ST. JOHN’S, Newfoundland and Labrador – It appears the new AHL franchise in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador has its first head coach.
According to a number of media reports, Keith McCambridge will soon be announced as the bench boss of the yet-to-be-named St. John’s entry in the AHL.
McCambridge has an extensive coaching and playing background in professional hockey and appears well suited to guide the top farm club of the Winnipeg Jets. He spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach with the Manitoba Moose, the former AHL club that recently relocated to St. John’s.
The 37-year-old began his coaching career as a player-assistant coach with the Alaska Aces of the ECHL in 2003. After three years in the role, he hung up the skates to become a full time assistant coach with the Aces in 2006 before becoming the club’s head coach prior to the 2007-08 season.
During the 2008-09 campaign, McCambridge led the Aces to the ECHL league final, helping him earn an assistant coaching position with the Manitoba Moose the following season.
In his two years as a professional hockey head coach, McCambridge accumulated an impressive winning percentage, guiding the Aces to 86 wins, 50 losses and eight overtime losses over 144 games. As an assistant coach in Manitoba, he was responsible for the team’s defense.
Prior to entering coaching, McCambridge spent 11 seasons playing professionally in North American minor leagues. He suited up as a defenseman in the ECHL, the IHL and the AHL, lacing up his skates for the Saint John Flames, Las Vegas Thunder, Long Beach Ice Dogs, Providence Bruins, Houston Aeros, Cleveland Barons and Alaska Aces.
McCambridge also played four years of Canadian major junior hockey in the WHL, playing with the Swift Current Broncos for three and a half seasons before finishing his junior career with half a year as a Kamloops Blazer.
Terry Ryan, a St. John’s native and a former member of the Montreal Canadiens who played against McCambridge in the WHL and the AHL, remembers the future St. John’s coach as a hard-nosed, stay-at-home defenseman. Ryan said McCambridge was the type of player who never took a shift off, a trait he expects McCambridge will continue as a head coach.
“He was tough,” Ryan said. “He was a solid player and he didn’t take any BS out there.”
McCambridge’s career high in points came in 2004-05 when he had three goals and eight assists in 56 games with the Aces. He accumulated a career high 263 penalty minutes while playing for the Providence Bruins in 2001-02.
Notes: The AHL announced last week the new St. John’s franchise will play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. St. John’s will join the Portland Pirates, Manchester Monarchs, Worchester Sharks and Providence Bruins in the five-team division. St. John’s will play each division rival eight times during the 2011-12 season, four times in St. John’s and four times on the road.
Contact Darcy.MacRae@prohockeynews.com
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