NIAGARA UNIV., N.Y. – (Photo by Janet Schultz Photography) – The Niagara Purple Eagles hockey team announced the hiring of Ethan Moreau as assistant coach. A 15-year veteran of the National Hockey League, Moreau joins the staff of head coach David Burkholder for the 2016-17 season.
“Ethan’s decorated professional career on the ice will help him transition quickly to coaching,” Burkholder said. “We want our players at Niagara to develop a professional attitude and mindset, and there is no one better for them to learn those skills from than a former NHL player. Ethan’s experience is a huge gain for us in the hockey department. Beyond that, he is a tremendous person with a track record of helping out in the community. I know Ethan as someone who is dedicated to living all aspects of his life with class and character. He is a family man first and brings so much to our campus. I welcome his wife, Ornella, and children, Trey and Mia, to the Niagara University family.”
Moreau’s NHL career spanned 15 seasons, in which he collected 147 goals and 140 assists in 928 games with the Chicago Blackhawks (1995-99), Edmonton Oilers (1999-2010), Columbus Blue Jackets (2010-11) and Los Angeles Kings (2011-12). Among current NCAA Division I hockey coaches, only three played more games at the NHL level than Moreau: Boston University assistant coach Scott Young, Michigan State assistant coach Kelly Miller, and Michigan head coach Red Berenson.
Moreau made his NHL debut with Chicago, playing there for four years and serving as an assistant captain. After his time in Chicago, Moreau went on to become one of the longest-tenured members of the Edmonton Oilers franchise over the following decade. Moreau’s 653 games in Edmonton rank 13th in the franchise’s history, and he recorded 112 goals and 100 assists in that time. He scored a career-best 20 goals during the 2003-04 season with the Oilers and was named the team’s Most Valuable Player that season.
In the 2005-06 postseason, Moreau played in 21 games as Edmonton advanced to the Stanley Cup Final, eventually falling in seven games to the Carolina Hurricanes. Moreau served as the Oilers’ team captain for three seasons from 2007 to 2010. He was also awarded the 2009 King Clancy Memorial Trophy, given each year to an NHL player for exemplary leadership qualities on and off the ice in addition to humanitarian contributions. Moreau played with the Columbus Blue Jackets during the 2010-11 season and served as an assistant captain for the team.
Prior to his time in the NHL, Moreau played major junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), spending the vast majority of that time with the Niagara Falls Thunder. In 248 OHL games, Moreau tallied 322 points on 134 goals and 188 assists. In 1994, Moreau was awarded the Bobby Smith Award, given annually to the OHL player who best embodies excellence on the ice and in the classroom.
The connection between Moreau and Burkholder spans over 20 years. Burkholder began his coaching career with Niagara Falls during the 1993-94 season under head coach Chris Johnstone. Following that season, Moreau was taken in the first round (14th overall) by the Chicago Blackhawks.
After retiring from the NHL in 2012, Moreau joined the scouting staff of the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens as a pro scout for three seasons. Moreau joins the Purple Eagles after serving as a development coach at the HARBORCENTER Academy of Hockey in Buffalo, N.Y. for the past year.
“My family and I are extremely excited to be a part of the long-standing history at Niagara University,” Moreau said. “Joining the athletic department and hockey staff will be a new challenge and I intend to help get Niagara hockey back to the NCAA tournament. I am honored to serve as Coach Burkholder’s assistant and I look forward to learning from his extensive knowledge. I would like to thank the university and athletic director Simon Gray for this opportunity.”
A native of Huntsville, Ontario, Moreau currently resides in Niagara Falls, Ontario with his wife Ornella, son Trey, and daughter Mia.
