Kitchener Rangers name new head coach
Jussi Ahokas will be the new head coach of the Kitchener Rangers.
The OHL team made the announcement on Monday, months after hinting the team was planning to start off next season with a new head coach.
Ahokas is from Finland, and spent the last four seasons as a head coach in the Finnish Elite League (Liiga), Finland’s top men’s professional hockey league.
“I’m really excited and really honoured,” said Ahokas in a news release. “In Finland, we know what the Kitchener Rangers are about and the type of organization they are. I feel privileged to get this opportunity to coach in Canada, especially in Kitchener. I cannot wait for the season to start and look forward to working with the Rangers’ business and hockey staff moving forward.”
Ahokas has earned two prominent gold medals while serving as the head coach of Team Finland on the international stage.
Ahokas celebrates with the championship trophy after leading Finland as the Head Coach to a 3-2 gold medal game win against USA at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, BC Canada. (Photo by Matt Zambonin/HHOF-IIHF Images)
He was the head coach of Team Finland when the Fins defeated Team USA to capture the gold medal at the 2019 IIHF World Juniors, and was also the head coach when the Fins defeated Sweden to capture the gold medal at the 2016 IIHF World U18 Championships.
Ahokas is the organizations 25th head coach in its franchise history.
Last season, the Rangers saw a turnover in head coaching after the organization fired head coach Chris Dennis months after bringing him on board.
Rangers general manager Mike McKenzie was named the interim head coach.
McKenzie successfully lead the Rangers into the second round of the playoffs, taking down the number one seeded Windsor Spitfires in the first round.
The London Knights proved to be a challenge for the Rangers, ultimately knocking them out of the playoffs.
“We are extremely excited to welcome Jussi and his family to Kitchener,” McKenzie said in the news release. “Jussi’s resume speaks for itself. He has already accomplished so much at the club and international level in Finland. We are thrilled he has chosen to take the next step in his decorated career by coming to North America and thankful it will be here in Kitchener. I look forward to working with Jussi and seeing our player’s benefit from his care and coaching.”
The Kitchener Rangers return to the ice on Sep. 3.
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