Thunder formally announces McClelland as new head coach

WICHITA, Kan. – The Wichita Thunder held a press conference in Intrust Bank Arena today to formally announce Kevin McClelland as their new head coach.
“We are thrilled to be able to hire someone as high-caliber as Kevin,” Thunder General Manager Joel T. Lomurno said. “He is the complete package when it comes to coaching. He is a great recruiter, he is a proven winner, he is a personable, yet no-nonsense, and he is highly respected both by his players and his peers.”
McClelland had reportedly expressed interest in the Thunder’s coaching vacancy soon after the Colorado Eagles announced that they would not be renewing his contract. After several conversations by phone with Thunder GM Joel Lomurno, McClelland as his wife Wendy came down for a closer look at the franchise on April 16-18^th. They obviously came away impressed.

Of course, McClelland may have also seen something he liked during his previous trip, with the Colorado Eagles on March 10^th. That night, at a game the home team surely was not favored, 6,819 screaming fans filled the Intrust Bank Arena. It’s a fair bet; few were there to cheer on the Eagles who won 8-1. Obviously it’s a great venue; the kind of arena that’s a strong recruiting tool.
Forward Paul Kelly commented on the announcement.
“I think it would be great to have a coach of Kevin McClelland’s caliber come to the Thunder,” Kelly said. “Obviously it was a year to forget but with a new coach that can bring in high profile players;   it would be a step in the right direction.” The Thunder, coming off last season’s dismal 9-50-5 season, have no where to go but up. They haven’t had a winning season since 2005-06 when they made their last post-season appearance.  The Thunder’s previous two coaches, Mark French and Brent Bilodeau, had no experience as professional head coaches. Neither were able to get the team to produce and both were fired.
A four-time Stanley Cup champion and fourth round draft pick of the Hartford Whalers, Kevin McClelland spent parts of 12 seasons in the NHL, seven of them with the Edmonton Oilers during the team’s 1980s dynasty. He played a rugged game as a checking line winger, at one point stringing together four seasons with over 200 PIMs on the way to accumulating the second-most penalty minutes in Oilers history.
With his playing days over, McClelland’s coaching career began in 1997 as assistant coach of the OHL’s Barrie Colts, and he has been either a head coach or assistant coach every year since. After spending one year with the Colts, he got his first head coaching job with the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL. Following two years with the Raiders, he advanced to the AHL, becoming assistant coach of the St. John’s Maple Leafs for five seasons.
McClelland then earned his first professional head coaching job with the CHL’s Memphis RiverKings in 2005 with whom he compiled (over three seasons) a regular season record of 100-77-15, two playoff berths and a trip to the Northern Conference Finals in 2007 (where they lost to Colorado in six games). He was named the CHL’s Coach of the Year for 2006-07.
In 2008-09, his first season behind the bench for the Colorado Eagles, McClelland compiled a career-best record of 45-15-4 and earned the Governors’ Cup as regular season champions. The Eagles went on to win the Northern Conference and secure their fourth trip to the Ray Miron President’s Cup Finals.
Last season, he led the Eagles to a 42-15-7 record and overall, an 87-30-11 regular season record during his time with the Eagles.
McClelland has no doubt already been using all available resources to begin recruiting players for this 2010-11 Thunder, a team that by all accounts, will not look last last seasons squad.
On another note, after 14-seasons with the Wichita Thunder, veteran Left Winger Jason Duda has decided to retire. But retirement won’t take him very far away as Duda was named as Assistant Coach of the team today. Duda had served as the interim head coach for the team after Bilodeau was fired last November 12^th.
A member of the CHL’s All-Decade Team, Duda began his pro career with the Oklahoma City Blazers, before being traded to the Thunder on in December of 1996. He was one of the top offensive players to ever play in the CHL, ranking in the top three in most offensive categories.
Contact the author/photographer at robert.keith@prohockeynews.com