Thursday 12 July 2012

Canes Extend Contract of Head Coach & GM Rich Preston

The Lethbridge Hurricanes are pleased to announce the Board of Directors unanimously agreed to exercise the 2013-2014 season option for Head Coach and General Manager Rich Preston.

Preston has been with the Club since the 2009-2010 season and started building the team through the Bantam Draft selecting players including Russell Maxwell, Sam McKechnie, Adam Henry, Jay Merkley and Macoy Erkamps who were all impact players with the Lethbridge Hurricanes over the past couple of years. For the first time in franchise history in 2011, the Hurricanes had two first round picks in the top 5. Both Ryan Pilon and Reid Duke contributed to the team when being called up during the season. Of Preston’s 11 Bantam Picks in 2011, all were named to their Provincial Teams that competed in regional and national competitions such as the Challenge Cup, the prestigious Mac’s Midget Hockey Tournament, TELUS Cup and they even suited up for Team Canada at the prestigious Youth Olympics.

“When Rich came, the plan from the board was to identify the high end talented players to move this team forward in becoming an elite hockey club in the Western Hockey League. By building through the draft, we’re going to see the fruits of our labor” stated Board Vice-President Brian Wichers.

Preston’s draft success continued this past May with two more picks in the first round. The Hurricanes had the fourth pick overall in which they drafted Giorgio Estephan from Edmonton, AB who was recently named one of six Albertans and 41 Canadian hockey players named to the NHLPA’s All-State All Canadian Mentorship Program. The Canes also drafted highly sought after Defenceman Thomas Lenchyshyn in the first round. Preston also acquired All-Star Goalie Ty Rimmer from Tri-City who was highly sought after by at least half a dozen other WHL teams.

Whether it’s players he’s drafted or traded for, the players Preston has brought into the organization are not only respected by their teammates and coaches, but they show their leadership and dedication to their team both on and off the ice. The Lethbridge Hurricanes look forward to continue building a winning tradition within the organization and community.

(From Esther Madziya, Hurricanes Media Relations)

Thanks,
Pat

28 comments:

  1. WOW. An extension based on draft success! Draft success means that we had high picks. This may be the worst PR spin I have ever seen. On a side note I would like to congratulate the Oilers on their draft success the past 3 years. Way to rock the draft. I honestly am almost speechless with this move, almost. Make him prove something first. For a team in financial distress to commit to another season paying him 2 pay cheques is insane. Look at the players he has developed. The Canes were embarrassed in this years NHL draft. It's becoming harder and harder to justify committing to season tickets when the BOD makes decisions like this. Could somebody please justify this move because I see no way this makes hockey or financial sense.

    Sku

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  2. I dont have a problem with extending Rich's contract but they desperately need help and a new voice behind the bench...hopefully they have the sense to at least add an assistant coach or replace one of the existing ones...TD

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  3. I agree I am sitting here shaking my head in amazement. Why would they have not waited and seen how this year worked out.

    Rich

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  4. Possible to get refund for season tickets? Very discouraged with this extension of contract by the Board. How many years does a coach/GM get to prove his worth?
    Agree completely with comments above by Sku and Rich......Also,
    iPeirdndf the Assistant coaches are so bad why hasn't the coach or GM made some changes....yet another reason for this questionable extension. Don't think the poor showing by the Canes can be blamed on the Assistant coaches.

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  5. Sku and the rest have really hit the nail on the head here. Draft success? That is perhaps the most retarded thing I have ever heard. Preston does not coach at all. Players come here and get worse. Is it posssible that Bryan Maxwell or Mike Dick could be coaxed back? Didnt this used to be a hockey town? Ouch.

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  6. Yes can I have a refund on my seasons tickets! Unbeleivable is what it really is . I thought Richie was going to LA to be with his buddy Daryl? Guess not when you have a gig like this .

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  7. The Board has proven once again how in tune with the fan base they are.
    There isn't a single hockey staff member that should return here come September let alone be given an extension. Is it April 1?

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  8. Congratulations to thr board for allowing Rich to finish the job he started. Everyone should realize that Prestons first picks will be 17 this season, only now will we see their true ability to play at this level. A longterm plan may finally be allow to be finished here in Lethbridge.

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  9. I feel sorry for the coaching all these highly touted draft picks will get. Their hockey future depends on stepping up to the next level and preparing to play pro, i don't know if they'll get that in Lethbridge.

