The Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Red Deer Rebels announced today that they have hired Petes Assistant Coach Derrick Walser as the team’s new Head Coach.
Walser, a native of New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, joined the Petes in August of 2017 as an Assistant Coach. He’s spent the last six years as a member of the coaching staff, winning an OHL Championship and coaching in the Memorial Cup in 2023. Walser joined the Petes from the Belfast Giants in the UK’s Elite Ice Hockey League, where he served as a Player/Head Coach for two seasons.
“On behalf of the Peterborough Petes, we’d like to congratulate Derrick as he takes this exciting step in his coaching career,” noted Petes General Manager Michael Oke. “Over the last six years Derrick has been a staple on the Petes bench and has earned the opportunity to become a head coach at this level. We wish Derrick, his wife Sara, and their sons Camden and Hudson nothing but the best in this transition”
“I’m thankful to Mike Oke for bringing me into this organization 6 years ago.” stated Walser. “Peterborough will always feel like home to me and my family. We’ve loved our time here with the Petes organization.”
The Walser family have been active members of the Peterborough community since joining the Petes in 2017.
Before beginning his career behind the bench, Walser played nineteen seasons of professional hockey between the NHL (Columbus), AHL (Syracuse, Saint John, Albany, Toronto), ECHL (Johnstown), KHL (Chekhov), Swiss-A (Rapperswil-Jona), DEL (Berlin), and was most recently a Player/Head Coach for two seasons with the Belfast Giants of the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL).
“I’ve learned a lot being here.” Continued Walser. “Working with this group, particularly with Rob Wilson, has helped shape me into the coach I am today. We had a great, close-knit crew and I will always have fond memories of my time with the Petes. Not just our OHL win and the support from our epic fans, but the time behind the scenes working together towards a championship. The hardest part will be leaving the community we’ve created here. Thank you and Go Petes Go!”
Walser spent five seasons as a defenseman in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with the Beauport Harfangs and Rimouski Oceanic, recording 82 goals, 173 assists, 255 points and 293 penalty minutes in 255 career games. The career point-per-game defenseman was named QMJHL and CHL Defenceman of the Year in 1997-98.
