Kris Knoblauch, a former player and head coach of the Kootenay Ice, has been hired as the new bench boss of the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack.
The AHL affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers, the Harford Wolf Pack hired Knoblauch to take over from Keith McCambridge, who was previously fired in April.
Knoblauch was an assistant coach with the Kootenay Ice from 2007 to 2010 before stepping into the heading coaching position until 2012. As Kootenay’s head coach, Knoblauch helped lead the team to a WHL Championship in 2011 with a combined record of 82-4-47-11 over his two seasons behind the bench. Of note, Knoblauch also played 21 games with the Kootenay ICE in 1998 during his WHL playing career, collecting 10 points (7G, 3A) with the club.
Briefly serving as an associate coach to the KIJHL’s Kimberley Dynamiters at the start of the 2012/2013 season, Knoblauch was hired by the Eerie Otters mid-season, eventually spending four seasons in the OHL. Knoblauch would coach Connor McDavid during his time at Eerie before he became an NHL superstar, helping the Otters win an OHL Championship.
The past two seasons, Knoblauch has been an assistant coach in the NHL with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Stepping back into the head coaching spotlight in the AHL, the 40-year-old hopes his new gig with the Wolf Pack will take him one step closer to landing a head coaching job with an NHL franchise.