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  10. its hard to believe that preston will be here even longer, the fact that in 1 or 2 years this MIGHT be agreat team is shadowed by how long it took him to get it that way.drafting high is a good thing but 3-4 years of no improovement in a team speak much louder on the mans abilaty....didnt buy season ticket last year and wont buy this years either...bad fan or not, after years of season tickets they can bring me back with something to watch instead of smiling at something that may never happen..

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  11. Good on Rich for wanting to stay and finish what he started. Rich likely has opportunities to quit on this job and bolt to the NHL. He looks to have a desire to follow this job through. Asked to build through the draft and did. Not sure what everyone expected given the talent he had? Personally I think he did a good job with the small, low end hockey talent he had. His first draft class showed more talent than any of the age groups in years (since Kings, Zack and Banks class). His 96’s group looks to have a couple of sure fire first rounder’s. Got great return for players he traded. Good move by the board. I am also a fan that hates mediocrity; just making the playoffs for a first round exit is a waste of my time and money. Build for a contender and the long playoff runs that promote a strong fan base. Bob you will be back and happy with youth coming up.

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  12. I think this is a good move for the organization. I think this team is going to soar in a couple of years and stability is needed now. This organization was in shambles when Rich came but we are soon going to see the rewards of his drafting. It is no secret that he could have left for an opportunity in the NHL. I respect him for staying and seeing this out.

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  13. @ SKU - All our high end drafted players were not obtained just due to our poor play. Erkamps, Topping, Pilon, Asmon and Lenchyshyn are all first and second round picks obtain by Rich through trade. Not only did we have to play without the players we traded to get the picks we had to hit on the picks. Way too early to tell but the D-men look to be successes that can hold their own in this league. Finally fun to go into a season with highly touted youth and some true competition. My biggest complaint with Rich is he didn’t draft a goalie high in the last three drafts.

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  14. The reason he got all those picks was due to the fact that the team in last place and was in a selling position. A losing record (and players not wanting to play here) made him trade those players, not savvy deal making. I am just frustrated by the fact that rebuilding is not a 5 year process in the WHL. Look at Calgary as an example. One bad season. By the mid way point you could see them progress where you knew they would be a playoff team the next season. There has not been one Preston lead team that was better at the end of the season than it was at the start and he has developed no players into NHL talent, which is what his job is. The amount of rope Rich has given himself is admirable. He has had a built in excuse for failure his entire tenure in Lethbridge. Remember this team will "peak" in 2-3 years meaning it took Rich 5-6 years to even be competitive. My only feeling on this issue is why did they have to give him an extension right now. If the team shows progress through the first half of the season then do it then but rewarding a coach on potential rather than results is insane.
    Sku

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  15. No matter what the board had done, it would have been critisized.

    RJ

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  16. His job is not to develop NHL talent! His job is to have a great Hurricane team and entertain Lethbridge fans, players advancing to the NHL should only be a byproduct of being a great jounior team. I do not pay to watch the NHL, i pay to watch junior hockey.

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  17. RJ correctly observes that whatever the Board does will be criticized. But that's not the point. The question is whether or not the criticisms are valid. In my view the coaching is pathetic. Talent is being wasted. Which brings up the point made about whether Preston is supposed to build a Hurricanes team or prepare kids for the NHL. How can these not be the same goal. If the boys are improved the NHL will like them and the team will do better. If they are not the NHL will ignore and the team will flounder. I leave it to you to decide what is happening with this coach. If you are in doubt, check out the standings and the NHL draft results. They tell the same story, as they pretty much always do.

    Anyway this contract extension will devastate the players and disappoint the fans alike. And the criticism of the Board will be well deserved. Do they even watch the games?

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  18. Given the last three rosters, who on our team possessed the prototypical size, speed and talent to be regarded as an NHL top prospect. I think people are giving the coaching staff too much credit as to how kids develop. Look at d-men picked in the first round of the NHL draft this year and look at their bantam draft places. You will find they were all high bantam picks. If Duke, Pilon, Merkley, don’t get drafted then I would say the coaching staff are doing the players a disservice. No coach can teach the size of Pilon, the scoring touch of Duke or the speed of Watson etc. Point is we had low end players and the better players we did have we traded for building for the future.

