Mooseheads hire Andrew Lord as 14th head coach in franchise history

The Halifax Mooseheads announced Andrew Lord as the team's new head coach on Friday in Halifax.

Lord becomes the 14th head coach in the team's history. He replaces Jim Midgley, who was let go after the team went out in the first round of the QMJHL playoffs.

The team also announced it has promoted Brad MacKenzie to the role of associate coach. He has been an assistant coach with the team for the past three seasons, working with the team's defencemen and the penalty kill.

Lord led the Greenville Swamp Rabbits of the ECHL to a 44-23-4-1 record to win the league's South Division championship earlier this year. The team is an affiliate of the NHL's Los Angeles Kings.

The West Vancouver, B.C., native was also the general manager and director of operations in Greenville.

"We are thrilled to have Andrew join our staff and excited to watch him take the [reins] of our young, revamped roster," said Halifax general manager Cam Russell.

Lord, 39, said in a statement he is ready to get started in Halifax.

'Right fit for me'

"I am beyond excited to join the Halifax Mooseheads, a club with such a rich tradition," he said, thanking the team's ownership and Russell for placing their faith in him.

"This is the right fit for me at this stage of my career, and I am thrilled to have the chance to work with and develop young talent."

The Mooseheads went to the league final in 2023 and had a strong roster again in 2024, posting a 42-18-0-8 record. But the team went out in four games to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan in the first round.

The team has traded away many of its veteran players and is expected to have a young roster for 2024-25.