Nick Bootland, Kalamazoo Wings

Nick Bootland is in his 11th season as head coach and director of hockey operations for Kalamazoo having been named to the position on May 29, 2008. He has led the K-Wings to the North Division title in four of their nine seasons in the ECHL and to seven appearances in the Kelly Cup Playoffs. In 2011-12, the K-Wings advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals one year after an appearance in the Kelly Cup Finals. He enters the 2018-19 season tied for seventh in ECHL history with 648 games coached and tied for eighth with 342 career regular-season wins.

Bootland played two seasons in the ECHL for Cincinnati from 2001-03 and had 98 points (44g-54a) and 216 penalty minutes in 114 regular season games and 18 points (10g-8a) and 21 penalty minutes in 18 Kelly Cup Playoff games. He helped the Cyclones reach the conference finals in 2003 where they lost in to eventual Kelly Cup champion Atlantic City in seven games. He played four seasons for Kalamazoo, including the last three years of his career from 2005-08, and had 260 points (131g-129a) and 351 penalty minutes in 241 regular season games and 38 points (22g-16a) and 45 penalty minutes in 33 playoff games. He led the league his last season with 46 goals and 19 power-play goals while finishing tied for third with 82 points in 73 games. Bootland was named the Most Valuable Player of the playoffs in 2006 when he had 10 goals and 16 points in 13 games to help the K-Wings capture their first championship in 26 years.

Selected in the ninth round (220th overall) by Dallas in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft, he played seven seasons in the American Hockey League with Cleveland and Hershey and had 58 points (23g-35a) and 365 penalty minutes in 258 regular season games and seven points (3g-4a) and 43 penalty minutes in 23 playoff games. Bootland and his wife, Christine, reside in Kalamazoo, Mich. with their children, Makayla and Breckyn.