Pair Of Promotions
The Nashville Predators are utilizing their minor league system to not only develop players, but coaches as well.

 

06.23.03 - While there is still along way to go before hockey cultivates the true minor league structure that baseball boasts, it seems more teams are finally understanding the importance of the minors.

The minors are the place where organizations groom talent, and increasingly the prospects being groomed are the coaches themselves.

The Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League made a couple of coaching moves the past week that indicate they are developing one of hockey's best farm systems.

Claude Noel, who was named ECHL Coach of the Year after leading the Toledo Storm to the Brabham Cup in 2002-03, has been named head coach of Milwaukee of the American Hockey League.

Noel replaces Peter Horachek, who was hired on as an assistant coach with the Predators of the NHL.

"We are fortunate to be able to replace a quality coach like Peter with a yet another proven winner in Claude Noel," said Milwaukee Admirals' Executive Vice President/General Manager Phil Wittliff. "Claude certainly will bring not only his coaching skills, but also the commitment and dedication to an organization he's been a part of as a player and an assistant coach."

Eight players split time between the Admirals and the Storm this past season, including the Predators 1999 top draft pick, goaltender Brian Finley.

"To get an opportunity to coach at this level of hockey and to do so in Milwaukee is extra special for me and my family," said Noel. "While competing in the AHL is very challenging, I am extremely confident that we can build on the successes of the past season and reach an even higher level next season."

In his first season with Toledo in 2002-03, Noel led the Storm to a 47-15-10 record and won the Brabham Cup, awarded annually to the ECHL team with the most regular season points, one year after Toledo finished last in the Northwest Division with a 28-34-10 record.

Horachek, 43, leaves Milwaukee having guided the team to its first ever AHL playoff appearance, first postseason playoff series win in five years and a winning regular season mark of 32-27-14-7.

The team lost to the eventual Calder Cup Champion Houston Aeros in the second round of AHL playoffs.

"It's not easy to leave a community and an organization that has made me and my family feel welcome from day one," said Horachek. "The opportunity the Predators have granted me, however, is one that comes along very rarely in a hockey coaches life and I'm thrilled to have that chance with the Predators."

Noel brings 15 seasons of coaching experience to Milwaukee. He spent four years as an assistant with Milwaukee before arriving in Toledo, and had head coaching stints in the ECHL with Roanoke 1990-91, and with Dayton from 1991-93.

He was also head coach of Michigan in the International Hockey League.

Toledo's 38-point increase from 2001-02 to 2002-03 is the fourth largest in ECHL history, and the Storm is the only team on the list that has scored 100 points.

The Storm set a team record with 29 home wins, while its 104 points ties the team record for most points set in 1995-96.

Noel was selected by his peers to be a Co-Coach for the Northern Conference in the 2003 ECHL All-Star Game won by the Northern Conference.

 

 

 

Team Library | Business | Media | Basketball | Baseball | Hockey | Football | Your Takes | Editor's Rave | MLN Store | Business | Media Boot Camp | RalphieDEX™ |
| Jobs | Contact Us |

copyright ©2000-2007 MLN Sports Group LLC. All rights reserved. See our privacy policy.