Rick Wamsley Named Rivermen Interim Head Coach
January 2, 2010 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release
ST. LOUIS (January 2, 2009) - St. Louis Blues President John Davidson announced today that the club has named Blues assistant/goaltending coach Rick Wamsley as interim head coach of the Peoria Rivermen. He is expected to be on the bench for tonight's game against the Chicago Wolves.
Wamsley becomes the 16th coach in the history of the Peoria Rivermen replacing Davis Payne, who was named interim head coach of the Blues following the dismissal of Andy Murray.
Wamsley, 50, joined the Blues as an assistant coach/goaltending coach on July 7, 2006. Before arriving in St. Louis, he was working for the Columbus Blue Jackets organization where he served as a goaltending coach and pro scout since 1999. Prior to joining the Blue Jackets, Wamsley spent six seasons as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs organization. While in Toronto, he served as a pro and amateur scout in 1998-99 and was an assistant coach under Pat Burns from 1996-98. Wamsley joined the organization as a goaltending consultant immediately following a 12-year playing career that ended during the 1992-93 season.
During his playing career, Wamsley posted a 204-131-46 record and a 3.34 goals against average with the Montreal Canadiens, St. Louis Blues, Calgary Flames and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Wamsley was drafted as the Canadiens' fifth pick, 58th overall, in the 1979 Entry Draft and he made his NHL debut with Montreal in 1980-81. He became a full-time goaltender the following season and posted a 23-7-7 record with a 2.75 goals-against average with the Canadiens. That year, Wamsley shared the William M. Jennings Trophy with teammate Denis Herron as the duo allowed the fewest goals against in the NHL.
Wamsley spent three-plus seasons with Montreal before being traded to the Blues in 1984. His four seasons (1984-88) in St. Louis produced a 75-59-15 record, including 23 wins in 1984-85 (23-12-5, 3.26 goals-against average) and 22 wins in 1985-86 (22-16-3, 3.43 goals-against average). Wamsley currently ranks fifth on the Blues all-time goaltending lists in games played (154), minutes played (9,064) and ranks sixth in wins (75). He was between the pipes in "The Monday Night Miracle" when St. Louis staged a dramatic come-from-behind victory in game six of the 1986 Campbell Conference Finals by scoring four unanswered goals to defeat Calgary, 6-5, in overtime.
In March 1988, he was traded to Calgary and the highlight of his stint with the Flames came in 1988-89 when he helped the team capture the lone Stanley Cup championship in club history.
Wamsley was born on May 25, 1959 in Simcoe, Ontario. He and his wife, Lori, are the parents of three daughters, Kelly, Colleen, and Megan and have one granddaughter, Emma.
Peoria is on the road tonight in Chicago at 7 p.m. All games can be heard live on Hippie 101.1 FM locally and on the internet through www.rivermen.net/fanzone/live.
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