Oregon Tradesmen announce Eric Fenton as new head coach

Jun 18, 2021

The Oregon Tradesmen are pleased to announce Eric Fenton as our new head coach. Fenton joins the organization after leading the Janesville Jr. Jets 18U team to the USA Hockey 18U Tier II national championship in May. The Jr. Jets were the first team in Wisconsin history to claim a Tier II national title.

Fenton joins the Tradesmen with an extensive history of winning behind the bench. He won a national championship as head coach of Team Wisconsin at the Chicago Showcase in 2008. Fenton has extensive ties to high school and AAA coaches in Wisconsin and the Midwest which will help him procure top talent for the Tradesmen.

“We are excited to get someone of Eric’s caliber to help us take the Tradesmen to the next level,” said Tradesmen President Bill McCoshen. “We were looking forward to working with Steve Sabo, but he was not able to unwind his business interests in time to make it work. I have worked with Eric the past four years with the Jr. Jets program and known him for more than a decade. I have seen his ability to get the best out of each player he coached. His playing and coaching career will make him a great addition to the NA3HL family.”

As a player Fenton was a 10th round NHL draft pick of the New York Rangers in 1988. He won an NCAA Division I national championship with the Maine Black Bears in 1993, played professionally for the AHL Portland Pirates where he won a Calder Cup in 1994, and the IHL Peoria Rivermen and Milwaukee Admirals. He also played professionally for the Charlotte Checkers and Hampton Roads Admirals in the ECHL.

“I am excited to be doing something I love, and I am passionate about coaching the Oregon Tradesmen,” commented Fenton. “Being a positive influence on these players and this organization is paramount in my mind. I have worked with everyone in this organization and am thrilled to be part of making the Tradesmen a championship caliber program. Our focus will be developing players to their full potential and moving them on to college hockey. I look forward to being part of the Oregon community and building a strong tradition we can all be proud of.”

Fenton was inducted into the Maine Sports Hall of Fame in 2019 and his national champion Maine Black Bears were inducted into the University of Maine Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.