Less than 72 hours after Mike Van Ryn’s unexpected departure, the Kitchener Rangers have a new head coach.
The hockey team announced Thursday that associate coach Jay McKee was being promoted to the head coaching gig.
“The decision to have Jay step into this role was a simple one from an organizational standpoint,” Rangers general manager Murray Hiebert said in a press release.
“Jay is someone who our players are not only familiar with, but enjoyed playing for last season.”
For his part, McKee said he feels “very fortunate” to be named the team’s 22nd head coach and “excited” to take the reins for 2016/17.
Van Ryn resigned earlier this week, citing family reasons.
McKee’s coaching staff will include assistant coach Daniel Tkaczuk and assistant coach/assistantgeneral manager Mike McKenzie, who both had those roles with the 2015/16 Rangers. A new associate coach will also be hired.
The just-completed season was McKee’s first with the Rangers, and Van Ryn’s first as head coach.
The team won 44 games in the regular season, and was eliminated by eventual champions London in the second round of the OHL playoffs.
Prior to joining Kitchener, McKee was an assistant coach with the OHL’s Erie Otters and the AHL’s Rochester Americans. He also spent 14 years as a defenceman in the NHL.
