Chatham-Kent Becoming a Hotbed for Hockey Coaches

Chatham-Kent has produced some fine hockey players over the years, but now it’s also quickly becoming known as the home of several hockey coaches.

Perhaps the most famous C-K coach at the moment is Doug Shedden of Wallaceburg, head coach of Ev Zug of the Swiss Elite League. Doug, who played 416 games in the NHL with Pittsburgh, Detroit, Quebec and Toronto, has his team in first place at the holiday break.

Prior to moving to Europe, Doug was a successful coach in the United States, winning league championships in Wichita, Flint and Memphis.

Another C-K resident, Chris Allen of Chatham, is also coaching across the pond with the Peterborough Phantoms of the English Professional Hockey League. Chris, a defenceman who played several years in various minor professional leagues and two games for the Florida Panthers before moving to England, also still plays on the blueline. The Phantoms are currently in ninth place in the 10-team EPHL.

Two C-K residents are coaching this year in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association. The first is Chris Bergeron of Wallaceburg, head coach of the Bowling Green State University Falcons. This is his second year at Bowling Green, where his team currently sports a 6-11-3 record. Chris, who was a long-time assistant coach at the University of Miami (Ohio), is working hard to turn around a proud hockey program that hasn’t finished with a winning record since 1995-96.

The other CCHA coach is Brian Wiseman of Chatham. Brian is in his first year as an assistant to legendary University of Michigan Wolverines head coach Red Berenson. This is Brian’s third stint as an assistant coach, having coached one season each at Princeton University and with the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League. The Wolverines are currently 9-8-3 on the season, and will be one of the four teams playing in the Great Lakes Invitational Tournament in Detroit, beginning on Dec. 29.

David Reddick is also the author of the CKHockeyHeroes.org blog