Longtime colleagues Jeff Kyrzakos and Brendan Taylor begin new chapters

For more than a decade, Jeff Kyrzakos and Brendan Taylor have been climbing the Ontario Hockey League coaching ranks simultaneously, and now, after years of sharing a bench, developing players and discussing what the future might hold, their journeys have come full circle.

On July 29, 2026, both longtime assistants were introduced as first-time OHL head coaches. Kyrzakos was promoted to lead the Kitchener Rangers while Taylor was named the 11th head coach in Saginaw Spirit history, marking a fitting milestone for two coaches whose careers have been intertwined since their days with the Mississauga Steelheads.

“It’s obviously really special,” said Taylor. “We spent a lot of time together talking about what this day would be like for us both, how our teams would play, and how we’d do things once we were head coaches. So for us to start our OHL coaching careers together and be named head coaches in the OHL on the same day is obviously really special for us and our families.”

Their coaching paths first crossed during the 2016-17 season, when Kyrzakos joined the Steelheads as an Assistant Coach, and Taylor arrived as the club’s video coach. The following season, both took on expanded roles, with Taylor becoming an assistant coach and Kyrzakos adding Assistant General Manager duties alongside his work behind the bench.

Over six seasons together, they helped establish Mississauga as one of the league’s premier development organizations, contributing to the growth of numerous future NHL players while also reaching the Eastern Conference Final in 2017. Along the way, they also built a friendship rooted in countless hours at the rink, on the road and in coaches’ offices discussing every aspect of the game.

“Tayls and I have been talking over the last couple of weeks, and we’ve joked about how ironic it is that, after 10 years, we’re both moving on at the same time and on the same day,” Kyrzakos said. “I’m incredibly happy for him. He’s one of the best people in the game and in this league, and he’s done tremendous work developing players over the years. I think that’s only going to continue now that he’s behind the bench. I’m really excited for him to get this opportunity in Saginaw, and I know he’s going to do great things.”

While their careers eventually took different directions, both continued building on their impressive résumés.

Kyrzakos joined Kitchener in 2023 as Associate Coach and Assistant General Manager, helping guide the Rangers to their fifth OHL championship and third Memorial Cup title while playing a significant role in player development and special teams.

Taylor spent the past four seasons with the Soo Greyhounds, helping the club reach three consecutive playoff appearances while working with several future NHL players. His coaching résumé also includes a gold medal with Team Canada Red at the 2025 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

Although they were coaching in different cities, the two remained close, often discussing the game and their shared aspirations of one day leading their own OHL bench. Their teams even met in the second round of the 2026 OHL Playoffs, with Kitchener advancing in five games.

For current Brampton Steelheads Head Coach and General Manager James Richmond, who worked alongside both coaches in Mississauga, the announcements came as no surprise.

“I couldn’t be happier for both Tayls and Krackers,” Richmond said. “Both are great people. They have tremendous work ethic, and they love the game. Obviously we are good friends, and I’m so proud of both of them. They’ve put in the work, and these hirings are well-deserved and well-earned.”

Both have spent years helping develop players, supporting head coaches and preparing for opportunities like these. Now, after taking remarkably similar paths to the top, they’ll begin writing the next chapter of their coaching careers together – just as they always imagined. And for two friends who started side by side behind the Steelheads bench, the timing couldn’t have been more fitting.