Glen Gulutzan

Glen Gulutzan ( born August 12, 1971 in The Pas, Manitoba ) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player and current coach. During his active career he played for the Utah Grizzlies and Las Vegas Thunder of the International Hockey League and for the Fresno Falcons in the West Coast Hockey League. In Europe, Gulutzan was active for the Swedish second division Tranås AIF and IK Vita Hästen as well as for the Finnish club Vaasan Sport. Most recently, he was from 2011 to 2013 head coach of the Dallas Stars in the National Hockey League.

Career as a player

Gulutzan was initially in the period 1986-1992 for the Moose Jaw Warriors, Brandon Wheat Kings and Saskatoon Blades in the Canadian junior Western Hockey League active, before starting the 1992 season 93 for two seasons for the ice hockey team of the University of Saskatchewan in / the Canadian Interuniversity Athletics Union ( CIAU ) went on the ice. His career continued the Canadians after his university days for season 1994/95 the Swedish second division Tranås AIF from the Division 1 continues aground for Gulutzan in all 32 season games of the season.

The links Sagittarius decided to stay for another season in league play the second highest Swedish league level and accepted an offer of league rivals IK Vita Hästen for the 1995/96 season. After receipt of the League was secured, the striker left the club and signed a working paper at the Fresno Falcons of the West Coast Hockey League in the summer of 1996. There Gulutzan has rapidly become a leading player and performer of the California tradition team. The game year 1996/97 ended the Canadians with a record of 30 goals and 80 assists in 60 games and finished the regular season by the league to fifth place. Team Intern was only strike partner Craig Lyons at 111 meters successful. In the same season the links Sagittarius also got in a few games for the Utah Grizzlies and Las Vegas Thunder of the International Hockey League action, the offensive player did not come on the status of the gap filler addition.

Notwithstanding any personally successful season in the jersey of the Fresno Falcons, he left North America after only one season again and hired the Finnish second division Vaasan Sport, had risen only pre-season in the I- divisioona. For the season 1998/99 Gulutzan returned to the Fresno Falcons in the West Coast Hockey League, for the Canadians was active in May 2003 until the cessation of league operation. Only in 1999, the attacker ran in eleven games for the Tranås AIF on the ice, for which he had already been active in the 1994/ 95 and with these realized in the league in the second highest Swedish league. Back in Fresno succeeded Gulutzan in the 2001/02 season with the team the championship of the WCHL and the winner's trophy to win the Taylor Cup.

Career as a coach

In his last two seasons with the jersey of the Fresno Falcons of Canadians also served in the role of player-coach under head coach Blaine Moore. One season he filled together with an active agent of Californians the function of the assistant coach from, first with Mike McCourt; for the last season was Greg Spenrath the attacker side. Subsequently, Gulutzan decided to put his focus completely on a career as a head coach, and received the 2003/04 season an offer on the part of the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL. Equal in their inaugural season, he led the expansion team to the finals and was defeated in the first round of the later Kelly Cup winners Idaho Steelheads. Overall, the Canadians stood for six years at the Wranglers from the casino city Las Vegas behind the band, which was recognized in the 2007/ 08 with the entry into the Kelly Cup finals series, the greatest success. His leadership qualities were also recognized; 2006 was awarded the John Brophy Award of Canadians handed over as head coach of the year in the ECHL.

From 2009 to 2011, he was in the same position with the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League active and reached the farm team of the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League in the season 2009/10 the final series for the Calder Cup, which against the Hershey Bears ended with a 2:4 defeat. After Marc Crawford, head coach of the Dallas Stars, was released in spring 2011 from his duties, Gulutzan was presented in June 2011 by the Texans as the sixth head coach of the franchise history and installed as his successor. After two seasons in the service of the Dallas Stars with no playoff participation Gulutzan was released in May 2013.

Awards and achievements

  • 2002 Taylor Cup win with the Fresno Falcons
  • 2006 John Brophy Award
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