Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Majors Add Kelly Harper and Brad May to the Coaching Staff

Press Release

MISSISSAUGA, ON – Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors General Manager and Head Coach James Boyd is pleased to announce the team’s coaching staff for the 2011-12 season. Kelly Harper will serve as Assistant General Manager and Associate Coach while Brad May will take on the position of Assistant Coach.

“We are fortunate to welcome two individuals with a wealth of knowledge to our hockey club,” said Boyd, “Kelly and Brad both bring high levels of experience and enthusiasm that will benefit the Majors organization moving forward”.

Harper, 39, is no stranger to junior hockey fans in Peel Region, having spent the last eight seasons as an Assistant Coach with the Brampton Battalion.

He joined the Battalion coaching staff in 2003, following an eight year professional hockey career. He was drafted in the seventh round of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by the Calgary Flames out of Michigan State University. He spent four seasons with Michigan State, appearing in 150 games and scoring 81 points.

He began his professional hockey career during the 1994-95 season with the Huntington Blizzard of the ECHL. In total, Harper played in 471 professional hockey games over eight seasons.

After the conclusion of his playing career, Harper took on the position of Assistant Coach with the Brampton Battalion. He was behind the bench in Brampton for eight seasons with the Battalion alongside Stan Butler. While in Brampton, the Battalion won a Central Division title in 2005-06, 2007-08 and 2008-09. In 2008-09 the Battalion went on to win the Bobby Orr Trophy as Eastern Conference Champions, reaching the Rogers OHL Championship Series for the first time.

May, 39, will be taking on his first coaching job with the Majors. The former Toronto Maple Leaf spent 22 seasons in the National Hockey League with seven different teams.

Prior to making the jump to the NHL, May spent three seasons with the Ontario Hockey League’s Niagara Falls Thunder. He appeared in a total of 160 games with the Thunder, contributing 78 goals and 106 assists for 184 points. He also appeared in 47 playoff games with the Thunder, notching another 48 points.

The Buffalo Sabres made him a first round pick in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft, selecting May 14th overall. He spent the first seven seasons of his NHL career in Buffalo. After his time in Buffalo, May moved on to play with six more NHL teams. He spent five seasons in Vancouver with the Canucks while also making stops in Phoenix, Colorado, Anaheim, Detroit and the Toronto Maple Leafs. In total, May played in 1041 NHL games, scoring 127 goals and adding 161 assists for 288 points while serving 2248 minutes in penalties. He also appeared in 88 playoff games in the NHL and won the Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007.

Majors 2011 Training Camp will get underway next week as new and returning players will meet at the Hershey Centre to compete for a spot on this year’s team. Training camp details will be announced tomorrow.

(Nathan can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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