Like all of us, Ryan Papaioannou does not know what the future holds.
But for this Alberta Junior Hockey League season and at least for the next five years, he plans to stay as the head coach and general manager of the Brooks Bandits.
“Right now, I’m 28,” Papaioannou said. “I think I have it as good as I possibly could have right now. We’ve got good recruiting happening. A fantastic facility. Our board is extremely supportive. Our fan base is doing well. There’s no reason to want to move on right now.”
Papaioannou, a former Western Hockey League goalie who bounced from Calgary, Lethbridge, Seattle, and finished in Moncton (QMJHL), is in his fourth year at the helm and fifth season with the club after spending the 2008-09 season as an assistant. Last season, he led the club to its best record in franchise history (47-7-6) and the team’s first AJHL title.
It’s logical to suggest that based on his past few years, track-record, and successes with the Bandits would make him an ideal candidate at the WHL level and, perhaps eventually, beyond. Who knows?
Full Story from The Calgary Herald