Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Dale Hunter records 500th career win

Press Release

London Knights Head Coach Dale Hunter became the fastest coach in OHL history to reach 500 career wins Saturday night following a 3-2 overtime victory over the Saginaw Spirit.

In just his 12th season behind the Knights' bench, Hunter became the 8th coach in history to earn the milestone victory following Brian Kilrea (1,193), Bert Templeton (907), Larry Mavety (658), Dick Todd (558), Peter DeBoer (539), and current coaches George Burnett of the Belleville Bulls and Stan Butler of the Brampton Battalion who both reached the milestone last season and now have 561 and 538 career wins respectively.

Current head coach Mike Vellucci of the Plymouth Whalers is also climbing the all-time list and now has 450 career wins in 12 seasons, while Niagara IceDogs head coach Marty Williamson is the next active coach on the list with 361 career wins in nine seasons.

With the completion of the 2012-13 regular season, Hunter has been behind the bench for 756 career games and has an overall record of 501-233-22 for 1056 points and carries the highest winning percentage of all-time with a mark of .698. DeBoer, who spent six seasons in the Plymouth Whalers organization before seven season with the Kitchener Rangers, carries the next highest percentage at .662.

Hunter began his OHL coaching career with the Knights in 2001.  In his first 10 seasons he captured the Midwest Division title six times including a run of four straight from 2004-07 with an OHL Championship and Memorial Cup victory in 2005.  After just 26 games last season, the 52-year-old Petrolia, ON, native was hired by the Washington Capitals where he served as Head Coach for the final 60 games of the NHL regular season before returning to the Knights this year helping guide the club to their sixth Hamilton Spectator Trophy.

The OHL would like to congratulate Dale Hunter on this milestone achievement.

 (Nathan can be reached at nathanfournier@mainehockeyjournal.com)

No comments: