming out of college,” said Malone. “I have a familiarity in terms of leading young men trying to reach their goal. So in that sense, it’s very familiar for me. And then on the coaching side of things, I just think from a young age in my playing career, I really understood.”
After announcing the end of his playing career last summer, Malone wasn’t ready to leave the game behind. Recognizing his outstanding leadership abilities, the Generals brought him on board. Initially joining as an Assistant Coach, circumstances quickly changed.
“The more and more time Roger Hunt and I spent with Brad, we quickly recognized that he had some strong coaching attributes that we thought could help our team out,” said Generals Owner, President and Governor, Rocco Tullio. “After receiving feedback from players and a lot of different people in the industry in how he was conducting himself, we just basically at that point in time said, look, we’ve got to take advantage of this opportunity with his coaching strengths. One thing led to another.”
From the very beginning, Malone’s philosophy shone through.
“My philosophy is connect, care, then coach. That’s just me as a person. I’m trying to be authentic. I’m trying to be myself, trying to show the kids that it’s okay to be you, to be confident in your own skin,” shared Malone.
“These are young men trying to reach goals. It’s not just about hockey, obviously, it is a big part of their life, but at the end of the day, I’m not just trying to be a role model as a coach, I’m trying to be a role model as a young man and treating people properly. The way you conduct yourself 24/7, you’re not just representing the organization, you’re representing yourself and your family,” he added.
Behind Malone’s calm and confident presence is a lifetime of learning. He recalled those formative days spent watching and absorbing the different elements of coaching.
“I knew that I probably wasn’t going to do another job, and that hockey was going to be my life. So I tried to pay a lot of attention to the coaches I had, the privilege that I had to sit in on all those meetings throughout the years, and just kind of understand what I liked, what I didn’t like, what other players liked, and try to apply that to this job.”
The results of his leadership quickly became evident. The Generals surged in the second half of the season, embodying the work ethic and focus Malone had instilled. In a series of hard-fought playoff battles, Oshawa showcased a unity that reflected their coach’s ideologies.
“He’s just calm, cool and collective, and he connects with the players before he corrects,” added Tullio. “He’s got a great personality and understands because he played it at a high level. So I think he’s taken the good and bad from when he played from different coaches and obviously customized it to work for him, and obviously it’s working for him now and for us in Oshawa.”
Recognizing his potential, the organization further supported Malone by bringing veteran coach Mario Pouliot on board. This strategic addition offered a seasoned perspective.
“I think that’s important. There’s no substitute for experience,” said Tullio.
“He’s not just great for myself, but also for the kids. I think his calmness, his intelligence, the way he applies adjustments, just his presence around the room has been huge on a day-to-day basis,” added Malone.
As the Generals prepare to face off in a repeat of last year’s OHL Championship, the players are locked in under Malone’s leadership.
“I think he’s really tight with his players and he acts like a teammate off the ice, but a coach when we’re on the ice,” said Generals defenceman Andrew Gibson. “He puts us in our place when we need to be put in it. You know you can go talk to him and be very open with him, but when he needs to be stern, he’s stern. So he’s a great coach all around.”
"The only thing I'd say is I wish I was playing with them. It's been a pleasure to be back there behind the bench."@Oshawa_Generals interim head coach Brad Malone has guided his team into the #OHLChampionship Series.
Full Post-Game 🎥: https://t.co/mmNV8lBmzQ pic.twitter.com/Z4kfaZwqvH
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) May 2, 2025
Looking to hoist the J. Ross Robertson Cup for the first time since 2015, Malone and the Generals prepare for a rematch of last year’s OHL Championship against the London Knights, this time seeking redemption. The puck drops at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday at Canada Life Place. Fans can catch the action live on OHL Live on CHL TV and on TSN.
