(Greater Sudbury, ON) The Sudbury Wolves, in conjunction with the Nashville Predators, announce that Head Coach Derek MacKenzie has been named an Assistant Coach with the NHL club. The Sudbury Wolves have named Ken MacKenzie as the team’s new Head Coach.
“It is a bittersweet day for our hockey club,” said Wolves Vice President and General Manager Rob Papineau. “Derek is someone that we really value and believe in both as a person and Head Coach. He came home last season and really helped our hockey team turn a corner and did a tremendous job for the Sudbury Wolves. While his stay in Sudbury was brief, he leaves our players and organization in a better place which is something that will help us tremendously this upcoming season with our goal of winning a league championship. Derek will always be special to our hockey club, and we feel very fortunate that his father, Ken MacKenzie, who has provided so much knowledge and guidance to him, will be the person now guiding this special group of players here in Sudbury. We wish Derek and his family great success in Nashville, and we are excited to have Ken back as our next Head Coach,” added Papineau.
Incoming General Manager Barry Trotz announced today that the team has hired Derek MacKenzie as an assistant coach. https://t.co/JBsIjpZn3D
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) June 22, 2023
Derek MacKenzie was behind the Wolves bench for 50 games with a record of 23 wins, 20 losses, 4 overtime losses and 3 shootout losses for a 0.530 winning percentage. He helped guide the team to a very strong finish in the Eastern Conference, just 3 points shy of 4th place and home ice advantage in the playoffs. The Wolves lost to the eventual OHL Champion Peterborough Petes in round 1 of the playoffs.
“On behalf of my family I’d like to start by thanking Dario Zulich and his family as he made our family feel like we were a part of his family,” said Derek MacKenzie. “I’d also like to take the opportunity to thank Rob Papineau for all the support and the opportunity to coach in Sudbury. In addition, I would like to thank Ken Mackenzie, Rick Dorval, Gary Ricciardi, Al Valiquette and Dan Buckland, as well as the rest of the employees with the Sudbury Wolves, on making my experience with the Wolves one I’ll never forget. Most importantly, I’d like to thank the players who every day came to the rink ready to work and have fun. It was the players that made this decision the most difficult one to make. I’d also like to thank my wife Sarah and my children Reese and Greyson for all their love and support. As a player, I always tried to compete my hardest and leave the jersey in a better place than it was when I got there and as a coach, I try to instill those same qualities and values in our players. I wish Wolves organization nothing but the best and will be keeping a close eye on what I really believe will be an outstanding season,” added MacKenzie.
Ken MacKenzie previously coached the team for 4 seasons between 1988 and 1992. For any Wolves coach, with 3 or more seasons, he ranks as one of the most successful Head Coaches in franchise history, owning the highest winning percentage over his career at 0.521%. Last season, on an Interim basis, he coached the team for 7 games, posting 5 wins, 1 loss and 1 overtime loss for a 0.786 winning percentage.
Derek MacKenzie Named @PredsNHL Assistant Coach – Ken MacKenzie Named Wolves Head Coach
📰: https://t.co/V8nRE708nz pic.twitter.com/25B2zCV5QE— Sudbury Wolves (@Sudbury_Wolves) June 22, 2023
“I am very excited to be behind the bench of this team as I really believe in this group of players and their commitment to winning,” said new Head Coach Ken MacKenzie. “I really enjoyed working with both Rick Dorval and Gary Ricciardi last season and look forward to working with them both again this year. I would like to thank Rob Papineau along with Dario Zulich and Bob Johnston for this opportunity as I am fully committed to this team and doing everything to achieve our goal of winning a championship, added MacKenzie.
Rob Papineau also stated, “we have a great team of players assembled here for this coming season. We are returning more goals than any team in the Eastern Conference. Ken has tremendous passion, knowledge, and the experience we need behind our bench. He knows our players very well and our players and staff really respect and trust him. In a big year ahead for us, we are very happy that the transition for our players will be seamless and smooth from last season where we finished strong in the final quarter with a 10-6-1 record.”
Sudbury Wolves Owner and Governor, Dario Zulich had the following comments on the coaching change, “as owner of the Sudbury Wolves, I deeply appreciate the impact of our MacKenzie father-son coaching duo. Their dedication and leadership have propelled us forward, improving both team spirit and performance. We have seen a marked improvement in performance, skill, and team spirit under their watch, as the impact of their leadership has been deeply felt both on and off the ice. As we congratulate Derek on his well-deserved move back to the NHL, we are very proud that the Sudbury Wolves could once again be part of his journey. I am both excited and confident that Ken MacKenzie will continue to guide our players and our team towards success, and I believe he will lead us to our goals. Ken genuinely understands how to bring out the best in every individual both in hockey and in life. We’re eager for the upcoming season and remain dedicated to all our players and our loyal fans.”
