AHL Syracuse Crunch

Brad Lauer and Marty Wilford Named Syracuse Crunch Assistant Coaches

Published on July 12, 2011 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Syracuse Crunch News Release


Syracuse, NY (July 12, 2011) - The Syracuse Crunch announced today that the Anaheim Ducks have named Brad Lauer and Marty Wilford as assistant coaches for the Crunch, joining head coach Mark Holick in rounding out Syracuse's coaching staff.

Lauer, 44, has spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach with the NHL's Ottawa Senators, helping lead the club to a 44-32-6 record and 94 points to secure a fifth place finish in the Eastern Conference during the 2009-10 campaign. Prior to that, Lauer spent two seasons as an assistant coach with the Milwaukee Admirals from 2007-09. He helped the Admirals to a West Division title during the 2008-09 season after the club posted a 49-22-3-6 record, good enough to tie for the AHL lead with 107 points. Lauer's coaching career began with a five-year stint in the Western Hockey League (WHL) as an assistant coach with the Kootenay Ice from 2002-07. During his seasons with the Ice, the team picked up more than 100 points twice and won 40 games three times.

In addition, Lauer played in parts of 16 professional seasons from 1986-2002, including 323 career NHL games with the New York Islanders, Chicago Blackhawks, Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins in which he accumulated 111 points (44g, 67a) and 218 penalty minutes. He also skated in 34 Stanley Cup Playoff games, recording 12 points (7g, 5a) and 24 penalty minutes. Additionally, Lauer appeared in 635 combined contests in the AHL and the now-defunct International Hockey League (IHL), registering 576 points (283g, 293a) and 608 penalty minutes. A native of Humboldt, Saskatchewan, Lauer was originally selected by the New York Islanders in the second round, 34th overall, in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft.

Wilford, 34, enters the coaching ranks after completing a 14-year playing career, most recently spending the 2010-11 season with Fassa HC in Italy, where he led all club defensemen in scoring with 26 points (3g, 23a) in 39 games. Wilford appeared in 539 combined AHL games with Norfolk, St. John's (Maple Leafs), Milwaukee, Hartford, Manchester and Iowa (Stars), from 2000-07, tallying 275 points (47g, 228a) and 573 penalty minutes. He spent three years from in the German Elite League (DEL) from 2007-10, leading all league blueliners in points in 2009-10 (41) and assists in 2007-08 (34) and 2009-10 (38).

Prior to turning pro, Wilford spent three seasons in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with Oshawa, recording 96 points (23g, 73a) in 190 games from 1994-97. He finished second on the club and led all team defensemen in scoring with 62 points (19g, 43a) in 62 games during the 1996-97 campaign, helping the Generals win the J. Ross Robertson Cup as OHL Champions. A native of Cobourg, Ontario, Wilford was originally selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in the sixth round, 149th overall, in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft.

Season tickets for the 2011-12 season are now on sale and can be purchased by calling the Crunch office at (315) 473-4444, or by stopping by the Crunch office in the War Memorial at Oncenter, located at 800 South State Street in downtown Syracuse. For the latest Crunch information, fans can visit the team's official website (www.syracusecrunch.com), or follow the club on Facebook (www.facebook.com/syracusecrunch) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/syracusecrunch).

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