Rich Kromm Named Lumberjacks Head Coach
June 14, 2009 - International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release
MUSKEGON, MI.--- Having already commenced with an assortment and veritable variety of new and exciting plans for their 50th Anniversary Season, the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the International Hockey League continue to move in a positive, forward manner for their special season of IHL pro hockey at Walker Arena.
On this date, the Lumberjacks organization has announced that RICH KROMM has been named its new Head Coach, having penned a multi-year pact to assume the reins behind the bench for the franchise golden anniversary campaign. Adhering to club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
KROMM, 45, will be marking his return to Muskegon and his second tenure with the club, his initial endeavor under the Lumberjacks banner. Since his departure from Muskegon in 2001, the native of Trail, B.C. has been at the helm of two prestigious major junior A' teams of the Western Hockey League (WHL); namely the Calgary Hitmen and the Portland Winter Hawks.
His first tour of duty in Muskegon can be best described as one for the ages and hallowed history of pro hockey in this community. Initially arriving on the Muskegon hockey scene coming off an IHL Turner Cup Championship as the Assistant Coach of the Chicago Wolves in 1997-98, Kromm performed more of his coaching magic in his very first season behind the Fury bench in '98-99 as he guided the team to its first ever championship. That season, the Muskegon Fury absolutely dominated the UHL in posting a brilliant record of 74 (50-18-6) for 106-points, capturing both the Tarry Cup crown, emblematic of league regular season superiority, sovereignty and supremacy and the ultimate coveted crown, the Colonial Cup Championship. He was acclaimed UHL Coach of the Year. It was also the first-ever 50-wins season in franchise annals and when the Fury hoisted high to the sky "The Cup," Kromm and company had officially ended the reign of the two-time defending champions, their archrivals, the Quad City Mallards, knocking them out in the Finals in 6-games, 4-games to 2.
In his three-year stint, his first time around the Muskegon bench, he achieved a sterling winning percentage of .630 on an overall record of 222(130-72-20). His 130-victories still rank as #2 all-time while his .630 win percentile ranks third best, but also #2 all-time for Muskegon mentors who have coached more than one season for the tradition-steeped franchise.
The Lumberjacks General Manager / Governor, Tim Taylor could not mask his unbridled enthusiasm for the second coming of coach Kromm. "We, as an organization, are thrilled to bring Rich back to Muskegon and with the Lumber-jacks. We experienced a tremendous amount interest in our coaching position here. Certainly the entire process gained some real momentum in learning of Rich's interest to come back. His history here is one of being a true winner and one who has enhanced the quality and class of Muskegon hockey and all of our community. His consummate profess-sional approach and demeanor represent major assets and attributes to our organization and marks another major step in achieving our major goals and objectives as an organization both on and off the ice. Rich is very highly-regarded and well-respected in our business. Rich is a great choice and we look forward to him leading us on the ice for our exciting 50th Anniversary Season."
GM Taylor concluded by expressing much appreciation for the many coaching applicants for the Lumberjacks post. "We received a huge number of applications and inquiries concerning our available coaching position. This, again, is a major tribute to our community and the great pro hockey tradition here in the Muskegon area."
Originally a second round pick and 37th overall of the Calgary Flames in the 1982 NHL Entry Draft, Kromm saw action in nearly 400 games in the NHL with the Flames as well as the New York Islanders. As a player, he was a member of the 1989-90 AHL Calder Cup Champions Springfield Indians.
Upon his retirement from the NY Islanders in 1993, he was appointed by the NHL parent club Florida Panthers as Assistant Coach of primary affiliate the Cincinnati Cyclones, also of the IHL. He remained in the Florida organization through 1997, being elevated to the Panthers head coaching role with their AHL primary affiliate, the Carolina Monarchs for two seasons.
Following his one season of championship grandeur as Assistant Coach of the IHL Chicago Wolves, he arrived in Muskegon in the summer of '98. Bringing the Fury its first ever championship in '99, the former standout left wing led Muskegon to the third round of the Colonial Cup Playoffs in 2000, bowing to eventual titlist Flint before concluding his distinguished three years of service here in 2000-01 with a sound and solid third place league-wide finish.
Kromm's coaching career record in the playoffs for Muskegon also ranks as #2 in all-time annals. Through 36-games, Kromm's clubs composed a mark of 36(21-15) for a win percentage of .584. Kromm coached teams never lost a playoff overtime game in his extraordinary three years, going 3(3-0).
The Jacks new head coach comes back after head coaching stints in the WHL with the Calgary Hitmen for three years and more recently, the Portland Winter Hawks for the past two seasons.
The Kromm pedigree is well-substantiated in the hockey world as Rich's father, Bobby Kromm was named NHL Coach of the Year in 1978 during his three-years at the helm of the Red Wings (1977-1980). Prior to his Detroit stint, the elder Kromm guided the Winnipeg Jets to the WHA Avco Cup Championship in 1976 and a second consecutive appearance in the league finals in 1977. From 1965 to 1975, Bobby Kromm directed the NHL Chicago Blackhawks primary affiliate, the CHL Dallas Blackhawks, capturing three championships there.
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International Hockey League 2 Stories from June 14, 2009
- Rich Kromm Named Lumberjacks Head Coach - Muskegon Lumberjacks
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