Just eight months after he was appointed head coach, Derek MacKenzie is leaving the Sudbury Wolves for a new job.
Derek MacKenzie, a former Wolves player himself between 1997 and 2001, has been named the assistant coach of the NHL’s Nashville Predators.
His father Ken MacKenzie has been named the Wolves' new head coach. MacKenzie is the team’s assistant general manager, and has previously been the Wolves’ head coach himself. He also coached the team on an interim basis for part of this past season.
“It is a bittersweet day for our hockey club,” said Wolves vice president and general manager Rob Papineau, in a press release.
“Derek is someone that we really value and believe in both as a person and head coach. He came home last season and really helped our hockey team turn a corner and did a tremendous job for the Sudbury Wolves.
“While his stay in Sudbury was brief, he leaves our players and organization in a better place which is something that will help us tremendously this upcoming season with our goal of winning a league championship.
“Derek will always be special to our hockey club, and we feel very fortunate that his father, Ken MacKenzie, who has provided so much knowledge and guidance to him, will be the person now guiding this special group of players here in Sudbury. We wish Derek and his family great success in Nashville, and we are excited to have Ken back as our next head coach.”
Derek MacKenzie was behind the Wolves’ bench for 50 games with a record of 23 wins, 20 losses, four overtime losses and three shootout losses for a 0.530 winning percentage. He helped guide the team to a very strong finish in the Eastern Conference, just three points shy of fourth place and home ice advantage in the playoffs. The Wolves lost to the eventual OHL Champion Peterborough Petes in round one of the playoffs.
“On behalf of my family I’d like to start by thanking Dario Zulich and his family as he made our family feel like we were a part of his family,” said Derek MacKenzie.
“I’d also like to take the opportunity to thank Rob Papineau for all the support and the opportunity to coach in Sudbury. In addition, I would like to thank Ken Mackenzie, Rick Dorval, Gary Ricciardi, Al Valiquette and Dan Buckland, as well as the rest of the employees with the Sudbury Wolves, on making my experience with the Wolves one I’ll never forget.
“Most importantly, I’d like to thank the players who every day came to the rink ready to work and have fun. It was the players that made this decision the most difficult one to make.
“I’d also like to thank my wife Sarah and my children Reese and Greyson for all their love and support. As a player, I always tried to compete my hardest and leave the jersey in a better place than it was when I got there and as a coach, I try to instill those same qualities and values in our players. I wish the Wolves organization nothing but the best and will be keeping a close eye on what I really believe will be an outstanding season.”
Ken MacKenzie previously coached the team for four seasons between 1988 and 1992. For any Wolves coach, with three or more seasons, he ranks as one of the most successful head coaches in franchise history, owning the highest winning percentage over his career at 0.521 per cent. Last season, on an interim basis, he coached the team for seven games, posting five wins, one loss and one overtime loss for a 0.786 winning percentage.
“I am very excited to be behind the bench of this team as I really believe in this group of players and their commitment to winning,” said Ken MacKenzie. “I really enjoyed working with both Rick Dorval and Gary Ricciardi last season and look forward to working with them both again this year. I would like to thank Rob Papineau along with Dario Zulich and Bob Johnston for this opportunity as I am fully committed to this team and doing everything to achieve our goal of winning a championship.”
