The Selkirk Steelers are making a major addition to their coaching staff ahead of the 2026-27 Manitoba Junior Hockey League season with the hiring of former NHL player and veteran coach Josh Green.
New Selkirk Steelers assistant coach Josh Green brings more than two decades of professional hockey experience, including time in the NHL and junior coaching ranks, to the MJHL club ahead of the upcoming season
While the organization clarified Green is not replacing head coach Hudson Friesen, the addition of the longtime professional player and coach is already being viewed internally as one of the most significant off-season moves the franchise has made in years.
Steelers president Jordan Fillion said the opportunity to add someone with Green’s experience was impossible to ignore.
“When GM Tim Schick told me that we had a chance to possibly hire an NHL player and a proven professional coach with proven results, it was a no-brainer,” Fillion said. “We wanted to have Josh on our coaching staff. This immediately improves our organization.”
General manager Tim Schick said he had known Green from their time together with the Winnipeg Blues organization and always believed he would be a major asset if the opportunity ever arose.
“I knew if we ever had the chance to get Josh it would be huge for the organization,” Schick said. “Josh is one of the best people I know in the game of hockey.”
Green brings decades of experience to Selkirk, including more than 300 NHL games and coaching experience at the WHL and professional levels. During his playing career, Green suited up for organizations including the Los Angeles Kings, New York Islanders, Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, Washington Capitals, Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks.
Friesen, who recently signed an extension to remain the Steelers’ head coach, said adding Green gives the organization another high-level hockey mind behind the bench.
“I am excited to have Josh join our coaching staff,” Friesen said. “It is incredible how fortunate we are to have landed an NHL player and pro coach to our group.”
According to Fillion, the search for a new coach began after the team parted ways with its defensive coach at the conclusion of last season.
“In our wildest dreams we never thought this would be possible to land Josh Green,” Fillion said. “This is why we are so excited and could be one of the best off-seasons for our club in a long time.”
Green said the Steelers organization and the people already involved with the team made the opportunity appealing.
“What attracted me most to the opportunity with the Selkirk Steelers was the chance to be part of a proud organization with a strong hockey culture and passionate community support,” Green said. “I’m also excited to get a chance to work alongside a fantastic coach that I’ve heard nothing but great things about in Hudson Friesen as well as Tim Schick, who I’ve had a great relationship with since we worked together years ago with the Winnipeg Blues.”
Green said he wants the Steelers to play a fast, connected style of hockey built around accountability and teamwork.
“I like our teams to play fast, connected hockey where every player is competing and working together,” he said. “We want to defend hard, pressure consistently, and make it difficult on opponents in all areas of the ice.”
He added that many of the lessons he learned during his professional playing career continue to shape how he approaches coaching young players.
“One of the biggest lessons I learned from professional hockey is that consistency, preparation, and character matter just as much as talent,” Green said. “The best players and teams are accountable, coachable, and willing to do the little things every day.”
Green said player development remains a major priority in his coaching philosophy.
“At the junior level, our job is not only to build a successful team, but also to help players prepare for the next level — whether that’s college hockey, pro hockey, or beyond,” he said. “I want players leaving our program as better hockey players, but more importantly as better people, teammates, and competitors.”
That development focus aligns closely with the direction the Steelers organization says it wants to continue building toward.
“At the Selkirk Steelers our first focus is always on the betterment of the player on and off the ice,” Fillion said. “Culture is everything and I believe Josh will be able to improve our culture and make all of us better.”
Friesen added that Green’s experience should especially help players hoping to move on to higher levels of hockey.
“We have had many Division 1 and most of our players advance to higher levels when they graduate from our program,” Friesen said. “We believe Josh will just be able to help this advancement even more with his professional background.”
Both Friesen and Fillion identified defensive play as an area the team hopes to improve heading into the new season, with Green expected to work closely with the defensive side of the game.
“I believe the area that needed the most improvement is the defensive side of our game and we are excited that Josh will be working with the defensive this season,” Friesen said.
The organization also believes the hire sends a message to fans that the Steelers are serious about becoming more competitive.
“This hire sends a huge message to our fans and the community that we are serious and focused on getting better,” Fillion said. “In the more than 50 years of the Steelers existence, this might be our biggest statement to our season ticket holders and fans.”
Green said the Steelers ultimately felt like the right fit both professionally and personally.
“The Selkirk Steelers organization has a strong foundation, great people involved, and a real commitment to building something the right way,” he said. “It felt like an exciting challenge and a place where I could make a positive impact on both the culture and the development of the players.”
