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Mississippi RiverKings

New RiverKings Coach To Arrive And Start Settling In On Tuesday

June 30, 2005 - Central Hockey League (CHL)
Mississippi RiverKings News Release


Southaven-"It's time to get down there and get to work." That is new RiverKings head coach Kevin McClelland getting ready to embark on a new chapter of his and his family's lives. The new coach and his "clan," as he called them, are set to leave their native Canada on Friday and move into their new home in Southaven next week.

"My family and I are really looking forward to moving down there. To say that we are excited would be an understatement. It's going to be fantastic," McClelland said from his parent's home in Oshawa, Ontario this week. He and his family have been staying in Oshawa the last two weeks after moving out of their home in St. John's, New Foundland.

McClelland was a former player at St John's with the Maple Leafs and was assistant coach there for five seasons, the last two under former Memphis coach Doug Shedden. Shedden's staff was not retained following this past season.

McClelland, a four-time N.H.L. Stanley Cup winner with the Edmonton Oilers, was named as the tenth head coach in RiverKings history on May 16. After packing, making travel arrangements, finding a home in Southaven and so on, he and his family will arrive in the Mid-South for good this Tuesday. The Canadian and American governments even did their part in a relatively swift fashion.

"I needed to get a P-1 work visa to be able to work year-round in the United States and that just came through in the last week, so I am good to go," he said.

Even though his work visa just came through, that doesn't mean that he hasn't already been working diligently to put together a strong team for 2005-2006.

"I have talked to several guys and we should have some announcements in the next week or two. Talks with potential new players have gone well," the veteran of 14 N.H.L. seasons said. "There are going to be some casualties from last year's roster. Teddy Crowley has signed to play in Switzerland, so that leaves us with a vet spot. But, I think we have that hole filled," he said. "Phil Aucoin may be signing elsewhere, so we will have some slots to fill. We do have a couple of good leads on some talented players and on improving the goaltending situation."

The coach is also looking forward to meeting and talking with the fans at the upcoming Town Hall meeting that the RiverKings and Xplorers are holding on July 12 at 7 p.m. at the DeSoto Civic Center. Hopefully, he will be here by then.

"Our drive down could be an adventure," McClelland said. Departure is on Friday, but there is a two day layover in Niagara Falls due to rental car issues.

"We can't drive the same rental car all the way from Canada to Memphis, so we need to change in Buffalo. But, because of the Fourth of July in the States and Victoria Day weekend in Canada, we can't get another car until the third," McClelland said. "Although, that's not a bad place to be delayed in, I played Juniors at Niagara."

And oh, it's the coach's birthday on July 4, too. He will spend his 43rd birthday in a rental car with his family on his way to his new job. Hopefully for the RiverKings, that will also be the day that a new run of success is born.

Season tickets for the 2005-2006 RiverKings' season are available now. For season ticket information, call the RiverKings at 662-342-1755 and ask for the sales department or stop by the DCC during business hours.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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