Kabayama Returning; Sutter and C

Lethbridge, AB – Lethbridge Hurricanes General Manager Rich Preston announced this morning that Chris Chisamore and Rich Sutter have been hired by the Hurricanes for the upcoming season while Assistant Coach Matt Kabayama has been promoted to the position of Associate Coach. Chisamore, a goaltending consultant for the Canes last season, has been named Assistant Coach while Sutter, a coaching consultant last season, has been named the club’s Assistant to the General Manager/Hockey Operations. 
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rKabayama has been an Assistant Coach with the Canes for the past three seasons and is a former WHL player who he tallied 207 points (80G, 127A) in 267 games with the Medicine Hat Tigers. The Foremost, Alberta native’s career continued as he played in the German Pro League for two seasons, spent two seasons with Mt. Royal College in Calgary and three seasons at the University of Calgary. Kabayama then began his career as a player/coach in the Japanese pro league for nearly 11 years before signing on as the Hurricanes Assistant Coach in 2006. In 08-09, he won his first WHL games as a Head Coach, notching a 2-2-1-0 record while stepping in for the suspended Michael Dyck.
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rChisamore, has spent the past seven seasons studying, working and coaching at the University of Calgary and the Olympic Oval. Since 2006, he has been an Assistant/Video/Goaltending Coach with the U of C and in the 2008 season, signed on as a goaltending consultant with the Hurricanes. He also spent this past summer as a co-coach and team leader at the Hockey Alberta U17 Team Pacific camp and Hockey Canada Goaltender Development camps respectively. Chisamore has his PhD in Kinesiology from the U of C and brings with him experience at the CIS, WHL and National Team levels. 
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r“The promotion of both Matt [Kabayama] and Chris [Chisamore] is a natural progression as both of them – especially Matt; have experience working with our players and our prospects.” said Preston “With four or five solid goaltending prospects this season, having an assistant coach with Chris’ specialized background on-hand full time will be invaluable to our program.”
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rSutter, a recent inductee to the Hurricanes/Broncos Hall of Fame, played three straight seasons with the Lethbridge Broncos from 1980-1983. He notched 177 points, 98 goals and 718 penalty minutes in 193 games and along with his twin brother, Ron would help to lead the Broncos to the 1982-1983 WHL Championship and a berth in the Memorial Cup.  In 1982, he and his brother became the third and fourth straight of the Sutter brothers to be drafted in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft. Rich was an NHL journeyman playing seven different NHL teams in 874 NHL games. During that time he had 315 points, 149 goals and 1411 penalty minutes. Most recently, he spent the past season as a coaching consultant with the Canes and was among the candidates for the General Manager’s position before the hiring of Preston.
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r“I have known Rich Sutter for many, many years and I look forward to working with him. He is a quality individual whose experience and hockey knowledge will be a great asset to the Hurricanes organization.” said Preston “We are very fortunate and proud to have all three of these quality individuals on our staff.”
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rPreston announced his new hockey staff for the 09-10 season to the media at a media luncheon this afternoon. The Hurricanes also hosted a very special guest, WHL Commissioner Ron Robison who was in town to tour the ENMAX Centre facility upgrades.