Photo courtesy Drayton Valley Thunder/ajhl.ca

By Jeff Henson

GP STORM

Storm hire Thurston as new head coach

Jun 20, 2022 | 1:26 PM

Eric Thurston has been named the 10th head coach in the history of the Grande Prairie Storm.

Thurston says it is a huge honour to be a part of a great city like Grande Prairie and a great organization like the Storm.

“(General Manager) Mark Bomersback has done a tremendous amount of work putting together what we hope is a very exciting and a great team together. And I look forward to being behind the bench and coaching with the Storm.”

“(The Storm) is the only game in town, and the facility is first class. To me, it is the best facility in the AJHL. And I think the fans will be excited with the product that we are putting together on the ice.”

Thurston was head coach of the University of Alberta Golden Bears when they won the University Cup national CIS hockey title in 2006 and 2008 and was an assistant for four more national titles before that.

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He says Storm fans can expect to see a fast hockey team come this fall.

“You have to really move the puck. If you see how Colorado (Avalanche) just plays the game at such speed and such skill. That is what we obviously need to do. But there is also no substitute for hard work. “

Thurston spent the past 4 seasons as coach and GM of the Drayton Valley Thunder, compiling a record of 91-80-23.

He is very excited about the prospects for next season.

“I really like some of the players we have coming back. I am very excited about our goaltending, and I think we have some nice little pieces coming together, and Mark is doing a good job of continuing to round that out. But the team is going to play fast, and there is no substitute for hard work and competing.”

Thurston replaces Mike Vandekamp, who mutually parted ways with the Storm following the conclusion of last season.

The Storm will open their training camp in late August.