The general manager of the Windsor Spitfires says "there is no timeline" when it comes to finding a new head coach for the Ontario Hockey League team.
Bill Bowler spoke to the media Tuesday after Jerrod Smith was relieved of his duties Monday evening after guiding the team to a 4-16-and-1 record in just his first season behind the bench.
Bowler says they owe it to their fans to keep moving forward.
"There is no timeline. Again, these decisions are tough. We're not going to be quick on any decisions, we're going to be thought provoking and take our time. Similar to the dismissal of Jerrod, it took a long time to come to this conclusion," he says.
Assistant Coach Andy Delmore also submitted his resignation Tuesday morning.
Smith had served as associate coach/assistant coach for a number of years prior to being promoted to head coach this summer after Marc Savard left to join the NHL's Calgary Flames coaching staff.
Assistant Coach Casey Torres has been named the interim head coach while the team begins the process of finding a new head coach.
Along with owning the worst record in the OHL, the Spitfires are riding an eight-game losing streak and own a league worst 125 goals against.
Bowler says they're not going to be quick on any decisions.
"It's something that we know we we're going to hope to find a quality replacement. It's the middle of November, it might be a little tougher than we'd like but we can deal with it, we have in the past and we will in the future," he says.
Bowler says certain candidates are no longer available based on the timing of this, so it's wait and see.
"You deal with adversity in a hockey game, some players are sick unexpectedly, suspended or kicked out, and you just deal with it. You move on and we'll figure this out," he says. "Whoever that candidate or candidates is, we'll do right for these fans and our players."
The Windsor Spitfires open a three-game eastern Ontario road trip on Thursday when they face the Petes in Peterborough.
Windsor will play in Kingston Friday night and Ottawa on Sunday afternoon.
You can catch all the action from the games on AM800.