After Harry Lange was fired, the Graz99ers found what they were looking for when looking for a coach. The new head coach has not yet been officially confirmed – but the buzz from the rooftops is that it will be a man with NHL and European experience.
Fehervar brought in Ted Dent, the Vienna Capitals signed Kevin Constantine. Only the new head coach of the Graz99ers is still pending. The decision has long been made, but has not yet been officially announced.
Nevertheless, it seems clear that the new coach will be Dan Lacroix. The “Kronen Zeitung” reports in today’s edition that he is the hottest lead and insider Bernd Freimüller’s shortlist also spits out Lacroix.
Many years in the NHL
The 56-year-old spent 12 years as an assistant coach in the NHL (New York Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning, New York Rangers, Montreal Canadiens) before moving to Europe in 2018. He joined the Kölner Haien as head coach and was also head coach of the Lithuanian national team.
In 2019 he returned to Canada for five years, where he coached the Moncton Wildcats in the top junior league QMJHL. He is currently unemployed, but this will apparently change soon…
Hanlon and Gross were also a topic
The “Krone” also reports that ex-Bolzano coach Glen Hanlon was also discussed in Graz. There is also said to have been contact with the long-standing DEL coach Pavel Gross, who most recently coached Sparta Prague.
Image: HCI / PAPA Productions
