Eurolanche

Randy Ladouceur is new Assistant Coach

The Lake Erie Monsters have added valuable National Hockey League experience for the upcoming 2013-14 American Hockey League season in the form of new assistant coach Randy Ladouceur (pronounced LAD-eh-sir), the team announced today. The former defenseman has almost 25 years of combined NHL experience between playing and coaching. Ladouceur joins Monsters head coach Dean Chynoweth’s staff, himself a former NHL player and NHL assistant coach.

Since retiring from playing in 1996, Ladouceur served as an assistant coach with four NHL franchises for 10 overall seasons, most recently the Montreal Canadiens in 2011-12. Prior to that he was with the Toronto Maple Leafs for two seasons (2006-08), the Carolina Hurricanes for seven (1997-2004) and the Hartford Whalers for one (1996-97). Ladouceur also spent time coaching in the AHL (Hamilton Bulldogs, 2010-11) and the Ontario Hockey League.

An undrafted defenseman out of Brockville, Ontario, Ladouceur played 14 seasons in the NHL with three different teams (1982-1996). After five seasons with Detroit, seven with Hartford and three with Anaheim, he finished his NHL playing career with a total of 30 goals, 126 assists and 1,322 penalty minutes in 930 regular season games. Ladouceur also recorded 13 points and 59 PIMs in 40 playoff games.

"We are extremely excited to add a coach to our staff that has the highest professional level of both playing and coaching experience that Randy has,” said Chynoweth. “His wealth of knowledge will be an asset in the development of our young players."

With the addition of Ladouceur, David Oliver will return to solely focusing on his original role with the team of Director of AHL Operations. Having been with the Monsters since the team’s inception in 2007, the past two seasons Oliver had served as an assistant coach along with his management duties. Jock Callander will return to the bench for his second season as assistant coach under Chynoweth. The Monsters have also added goaltending coach Jean-Ian Filiatrault to the staff. The former goalie played collegiately at St. Laurent University followed by a 10-year professional career in the CHL, ECHL, WCHL, France and LNAH.

The Monsters will open their seventh season of hockey in Cleveland on Friday, October 4th at Quicken Loans Arena. Single game tickets are available for Opening Night, as well as the three other guaranteed home game dates announced thus far: October 5th, November 8th and February 25th. Full season Monsters Hockey Club Memberships for 2013-14 are also on sale now and can be purchased by visiting LakeErieMonsters.com or by calling (216) 420-0000. The entire 2013-14 game, promotional and broadcast schedules will be announced later in the summer.

-- Monsters Press Release --