Brad Lauer was in his second season with the Edmonton Oil Kings as their head coach. (submitted photo/Andy Devlin (Edmonton Oil Kings))

By Mat Barrett

Lauer Wins

‘Great day for our organization’: Humboldt’s Brad Lauer wins WHL Coach of the Year

May 7, 2020 | 4:50 PM

There’s some local connection to the Western Hockey League’s 2019/2020 Coach of the Year award recipient.

Humboldt native Brad Lauer is the winner of the award this year after leading the Edmonton Oil Kings to first place in the Eastern Conference.

“I know it comes across as an individual award,” Lauer told northeastNOW. “But you don’t receive these awards without people that helped you get here along the way, and my staff that I have is tremendous.”

In just his second season as a WHL head coach, Lauer helped the Oil Kings to a 42-12-6-4 record, good for 94 points, nine more points than their next closest Eastern Conference team. Lauer said this year’s group was also able to fight through games, even if they weren’t playing quite as well.

“The year we had was very consistent right through to the end here,” he said. “We got a lot of points in a lot of games and we only had [12 losses], and for the most part our guys were in every game.”

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Lauer said through his two years as a head coach in the WHL, his strength has been his communication, but he’s also continued to improve that. He said one big aspect he’s developed is the patience coaching at this level and understanding development won’t happen overnight.

Brad Lauer is the first Edmonton Oil Kings head coach to be named the WHL’s Coach of the Year. (submitted Photo/Andy Devlin (Edmonton Oil Kings)

Lauer said there was a big buy-in with his group.

“I’ve got a group of kids that are committed to each other and committed to the game,” he said. “And it’s fun to come to the rink.”

Being the head coach of the Edmonton Oil Kings is Lauer’s first head coaching job at the WHL level. He previously worked as an assistant coach in the WHL with Kootenay, and then also spent time as an assistant in the American Hockey League (AHL) and National Hockey League (NHL).

By winning the WHL’s Coach of the Year, Lauer becomes the first coach in Edmonton Oil Kings franchise history to achieve the feat, something that caught Lauer by surprise due to the fact that the Oil Kings have two WHL championships and a Memorial Cup under their belt since joining the league again in 2007/2008.

“Trying to get a head coaching job in the league was tough. It took some time,” Lauer said. “To have the [Oilers Entertainment Group] and my General Manager Kirt Hill to take a chance at giving me the job and giving me the opportunity, I’m very grateful and it’s a great day for our organization.”

The award is also voted on by fellow coaches and general managers across the WHL.

“It’s very flattering,” he said. “And again, the hockey world is a kind of neat group.”

Lauer was up against Everett Silvertips Head Coach Dennis Williams.

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mat.barrett@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @matbarrett6