San Jose Sharks: Roy Sommer To Serve As Barracuda Head Coach
Mar 14, 2015; San Jose, CA, USA; Outside view of south ticket entrance of the SAP Center before the game between the San Jose Sharks and the Chicago Blackhawks at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports
The San Jose Sharks top development affiliate is moving from Worcester to San Jose for the 2015-16 American Hockey League (AHL) season. Roy Sommer, the longtime head coach of the Sharks top development affiliate, will also be making the cross-country journey west.
The San Jose Barracuda announced that Sommer will continue as head coach, marking his 18th season behind the bench of San Jose’s AHL team. Also, the organization announced that assistant coach Ryan Mougenel and video coach Charlie Townsend will return next season as well.
Sommer, 58, has coached more games than anyone in the AHL with 1,344, and he is set to become the league’s leader in wins this season. As Eric Lindquist tweeted, Sommer needs just 19 wins to pass Hockey Hall of Famer Fred “Bun” Cook who leads the AHL with 636 wins.
.@sjbarracuda head coach Roy Sommer (617 wins) is 19 wins away from @TheAHL leader in victories Fred "Bun" Cook (636 wins).
— Eric Lindquist (@VoiceOfPuck) June 19, 2015
Sommer was first named head coach of the San Jose’s AHL affiliate on May 28, 1998. This upcoming season with the Barracuda will be the fourth franchise he’s coached as he began with the Kentucky Thoroughblades (1998-2001), Cleveland Barons (2001-2006) and the Worcester Sharks (2006-2015).
He’s spent his entire 17-year career with the Sharks organization and has coached 116 players at the AHL level who eventually made it to the NHL. Last season alone, 23 players who suited up with San Jose played for Sommer in the AHL at some point in time.
It comes as no surprise that Sommer will continue to coach within the Sharks organization. It should be beneficial to have both the Sharks and Barracuda sharing SAP Center next season.