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Ottawa Citizen

Jim Hulton inducted into hometown Kingston and District Sports Hall of Fame

Article content Jim Hulton described feeling shocked and gracious after learning he would be inducted into the Kingston and District Sport Hall of Fame. Article content Article content Hulton, the general manager and head coach of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League's (QMJHL) Charlottetown Islanders, was recently honoured as a builder for hockey during a ceremony in Kingston, Ont. Article content 'You are filled with gratitude,' Hulton told The Guardian in a phone interview earlier this week. 'It means a lot to me and obviously growing up there, there are a lot of people in the Hall (of Fame) that I looked up to. Article content Article content Hulton was one of six inductees along with Simon Whitfield (athlete, triahtlon); Victor Mendes (builder, soccer); Pat O'Brien (athlete, auto racing); Randy Stewart (builder, hockey), and Ken Thompson, builder, curling). Article content 'It was unbelievable to be standing on the stage with an Olympic gold-medal winner, Simon Whitfield, and people who have 30 to 40 years in their respective fields,' said Hulton. 'It's always nice to see the cross sections of people who are involved in events like that.' Article content Article content P.E.I. connection Article content Hulton, who lives in Cornwall, P.E.I., has been head coach of the Islanders for 10 years and general manager for the last six. Hulton was named the 2021-22 Canadian Hockey League (CHL) coach of the year. Article content Prior to joining the Islanders, Hulton built an extensive coaching resume with Hockey Canada teams competing internationally at different levels; in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL); junior A and junior B hockey in Ontario; United States Hockey League (USHL) and spent two seasons as an assistant coach with the Florida Panthers in the National Hockey League (NHL). Article content Hulton said the support of his family has been paramount, whether he was playing sports or coaching. Article content 'Without their support, I wouldn't be anywhere,' said Hulton. 'You think of all the hours spent in rinks, ball diamonds, and my mother and father and all the sacrifices they made. Article content 'I have three brothers that were all in attendance (for the induction ceremony) and obviously my wife and two kids, who have been willing participants in this crazy journey for a lot of years. It was more a reflection on my family more than anything.' Article content A huge congratulations to our Head Coach and GM, Jim Hulton, who will be inducted into the Kingston & District Sports Hall of Fame tonight! 👏 This incredible honour recognizes Jim's lifelong dedication to the game. We're proud to have him at the helm. — Charlottetown Islanders (@IslandersHKY) May 2, 2025 Article content Multi-sport athlete Article content Growing up in Wolfe Island, Ont., which is near Kingston, sports was a big part of Hulton's life, which included playing hockey, baseball, high school football and rugby. Article content 'We were a sports family and kind of involved in everything,' said Hulton. 'There were a lot of different influences. Article content 'I talked about my youth baseball coach was my high school football coach. You learn a little bit from everybody, and it was a good chance to reflect and say to thanks to a lot of people who helped along the way.' Article content With a lot of emphasis on kids now focusing on one sport year-round, Hulton is a big believer in young people playing and trying different sports. Article content 'All of us were in a different era,' said Hulton. 'When the ice went out, you grabbed your ball glove and went (to the ball field). Article content 'It just seemed to be second nature – that's what you did. I think it created athletes as opposed to just hockey players. I think that's very, very important. Article content 'From a coaching perspective, you learned a little bit from everything. I learned a lot of details from ex-football coaches that I still think of with practice planning; you have to be organized, and with baseball it was certain details. You steal a little bit from everybody in terms of making it your own.