Jean-Guy Trudel Named 2025 SPHL Coach of the Year
April 18, 2025 - 10:35 am
PEORIA, IL— The Peoria Rivermen, in conjunction with the SPHL, announced on Friday that head coach Jean-Guy Trudel has been named the league’s coach of the year for the 2024-25 season. This is the fourth SPHL Coach of the Year honor for Trudel.
The 2024-25 season was a trying one for Coach Trudel as he was forced to navigate numerous injuries, call-ups, and other factors affecting his lineup. In total, over 60 different players were listed on Peoria’s roster throughout the season. Despite the challenges, Trudel had a historic season behind the bench. Under his guidance, Peoria finished with a 40-10-6 record, matching the previous Rivermen win record in the SPHL set during the 2018-19 campaign. In the process, Peoria captured its league-leading sixth William B. Coffey Trophy as regular-season champions.
On a personal level, this season was also a historic one for the Sudbury, Ontario native. Trudel became the winningest coach in SPHL history this season, notching his 369th regular-season victory on November 23 following a 4-1 victory over Pensacola. Trudel also followed up that personal mark with another one later in the season. On March 29, Trudel became the first coach in SPHL history to record 400 victories in a career following a 5-0 victory on home ice against Pensacola. Trudel’s 402 regular-season triumphs and 33 postseason victories make him the winningest head coach (regular season and playoffs) in the history of the SPHL.
A former player for the Rivermen in the AHL, Trudel has led Peoria for the past 11 seasons. Trudel and the Rivermen have amassed six regular-season titles, five finals appearances in the playoffs, and two President’s Cup championships. Trudel was previously honored as SPHL Coach of the Year in 2015, 2016, and 2018.
Trudel and the Rivermen are on the road as they take on the Evansville Thunderbolts in the President’s Cup semifinal round. The face-off for Game Two on Friday night is set for 7:00 pm Central Time. The Rivermen trail the best-of-three series one game to nothing.
