The Halifax Mooseheads have a new head coach.

Andrew Lord is leaving the team to become the head coach for the Ontario Reign, which is part of the American Hockey League.

Brad MacKenzie was promoted from associate coach to head coach.

MacKenzie became associate coach in June 2024, the same time Lord was named as head coach.

Lord had just won a coach of the year award with the ECHL for the previous four seasons coaching the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, one of the affiliate teams for the Los Angeles Kings.

He’s returning to that franchise now, becoming head coach of the Kings’ top affiliate team, the Ontario Reign.

He says it brings him back to a franchise that treated him well, and one step closer to his goal of coaching in the NHL

“At the same time, it’s tough to leave Halifax. I love the city and the fans, and I love what we started to build this past season as a team. I want to thank Sam and Peter Simon for believing in me and for giving me the opportunity to coach this storied franchise. I also want to say thank you to Cam Russell and both the hockey operations and business staffs, it’s been a pleasure working with you and I know the team is in great hands with Brad,” says Lord.

He also thanked the players for their hard work and making it a great year for him.