Walker back as head coach next season
By Tony Saxon, Guelph Mercury
There will be plenty of new faces on the Guelph Storm next season, but it will be a familiar one behind the bench.
Storm general manager Mike Kelly confirmed Tuesday that Scott Walker will return as head coach of the team for the 2011-2012 season.
“That’s always been the plan and I was thrilled to death with the job he and the other coaches did,” Kelly said Tuesday.
Guelph’s season came to an end Sunday night at the Sleeman Centre with a first-round elimination at the hands of the Saginaw Spirit.
It marked the fourth time in the past five years that the Storm has lost in the opening round.
The Storm GM had a long list of what he liked about Walker.
“He could get through the fluff and get down to what is important in regards to winning and losing hockey games. He had the instincts to know what players had to do to win and to be successful,” Kelly said.
Walker said he is looking forward to returning and working with what should be a very young team.
“I had a blast this year, I really did,” Walker said. “I’m already looking forward to next season. I’d never coached before and I think I really caught the bug.”
Kelly said he thinks Walker’s “black and white” communication skills work well with today’s young players and he thinks Walker will be fine working with a rebuilding team in 2011-2012.
The players held individual meetings with Kelly and Walker Thursday before heading their separate ways.
Taylor Beck and Michael Latta (Milwaukee) and Peter Holland (Syracuse) were already gone to join the American Hockey League affiliates of their NHL teams. Sam Lofquist will join the Houston Aeros of the AHL on a tryout basis.
