The head coach and general manager of the Cranbrook Bucks has received a major vote of confidence from the local BCHL club.
Ryan Donald has signed a six-year extension to remain the coach and gm of the Bucks for the foreseeable future.
Bucks owner and president Nathan Leiuwen says the decision was a no-brainer, he says Donald has done a great job of establishing an identity and culture for the team on and off the ice.
“It was a pretty easy decision, to be honest,” Leiuwen says. “Since day one he’s been a constant professional, he’s been aligned with the vision and mission of our ownership.”
Leiuwen adds this deal brings stability to the hockey club, as well as for Donald and his young family.
“He’s got a young family here and he obviously really likes Cranbrook,” says Leiuwen. “He has some roots here, and I think that stability was something that’s attractive to him. Obviously, he enjoys the position too.”
Donald joined the Bucks in 2020 ahead of the club’s BCHL debut in the 2021 pod season, he’s amassed a 39-41-7 record through 87 games behind the Bucks’ bench.
The Bucks return to action Friday in Nanaimo versus the Clippers.
View a statement from the Bucks regarding Ryan Donald’s contract extension below:
The Cranbrook Bucks have extended Head Coach & General Manager Ryan Donald's contract for 6-years.#JoinTheHerd #GoBucksGo #BCHLhttps://t.co/SCXu7HptdZ pic.twitter.com/0S6qYQxtAp
— Cranbrook Bucks (@CranbrookBucks) November 1, 2022
The Cranbrook Bucks have extended Head Coach and General Manager Ryan Donald’s contract for six more years.
“We are very excited to get this extension done with Ryan,” said Cranbrook Bucks President Nathan Lieuwen. “From day one he has led our hockey operations with integrity and professionalism and his values and ideals have always been in line with our ownership.”
Donald was named as the Bucks first ever coach amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Since 2020 he has been behind the bench for 87 games, with a 39-41-7 record in the franchises young history.
“My family and I are extremely grateful for the opportunity that we have had here in Cranbrook, and we are excited to build upon the foundation that has been laid over the past two seasons,” said Donald. “In particular we recognize how fortunate we are to live in an amazing community and work alongside people that share our values and beliefs, both on the ice and off of it.”
“I would like to thank Nathan and Breanne Lieuwen for their unwavering trust and support in building our hockey team through extremely challenging circumstances,” Donald said with gratitude, “and look forward to taking our team to new heights in the future.”
Lieuwen added, “everyone who gets to work with or play for Ryan has great feedback, and on top of that, he has been able to get good results on the ice. We look forward to many more season with Ryan at the helm.”
The Bucks are off to a great start this 2022-2023 season with a 7-5 record.
– Nathan Leiuwen – President & Owner, Cranbrook Bucks (Article includes statement from Cranbrook Bucks)
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