Ryan Warsofsky named Stingrays' head coach

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. - The South Carolina Stingrays announced that Ryan Warsofsky has been named Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations. Warsofsky, 28, becomes the seventh head coach in club history, and takes control of the bench after serving as Manager of Hockey Operations and Assistant Coach for three years.The Stingrays are the ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Washington Capitals and the American Hockey League's Hershey Bears.“Today is the start of a new era for the Stingrays,” said Stingrays President Rob Concannon. “I’m so excited for Ryan and the upcoming season. I am very confident he will do a terrific job assembling a Stingrays team that we can all rally around. I wish tomorrow was Opening Night.”Warsofsky becomes the first American-born coach in franchise history, and is the fifth-youngest coach in ECHL history. He is currently the youngest active coach in the league. Since joining the Stingrays in 2013, Warsofsky has played a large role in several of the most successful seasons in team history while working with the team’s defense and special teams. Under his guidance last season, South Carolina won the South Division, and surrendered just 162 goals against, the lowest total for a single season in club history. Additionally, the club finished top-five in the ECHL on the penalty kill (87.5 percent, 1st) and the power play (19.6 percent, 4th). Warsofsky was part of the 2014-15 club that recorded an ECHL-record 23-game win-streak and advanced to the Kelly Cup Finals. Under Warsofsky’s watch, the club’s penalty kill finished first in the league in both 2014-15 and 2015-16."I am extremely excited about this new opportunity in my coaching career," said Warsofsky. "I have had the pleasure in working in this first-class organization for the past three years and cannot wait to start the 2016-17 season. I would first like to thank the entire Zucker family — Anita, Jonathan, and Jeffrey — for giving me this tremendous opportunity to lead this historic franchise. I am looking forward to the upcoming year and putting together a team that plays fast and hard, and is a group that our fans can be proud of every single night." Warsofsky, a native of North Marshfield, Mass., patrolled the blue line for Sacred Heart and Curry College before playing one season of professional hockey in 2011-12. He moved behind the bench in 2012, serving as an Assistant Coach at Curry College for one season before joining the Stingrays.“The South Carolina Stingrays — and the Zucker family — are excited to embark on the next chapter of our relationship with Ryan Warsofsky,” said Stingrays owner Anita Zucker, on behalf of the Zucker family. “Ryan has been a major contributor to the organization since his arrival three years ago, and we are thrilled to give him the reins as he develops what will undoubtedly be a great future for the Stingrays, and the beginning of his own long and successful career.Warsofsky succeeds Spencer Carbery, who departed to become the Head Coach of the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League after five seasons at the helm.“Three years ago, Rob Concannon and Spencer Carbery took a chance on me and I will be forever grateful,” said Warsofsky. “I have learned so much from Rob in these past three years and he has supported me since day one. I am looking forward to working with him in achieving our goals in 2016-2017. Additionally, with Spencer, I learned from the best coach, GM, and person these past three years and I cannot thank him enough.”