Graham replaces Al Sims, who retired this offseason after leading the Komets to four championships and on a journey through three leagues -- the now-defunct International Hockey League, the Central Hockey League and now the ECHL.
Graham, 34, is a Fort Wayne native who comes to Fort Wayne after coaching in the Southern Professional Hockey League, winning a championship in Pensacola. He also had been a high school coach, a coach with the Indiana Junior Ice program and an assistant with the Komets.
Media coverage
News-Sentinel: New Komets coach anxious to catch up
News-Sentinel column: Komets reach for Graham, but not by much
News Sentinel: Komets name Gary Graham head coach
Journal-Gazette: Komets coach comes home
Journal-Gazette: Players approve of Komets' new coach
Journal-Gazette: Komets hire Gary Graham
Team official press release
The official release:
06/04/2013
Fort Wayne, IN
--- The Komets announced Tuesday that Gary Graham has been selected as
the next head coach of the Fort Wayne ECHL club. The announcement was
made during a press conference at the Allen County War Memorial
Coliseum. As per team policy, terms of the contract will not be
disclosed.
“I’m
extremely proud of this opportunity the Komet organization has given
me," Graham said. "We will begin a new chapter of Komet hockey with a
lot of new faces, but the identity of this team will be simple; total
commitment to getting better each and every day. We will bring a fast,
young, hungry team into the Coliseum that our great fans can be proud
of. There is no other team in hockey I would rather be coaching than the
Fort Wayne Komets.”
Graham
becomes the 28th person to handle head coaching duties with the Komets
since the team was established in Fort Wayne in 1952. Graham replaces
Al Sims, who announced his retirement after the 2012-13 season. "Gary
is the right coach at the right time for the Komets," Komet president
Michael Franke said. "He knows the Komet way of doing business and will
be a tremendous asset to the Komet organization."
Graham
is returning to the Komets after guiding Pensacola last season to the
Ice Flyer's first Southern Professional Hockey League Championship. The
Ice Flyer's finished 2012-13 with a 33-18-5 record and 71 points, two
points shy of capturing the regular season title. It was the first time
Pensacola skated to a regular season winning percentage over .600
(.634) since joining the SPHL in 2009-10.
The
2013 SPHL Presidents' Cup Title was Graham's fourth career league
crown. Before his stint with Pensacola, Graham collected three league
championships in four seasons as an assistant coach with the Komets
(earned league titles in 2009, 2010, 2012).
"Gary's
tremendous work ethic, knowledge and experience in preparing players to
play was a huge factor for me in picking him as our next coach," Komet
general manager David Franke said. "He pays attention to detail and
teaches players not only on the ice but also in video sessions. I'm
extremely excited to work with Gary as we prepare to assemble the Komet
team for the 2013-14 ECHL season."
Prior
to Graham's first tenure with the Komets, the Fort Wayne native enjoyed
success as head coach of the Indiana Jr. Ice Tier 1 team, guiding the
Ice to a 38-17-3 record in the Midwest Elite League during 2008-09
before serving as associate coach for the USHL Clark Cup Champion
Indiana Ice.
Graham,
34, majored in Exercise Science at Ball State University and resides in
Fort Wayne with his children Connor and Isabella.
Gary Graham coaching record
Regular Season Playoff Results
Season Club League W L T/OTL Pts
2008-09 Fort Wayne (AC) IHL 46 18 12 104 **Championship ( IHL Turner Cup)
2009-10 Fort Wayne (AC) IHL 50 21 5 105 Championship (IHL Turner Cup)
2010-11 Fort Wayne (AC) CHL 31 27 8 70 Second Round
2011-12 Fort Wayne (AC) CHL 40 19 7 87 *Championship (CHL Presidents’ Cup)
2012-13 Pensacola SPHL 33 18 5 71 Championship (SPHL Presidents' Cup)
(AC)- assistant coach
*-Division titles
**-Regular season title
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