Milton Academy head coach Paul Cannata will retire from the school at the end of the 2022-23 academic year, he told New England Hockey Journal Monday night. He announced the decision to his team earlier in the day. Cannata, a native of West Roxbury, Mass., will conclude his career as bench boss of the Mustangs...
Milton Academy head coach Paul Cannata will retire from the school at the end of the 2022-23 academic year, he told New England Hockey Journal Monday night. He announced the decision to his team earlier in the day.
Cannata, a native of West Roxbury, Mass., will conclude his career as bench boss of the Mustangs after 20 successful seasons.
The Roxbury Latin and Hamilton College alum had stints as an assistant coach at American International and Northeastern as well as one year as head coach at North Adams State prior to taking on his current role at Milton Academy.
Highlights of Cannata’s coaching career at Milton include winning a NEPSAC championship in 2011 and appearing in the title game of the 2016 NEPSAC Elite 8 Tournament before bowing out to Frederick Gunn. Just this season, Cannata’s Mustangs won the Flood-Marr Tournament for the first time in 40 years.
Cannata has coached some terrific players over the years, including current Seattle Kraken star Matt Beniers (Hingham, Mass.), who played his freshman season for the Mustangs. He’s coached other NHL draft picks, such as recent Colorado Avalanche selection Chris Romaine (Braintree, Mass.).
Cannata is a unique person who has always provided great insight into the hockey landscape. He’ll have a chance to go out on top as his Mustangs currently sit at 12-4-2 and in the fourth place position in the all-important JSPR, which is the prep school equivalent of the Pairwise Rankings in college hockey.
Cannata’s departure after the 2022-23 season means there will be at least three new coaches in prep school hockey next winter.
Dan Driscoll is stepping down as head coach at Berkshire to focus his time on being the Director of Athletics at the Sheffield, Mass., school. Jeff Dwyer is moving on from St. George's to take an administrative role at another prep school. All three are openings that will draw significant interest from a number of qualified coaches, including some currently in college hockey.
