BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The Bloomington Blaze, presented by Mid-Illini Credit Union, have named Brian Gratz as head coach for the team’s second season in the Central Hockey League. 
In four seasons as a head coach at the professional level, Gratz has taken his team to post-season play three times with the only exception being the past season’s Dayton Gems squad that was decimated by injuries throughout the entire campaign. Of the three teams he led to playoff berths, two earned league championships, including the Indiana Ice Miners in the Mid-American Hockey League in 2008 and the Jersey Rockhoppers of the Eastern Professional Hockey League in 2009. While in Indiana, Gratz led the way to a professional hockey record 26-game winning streak on the way to an overall record of 31-1-0. After a season as the head goaltending coach at his alma mater Penn State, Gratz entered the Central Hockey League as the head coach of the Dayton Gems for the past two seasons. Gratz owns a career record of 118-78-21 as a head coach at the professional level. Gratz was a goaltender on four American Collegiate Hockey Association national championship teams at Penn State, and spent the the next five seasons as a goalie in minor league hockey. After his playing days, Gratz began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant coach for the ECHL’s Reading Royals in 2006-07. “Brian brings a solid understanding of what it takes to be successful in the Central Hockey League,” Blaze President and General Manager David Holt said. “His teams have consistently displayed a high level of toughness and he has a history of success. Brian knows pro hockey, particularly the CHL, very well and that knowledge combined with his enthusiasm will serve the Blaze and our fans on and off the ice very well.” Contact comments@prohockeynews.com
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