After one season at the helm of the Kitchener Rangers, Mike Van Ryn is leaving the organization.
The hockey team made that announcement Monday, saying Van Ryn was stepping down for personal reasons.
“It was tough to come to terms with this decision, but it was the right one for my family,” Van Ryn said in a statement.
“I enjoyed my time in Kitchener immensely. The organization, the staff, the fans; everything there was nothing short of first class.”
A former NHL defenceman, Van Ryan joined the Rangers as an associate coach in 2013. He became the team’s head coach in 2015.
Under his coaching, the team won 44 of its 68 regular season games and one OHL playoff series before being swept by London in the second round.
Speaking to CTV Kitchener, Rangers general manager Murray Hiebert said that it was a “complete surprise” when Van Ryn phoned him with the news Monday.
“It’s a tough day for us, because we respected Mike tremendously,” he said.
“He worked real hard, and he brought an exciting brand of hockey to the team.”
The Rangers have yet to name a replacement for Van Ryn. Hiebert said he planned to sit down with other Rangers executives Tuesday and talk about how the team could move forward.
