A familiar face will be trying to lead the Chatham Maroons to their third Sutherland Cup.
Richard Santos has been named the team's general manager, nearly a year after leaving the organization to join the Leamington Flyers.
He told CK News Today he wanted to come back where he felt comfortable.
"Leaving Chatham was a very hard decision. I feel like there's a good culture, and I feel like I'm at home when I'm there," said Santos.
He had nothing bad to say about the Flyers. Santos explained that his decision had nothing to do with the franchise.
"Leamington was a great experience for me, and I think they're a great organization, but Chatham is just home," added Santos.
When Santos was last with the Maroons, he served as the general manager and head coach. This time around, he'll only have the one position as the team has decided to keep Brennan Feasey behind the bench.
Feasey took over for Santos a few days after he left, helping lead the team to the second round of the Greater Ontario Hockey League (GOHL) playoffs and top spot in the western conference during the regular season.
The two were behind the bench, Santos as head coach and Feasey as an assistant coach, when the Maroons won the Sutherland Cup in 2025.
Santos explained that it was important for him that the team keep Feasey.
"He's a very young kid who has a passion for the game. Same language, we love the offensive game we both can bring to Chatham," he said.
The next season is still a few months away, but Santos is already itching for the team to get back on the ice. He believes fans can expect to see the same level of play the Maroons have had over the past couple of seasons.
"You're gonna see a team that's going to compete, a team that won't give an inch on the ice, and if [teams] don't bring their A game, it's going to be a long night," he added.
