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Wichita names Bruce Ramsay as head coach

Wichita names Bruce Ramsay as head coach

Wednesday, May 15th

Wichita, Kan. - The Wichita Thunder, ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Edmonton Oilers and American Hockey League's Bakersfield Condors, are announced the hiring of Bruce Ramsay as the club's new head coach.

Ramsay, 50, returns to the ECHL after spending three seasons as an assistant with the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins. Before that, he was the bench boss of the Tulsa Oilers from 2009-15, where he compiled a 185-180-35 record and led the Oilers to the playoffs in each of his last two seasons in Tulsa - which coincided with Oilers' final season in the Central Hockey League and their first season in the ECHL.A native of Dryden, Ontario, Ramsay returns to a place that he called home during his playing career. He played for the Thunder during the 2000-01 season, recording 35 points (11g-24a) and compiling 364 penalty minutes. Over his 12-year playing career, he was a part of eight championship teams, winning four Colonial Cups and two Royal Bank Cups. He finished with 245 points (74g-171a) and 3,432 penalty minutes in 677 games as a pro.

After his playing career ended in 2005, he was named the Head Coach of the ACHL's St. Pete/Winston-Salem Parrots. His head coaching career spans 11 seasons, including stints with the Port Hunron Beacons (2002-04), Muskegon Fury (2004-08), Muskegon Lumberjacks and the Oilers. Ramsay has consistently led his teams to the postseason, making the playoffs eight out of 11 years.

In 2015, Ramsay stepped down from the Oilers to pursue an assistant coaching position with Grand Rapids and helped lead them to the 2017 Calder Cup title.