ECHL Peoria Rivermen

Rivermen Re-Sign Head Coach Christie to Two-Year Deal with One-Year Option

April 30, 2004 - ECHL (ECHL)
Peoria Rivermen News Release


Peoria, Ill. (April 30, 2004) – President Bart Rogers of the Peoria Rivermen of the ECHL announced today that Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations Jason Christie, the longest-tenured head coach in Rivermen ECHL history, has been re-signed to a two-year deal with a one-year club option.

Rogers said confirming Christie's return for the next two seasons was not a difficult decision.

"Look at Jason's track record at this level over the last four seasons... it's unmatched," Rogers said. "He has the ability to make it happen in all areas for the Rivermen – recruiting top-notch developmental players, motivating and guiding them to success on and off the ice, and entrenching himself as a community fixture. We look forward to his continued success in the coming years and a Kelly Cup Championship."

Christie said he is excited about returning to the Rivermen for another two seasons.

"This is truly a first class hockey organization," Christie said. "I have been given every resource necessary to build a championship-caliber club season in and season out. From my Assistant Coach Luke Gruden to Greg Eberle and the training and equipment staff, we really have an excellent core group.

"Bruce (Saurs), Anne (Griffith) and Tim (Saurs) are first class owners, who are extremely flexible and supportive," Christie, who will enter his fifth season behind the Rivermen bench in 2004-2005, continued. Along with a hard-working office staff led by Bart Rogers, we really a have a recipe for success.

"Since arriving in Peoria five seasons ago, my family and I have really enjoyed becoming a part of this community, and we're glad to have an opportunity to continue our friendships here," Christie added.

This past season, Christie posted a 45-18-9 record (99 points), finishing third in the highly-competitive Northern Division and fourth overall in the 31-team ECHL. His 45 wins tie him for second-most in any one of eight Rivermen ECHL campaigns. Don Granato posted 45 wins during the 1999-2000 season, when he guided the Rivermen to the Kelly Cup Championship, and Christie notched 45 wins during the 2000-2001 campaign, his first behind the Rivermen bench; Christie registered a team ECHL-record 48 victories in 2002-2003.

The 35-year-old native of Gibbons, Alberta, owns the best regular season winning percentage (.681) of any coach in Rivermen ECHL history with a record of 179-75-34. He achieved the 100-point plateau in two of his four seasons as head coach – the only coach to accomplish that feat in the team's ECHL history. He has guided the Rivermen to the ECHL playoffs in each of his four seasons, including a Northern Division Finals appearance this season and a Northern Conference Finals appearance in 2001.

Christie, who was selected as a coach for the ECHL All-Star Game in 2001 and 2004, is one of just two head coaches in ECHL history to win 40 or more games in each of his first four seasons in the League; Louisiana's Dave Farrish is the other coach. Christie is one of three coaches in League history to win 40 or more games in each of any four consecutive seasons. He currently ranks third all-time in the ECHL with a .681 point percentage behind former Trenton Titans Head Coach Troy Ward (50-18-4, .722 point percentage) and former Knoxville Cherokees Head Coach Don Jackson (46-13-5, .758 point percentage).

Christie finished his 10-year professional playing career by winning his last game, as the Rivermen captured their first ECHL Kelly Cup Championship in 1999-2000 by beating the Louisiana IceGators 4-2. The 5-foot-8, 180-pound right winger shared Co-Most Valuable Player honors with J.F. Boutin for the 2000 Kelly Cup Playoffs, notching 13 points (3g, 10a) in 17 games. Christie played five of his 10 seasons at the International Hockey League (IHL)/AHL level, collecting 172 points (58g, 114a) in 305 games with 390 penalty minutes.

Christie and his wife, Kelly, reside in East Peoria and have a son, J.D. (2 ½).

Season ticket packages for 2004-2005 season are on sale now. Ticket packages start at just $299. The Rivermen are a member of the ECHL, America's Premier "AA" Hockey League.

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ECHL Stories from April 30, 2004


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