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  19. I may have said that no matter what the decision is, it will be critisized. We all have opinions, and concerns. Like others have previously said, my concern is for the development of the players. Like it or not, Preston has made some smart trades to load up on young talent. Now, it is up to him, to develop these into the players they should be. I am concern that such development may not happen. The pressure is squarely on the shoulders of Preston. The team can't falter out of the gate, the team can't have a long losing streak, the team must improve and they must, absolutely must make the playoffs.

    RJ

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  20. From Drinnan Today: There also has been speculation that Rich Preston, the general manager and head coach of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, still may end up as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Kings. I had heard that rumour a while ago, but put it to bed last week when the Hurricanes announced they had picked up the 2013-14 option on Preston’s contract. However, Preston does have a relationship with Kings head coach Darryl Sutter, who is looking for an assistant coach.

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  21. Preston vs. Sutter staring contest. Who do you got? I'm going with Sutter. More experience and smiling is not in his DNA. We saw a glimpse when they won this year so I count that as a one off exception. Think we have beaten the option pickup issue to death by now. Gotta change the subject until the AGM, which should be interesting to say the least.

    Sku

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  22. Unbelievable for anyone to even think that Preston had any opportunities to bolt to the NHL. His 1 and only shot may have been with the Kings and only because of his buddy Darryl Sutter. NHL teams find the best coaches avaiable and with the record that Preston has recorded since he has taken on this job you can bet Preston's phone has NOT been ringing off the hook. It's not just the win loss record that is important. When the NHL teams are watching the kids on most teams develop and improve from the beginning of the season to the end and then watch the Hurricane players go in the opposite direction the spot light shines directly on the coach. It is a shame to think that Preston has not been able to develop any of these kids and give them a chance to be drafted into the NHL. The only exception was Sutter and I'm sure his development was more from having his Dad in his corner helping him than from anything he learned from these coaches. There was no hurry to extend his contract. The right decision would have been to wait and see how the team fairs this year. After all doesn't everyone get at least 4 years at their job to prove themselves. With the team a couple years away(if we are lucky) from being in the thick of things I guess these coaches get 6 years to do their job. Everyone should be so lucky! Shame on the board!
    Mike

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  23. I agree let’s find the coach that can get rid of our first and second round picks and develop our 6th, 7th, 8th and undrafted kids into world calibre players. Shame on the board for not finding that coach. What a disgrace.

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  24. Anonymous Mike 1:26 Preston's contract states that year 5 had to be picked up in the June/July after the 3rd year ended. Year four (2012-2013) was actually picked up two years ago. The options, years four and five were required to be picked up or dropped two years in advance. Remember this contract goes back four years, see whom was on the board then!!!!

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  25. From the Drinnan report. July 21/2012 Last week, the Lethbridge Hurricanes announced they had picked up the 2013-14 option on GM/head coach Rich Preston’s contract.
    However, there is speculation that Preston may have an opportunity to join the coaching staff of the Stanley Cup-champion Los Angeles Kings. He was an assistant coach under Kings’ head coach Darryl Sutter with the San Jose Sharks and Calgary Flames.
    Preston has been with the Hurricanes through three seasons.
    A source familiar with Preston and his situation said last night that Preston has an out clause in his new contract that would allow him to leave to accept an offer from the Kings. The source also said he wouldn’t be at all surprised if Preston ended up in L.A.
    The Kings are looking to fill a hole created when Jamie Kompon, a six-year assistant, left and signed with the Chicago Blackhawks.

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  26. I hope they are interviewing potential coaches if Preston is likely to leave. I would assume the board spoke with Preston about his leaving prior to extending his contract.

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  27. Since Preston did accept the extension, the board would have no reason to be looking for a new coach....that would be up to a new GM.
    However, it would appear to me that if Preston did leave, considering the timing, considering the knowledge of the players, considering he did apply for the job before, the natural progression would be to offer the job to Brad Robson. I would expect should that scenario play out, he would bring in a new head coach who would then hire his own choices for assistant. All speculation.

    RJ

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  28. Let's hope the rumors (which they were) will be put to an end. Someone in the media was trying to stir the pot with speculation that Preston was leaving to join the Kings.
    Preston is not in the mix to work with Darryl Sutter. That door (which likely was never open) was finally closed today.
    As the Kings announced that former St. Louis head coach Davis Payne.

    RJ

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