Wild Announce Two-Year Contract Extension for Clark
WENATCHEE, Wash. – The Wenatchee Wild, proud members of the Western Hockey League (WHL), are pleased to announce that Chris Clark has signed a two-year contract extension, and will continue with the club as its associate head coach and assistant general manager.
“It’s hard to think of the Wenatchee Wild and not think of Chris Clark,” said Wenatchee general manager Bliss Littler. “Coach Clark has done a great job adjusting to the WHL as an associate head coach as well as an assistant general manager. Chris brings great integrity, organization, and professionalism, as well as 16 years of experience in coaching at the Junior A and WHL level. Chris has a great hockey mind that I lean on every day. We are lucky to have Chris Clark in our organization.”
Clark has been with the Wild organization since its founding in 2008, serving first as a goaltending coach and then an assistant coach before taking over head coaching duties for the club in December of 2019 and transitioning into his current role upon the team’s move to the WHL last June. During his time with the Wild, he has helped to guide the team to three division championships, two regular-season league titles, and a British Columbia Hockey League crown in 2018.
He entered the coaching ranks from a four-year NCAA Division I playing career at Minnesota State University in Mankato, Minnesota, and a two-year run in the British Columbia Hockey League. As a goaltender, he helped to lead the Victoria Salsa to a 2001 BCHL Fred Page Cup championship, before winning another Fred Page Cup 17 years later as an assistant coach for the Wild.
“I am extremely grateful to David and Lisa White, as well as Bliss, for the opportunity to continue to be a part of the Wild organization,” said Clark. “I look forward to working with our staff and players as we build on the success that we had in our first year in the WHL.”
Clark helped to guide the Wild organization through an exciting 34-win campaign in 2023-24, in which the team earned a fourth-place finish in the league’s Western Conference standings and home-ice advantage in the first round of their inaugural WHL playoff run. The team’s second season in the league is set to begin on Saturday, September 21 against the Seattle Thunderbirds.
The Wenatchee Wild congratulate associate head coach and assistant general manager Chris Clark on his two-year contract extension, and look forward to his continued contributions to the Wild organization. The Wild also wish to express their gratitude to Roy Sommer for his service as head coach during the 2023-24 season, and wish him the very best in his retirement or the next stage of his hockey career.
“Roy did a nice job coming in at a tough time of the season,” said Littler. “He settled things down and guided our team to home ice in the playoffs. We are very grateful for Coach Sommer’s efforts.”
A new head coach for the Wild has been selected, with an announcement to follow in the coming days.
