Rangers name Kyrzakos Associate Coach & Assistant General Manager
Kitchener, Ont. – The Kitchener Rangers announced today that Jeff Kyrzakos (pronounced kerr-ZACK-iss) has been hired as the club’s Associate Coach and Assistant General Manager.
Kyrzakos, 38, comes to Kitchener after spending the last seven years with the Mississauga Steelheads where he held the dual-role of Assistant General Manager and Assistant Coach. Impressively, Kyrzakos is known as a leader in player development, playing a critical role in 17 Steelheads being selected in the NHL Draft since 2016, the third most in the entire 60-team Canadian Hockey League (CHL) across Major Junior. Mississauga is also one of 10 CHL teams that has had at least one player picked in each of those drafts, now going on eight consecutive years. Additionally, Kyrzakos was behind the bench for Mississauga when the Steelheads won both the Central Division & Eastern Conference titles during the 2016-17 campaign.
“We are excited to welcome and add Jeff to our hockey staff,” said Kitchener Rangers General Manager Mike McKenzie. “He has a wealth of knowledge and experience working in the OHL and developing players. He will be a big help and sounding board for Jussi as he transitions to a new country and league. Jeff has worn a number of different hats in Mississauga and has a number of different skills that will benefit our organization moving forward.”
A native of Toronto, Ont., Kyrzakos brings vast experience to the Rangers from both the OHL and the NCAA Division I level. As a player, Kyrzakos suited up for the Western Michigan University Broncos from 2004-05 before joining the Owen Sound Attack from 2005-06, where he recorded an impressive 79 points (33G, 46A) in 64 games. He went on to play seven years of professional hockey before retiring in 2013 to start his coaching career, where he became the Head Coach of the Arizona Sundogs in the Central Hockey League (CHL).
“It’s an honour to work for an organization that has such a storied history with some terrific people working there that I’ve had relationships with for a while,” said Kyrzakos. “Going back to my playing days in Owen Sound, I’ve always loved playing at The Aud. Its my favorite building in the OHL. I know the fans are passionate in Kitchener and I’m looking forward to being there.”
Along with coaching and player development duties with the Steelheads, Kyrzakos was tasked with team travel & accommodations, the host family program, scouting for the OHL Priority Selection, and was the team’s academic advisor. Kyrzakos will join the hockey operations staff with General Manager Mike McKenzie and Assistant General Manager Michael Zsolt to assist with the club’s managerial duties.
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The Kitchener Rangers return to the ice Sunday, Sep. 3 when the Blueshirts host the Oshawa Generals for a pre-season match up at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium. The Rangers drop the puck on the regular season Friday, Sep. 29 when the East Avenue Blue host the Saginaw Spirit. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium. Individual tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online here.
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