Thunder Extends Head Coach Bruce Ramsay
April 28, 2023 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wichita Thunder News Release
WICHITA, Kan. - The Wichita Thunder, ECHL affiliate of the NHL's San Jose Sharks, AHL's San Jose Barracuda and powered by Toyota, announced today that Head Coach Bruce Ramsay has agreed to a contract extension.
"I'm excited to be back with the Thunder," commented Ramsay. "We had a good year this past season, but it was disappointing to get so close and come up one point short of reaching our goal to get into the playoffs. We made great strides from the year before and I was proud of our group for how they competed and battled down the stretch. I'm excited to get this team back to where it needs to be and make a run in the postseason. Wichita feels like home to me. I love the city and the fans. Thank you to Joel and the ownership group for believing in me and we're already hard at work for the coming season."
Ramsay recently completed his fourth year behind the Thunder bench and has compiled a record of 125-122-32. He was named ECHL Coach of the Year during the 2020-21 campaign and was instrumental in helping develop current Edmonton Oilers netminder Stuart Skinner, defenseman Vincent Desharnais, and Toronto Maple Leafs forward Bobby McMann. Both McMann and Desharnais made their NHL debuts this season.
Last year, he hit two big plateaus as a head coach, claiming his 500th win on February 16 against Idaho and coaching his 1,000th game on January 4 against the Steelheads.
"We're happy to keep coach Ramsay here in Wichita. Despite the adversity we faced late in the season, coach worked very hard to find new players and keep us battling until the last day, ¬Â said Thunder General Manager Joel T. Lomurno. "The players love playing for him and that will go a long way toward bringing back a good base of players for next season. I'm excitedly looking forward to the upcoming year. ¬Â
A native of Dryden, Ontario, Ramsay played for the Thunder during the 2000-01 season, racking up 364 penalty minutes. Over his 12-year playing career, he was a part of eight championship teams, winning four Colonial Cups and two Royal Bank Cups. He finished with 245 points and amassed 3,432 penalty minutes in 677 games as a pro.
After his playing career ended in 2005, he was named the Head Coach of the ACHL's St. Pete/Winston-Salem Parrots. His head coaching career spans 15 seasons, including stints with the Port Huron Beacons (2002-04) and Muskegon Fury (2004-08). He has made the playoffs nine times, including making the 2009 International Hockey League Finals with the Muskegon Lumberjacks.
Ramsay spent six years with Tulsa from 2009-10 to 2014-15. In 2015, Ramsay stepped down from the Oilers to pursue an assistant coaching position with Grand Rapids and helped lead them to the 2017 Calder Cup Title.
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