The Syracuse Crunch announced today that the Anaheim Ducks have named Mark Holick the Crunch’s head coach.
“With 16 years of coaching experience, Mark Holick has the proven track record we were looking for,” said Ducks Executive Vice President/General Manager Bob Murray. “He had three great seasons in the WHL, including earning Coach of the Year honors in 2009-10, and is certainly qualified to take the next step.”
Holick, 41, comes to the Crunch after leading the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Kootenay Ice for the last three seasons, compiling a cumulative 120-75-10-11 (W-L-OTL-SOL) record while leading the club to the WHL playoffs in each of his years at the helm.
Most recently, Holick guided Kootenay to a 43-24-3-2 record during the 2009-10 season, earning the prestigious Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy as the WHL’s Coach of the Year, joining past winners such as current NHL head coaches Cory Clouston (Ottawa), Todd McLellan (San Jose) and Brent Sutter (Calgary) and former NHL bench bosses Kevin Constantine, Don Hay, Ken Hitchcock and Tom Renney. He also served as an assistant coach on Canada’s 2009-10 National Men’s Under-18 team.
Prior to his time in Kootenay, Holick spent 13 years as either a head or assistant coach in both the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) and Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) with Vernon (BCHL, 2006-07), St. Albert/Spruce Grove (AJHL, 2003-06), South Surrey (BCHL, 1996-2002), Langley (BCHL, 1995-96) and Penticton (BCHL, 1994-95). Holick was the head coach of the 1997-98 South Surrey squad that won the coveted Royal Bank Cup as the Canadian ‘Junior A’ Champions.
In addition to his coaching career, Holick played professionally in parts of four seasons from 1989-94, appearing in 142 total games with Adirondack (AHL), Louisville (ECHL) and Dallas (CHL), recording 30 goals, 43 assists and 635 penalty minutes.
A native of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, the former right wing appeared in 165 combined WHL games with Saskatoon and New Westminster from 1984-88, compiling 10 goals, 20 assists and 287 penalty minutes. Holick was selected by Toronto in the 11th round, 216th overall, in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft.
Holick becomes the fifth head coach in Crunch history (Jack McIlhargey, 1994-99, Stan Smyl, 1999-00, Gary Agnew, 2000-06 and Ross Yates, 2006-10).
On March 25, 2010, the Crunch announced a multi-year affiliation with the Anaheim Ducks starting with the 2010-11 season. Anaheim is the third primary affiliate in the Crunch’s 16-year history.
