Brent Walker has a tough act to follow.

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Brent Walker has a tough act to follow.

The 35-year-old Walker is the new head coach of the defending Schmalz Cup champion Lakeshore Canadiens. He officially accepted the job just days ahead of Friday’s season opener against the Amherstburg Admirals. Game time at the Atlas Tube Centre is 7 p.m.

“I’m excited about it,” Walker said. “It’s a good team with a good core that’s tight knit and I’m looking forward to the season coming off a big year.”

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After the club’s second provincial title in three years, head coach Anthony Iaquinta made the decision to move up to junior B with the LaSalle Vipers along with assistant coach Milan Dobric.

Walker, Iaquinta and Dobric were childhood friends playing hockey in LaSalle from the age of eight.

Work commitments took Walker to Toronto for several years, but he got involved with the Canadiens upon returning and officially moved into an assistant coaching role with the club last season.

“He’s one of the most popular coaches I’ve ever seen in my life,” Canadiens’ general manager Mark Seguin said. “He’s smart and the players love him.”

When the search began for a new head coach, Seguin immediately turned to Walker, but he wasn’t ready to commit the job on the spot.

That left Seguin no option, but to investigate seven or eight other candidates although Walker still took care of handling the team during training camp.

“Mark has always been very transparent with me and good to me,” Walker said. “I didn’t think about being a head coach, but once I started talking to players and senior guys on the team, it gave confidence they were behind me.”

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While there has been some changes to the roster, the Canadiens still return 15 players this season and Walker noted that nine or 10 of them have won multiple titles, who are firmly behind the move.

“Brent is a great role model and someone that all the players can get behind,” Canadiens’ captain Marco Sladoje said. “He knows a lot about the game and knows the systems. More importantly, he’s someone who is well respected in our organization.”

While Iaquinta and Dobric played hockey at various junior levels in the area, Walker actually became more known for his ability on the baseball diamond in a decade with the Tecumseh Thunder program.

“I was a baseball guy, but I supported Anthony and Milan prior to joining the team,” Walker said. “Last year rejuvenated a passion for hockey.”

Walker isn’t worried about trying to duplicate Iaquinta’s 192-30-8-6 mark (.843 winning percentage) with the Canadiens, but he doesn’t plan to mess with success.

“I’m excited because we have 15 returning players and there will be a lot of continuity with what Anthony and Milan did,” Walkers said. “I don’t have many nerves. I have confidence in the overagers and guys that have played in the system for a number of years. From a system approach, it’ll be similar to what we’ve done in the past. It’s proven to be a winning style of play.”

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J.J. Percy, who played four years with the Canadiens and has been head coach of Belle River’s under-18 team, joins the team as associate coach. Colin Moore, who played a year with the junior C Essex 73’s and three seasons with the junior B Leamington Flyers, joins the team as an assistant coach.

“We’re in a good spot,” Seguin said. “The transition’s been smooth and I’m actually excited. The core of our players are back and they want to win another (title).”

No doubt there are many that will scrutinize every Lakeshore game this season. However, Walker said that was going to be the case whether he or Iaquinta were behind the bench simply because of the amount of success the team has enjoyed in recent years.

“I’m not worried,” Walker said. “Obviously, having success, the microscope will be on the team and a target on our back. 

“I think you’ll see a similar Lakeshore team to what you’ve seen in previous seasons. With 15 guys returning, it would be still to make drastic changes.”

Along with opening the Provincial Junior Hockey League season on Friday, the Canadiens will also mark the occasion by raising three more banners to the rafters while also handing out championship rings.

jpparker@postmedia.com

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