Scott Donato has resigned as head coach of the Stouffville Spirit of the Ontario Junior Hockey League club, Spirit governor and general manager Ken Burrows announced today.

Citing “family and business reasons,” Donato submitted his resignation a week ago, but remained with the Spirit through Sunday’s 3-1 loss in Milton.

A replacement is expected to be named by early next week, Burrows said. Assistant coaches TJ Hill and Joe Trentadue will coach the team in the meantime.

“Unfortunately, I couldn’t spend the dedicated time that’s needed to be the head coach in Stouffville anymore and something had to change,” Donato said.

“I’d love to thank Kenny and Lorna Burrows, the staff, fellow coaches and everyone else with this team,” he said. “Everyone made me feel very welcome in Stouffville during the last year and a half.”

The Peterborough resident joined the Spirit in March 2021 after two seasons as director of hockey operations for the Pickering Panthers of the OJHL. 

Following a slow start to the 2021-22 season, the Spirit rallied under Donato to make the playoffs. This season, they’re 7-8-1-3 and in position to make the postseason again with perhaps the youngest roster in the 21-team OJHL.

“It’s too bad because Scott’s a great coach and a good guy,” Burrows said. “But he’s left us in good shape. The kids are positive and hard-working, which is the No.1 thing Scott wanted them to be. They’re a talented group so there’s definitely an upside. He left his mark.” 

“It’s just too bad he doesn’t get to finish the job.”

Donato agrees.

“I came in at a trying time after the pandemic,” Donato said. “I think we really changed the course of what this organization wants as a team and in its individuals and players. And I think we’re starting the fruits of all the hard work and efforts put forth by everyone in this organization. 

“The hardest thing is to leave such a promising, young, developing team because they’re only going to get better in the coming months and years. The people of Stouffville should be very excited to see what this Spirit product will look like and I can’t wait to see what the next coaching staff does to take this team to another level.”

The 41-year-old also was general manager of the OJHL’s Lindsay Muskies and Peterborough Liftlock Stars previously.

Donato coached minor hockey teams in the Peterborough area for 17 years and was a family adviser/player representative with the Millen Group for five years (2011-15), helping more than 50 players get commitments to NCAA and USPORTS schools.