Paddy McCarthy steps down at Canterbury; Andrey Uryadov to take over

For the first time since 2005, there will be a new head coach behind the Canterbury boys hockey bench.

Paddy McCarthy will step back from his role as head coach to become an assistant coach next season. In his place, current associate head coach Andrey Uryadov has been elevated to head coach.

"I stepped down voluntarily because it was the right time for me, my family and kids, and for the program to continue to grow," McCarthy told New England Hockey Journal.

McCarthy went to Canterbury as a student before playing for Saint Anselm. He returned to Canterbury in 1999 as the junior varsity head coach. He was an assistant varsity coach from 2001-03 and the associate head coach from 2003-05. He was named head coach in 2005.

In his 21 years as boss, McCarthy went 208-341-46. His best season was in 2023-24 when the Saints went 21-10-2 en route to a Small School title over Rivers. This past winter, Canterbury went 19-10-2 and was a goal away from going back to the Small School championship game.

"I am so proud of where we are as a program, and I'm thankful to all my assistant coaches along the way who gave blood, sweat and tears to Saints Hockey," McCarthy said. "I consider my role as head coach to be a blessing for 21 years and a privilege to be able to pass the leadership along to a great person."

McCarthy worked with Canterbury on the transition to Uryadov and hired him to become the head coach next season.

Uryadov played at South Kent from 2003-05 before embarking on a four-year career at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

After two professional seasons overseas from 2009-11, Uryadov ended up at South Kent in 2015. From 2020-23, he was South Kent's director of skill development, and the hockey director from 2023-25.

"Coach Uryadov's leadership reflects a clear focus on preparation, skill development and helping players reach their potential," the school said in a story. "At Canterbury, he has already contributed to the program's growth and brings a thoughtful, forward-looking approach to his new role."

READ MORE: 9 takeaways from college hockey recruiting over the last month

Canterbury also announced it would compete in the CEM (Cutting Edge Management) fall prep league, which began last season. The league competed on the weekends last fall at one location. The participating teams were Frederick Gunn, Salisbury, Deerfield, Taft and Westminster, as well as South Kent and Nichols.