If fans have been noticing a new a face on the 100 Mile House Wranglers’ bench during games, it’s because the club has added a new assistant coach, Barry Wolff.
The new addition joined the staff last week and will be working alongside head coach and general manager Dale Hladun as well as assistant coach Chris Langton to make a giant push this December (and beyond) as they challenge for the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League (KIJHL) title, as well as the Cyclone Taylor Cup in April.
“I’ve known Barry since my days in Kelowna Minor Hockey when I was running youth hockey there in the 90s. Barry and I have coached before,” said Hladun.
Wolff has a wealth of coaching and management experience under his belt, starting his career in junior hockey as the general manager and head coach of Quesnel Millionaires (now the Chilliwack Chiefs) of the British Columbia Hockey League from 1996 to 1999.
Since then, he’s had coaching and management jobs in several franchises in western Canada, including the BCHL’s Langley Chiefs, Coquitlam Express, and the Merritt Centennials. Wolff also made stops in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and the Alberta Junior Hockey League with the OCN Blizzard, Swan Valley Stampeders and the Drumheller Dragons.
https://x.com/BrendanKyleJure/status/1201625797859008512
“He’s won the BCHL twice, once as an assistant with the Surrey Eagles and once as a head coach with the Coquitlam Express. He’s coached with Team Canada West at the World Junior A Championships,” said Hladun.
Wolff was also a goal away from winning the MJHL last season with the Swan Valley Stampeders but unfortunately lost out in overtime in the finals to the Portage Terriers.
Hladun hopes the addition of Wolff will make it easier to address some concerns about the roster and help the young men on the team grow as players.
“It’s a new voice. It’s amazing how you don’t listen to your dad until the neighbours tell you the same thing, then it’s ‘oh yeah, makes sense.’ So sometimes a new voice saying the same thing makes a difference.”
He also described Wolff as a bit of a tactician.
“I think Wolff will help us a lot with our tactics, just certain plays - face-offs, pulled goalie plays, some powerplay situations. He’ll help us a lot with our tactics.”
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