Bootland named head coach of AHL's Cleveland Monsters

Former ECHL player and coach Nick Bootland has been named head coach of the American Hockey League's Cleveland Monsters.

The 47-year-old has served as an assistant coach for the AHL's Hershey Bears for the previous four seasons, helping guide the team to back-to-back Calder Cup championships in 2023 and 2024.

Prior to joining Hershey, Bootland spent 12 seasons as head coach for Kalamazoo, posting an overall record of 437-337-79 and leading the K-Wings to the 2011 Kelly Cup Finals. Bootland ranks eighth in ECHL history with 853 career games coached and 437 wins.

As a player, he skated in 114 career ECHL games with Cincinnati during the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons, recording 98 points (44g-54a). He also spent time in the AHL (Hershey and Cleveland), United Hockey League (Columbus and Kalamazoo) and International Hockey League (Kalamazoo).

Bootland becomes the 11th former ECHL coach to currently serve as an AHL head coach joining Bakersfield’s Colin Chaulk, Chicago’s Spiros Anastas, Coachella Valley’s Derek Laxdal, Grand Rapids’ Dan Watson, Manitoba’s Mark Morrison, Milwaukee’s Karl Taylor, Ontario’s Andrew Lord, Rochester’s Mike Leone, Texas’ Neil Graham and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s Kirk MacDonald.