Coach Roy Sommer announces retirement. It hasn’t been officially reported as yet but as noted in my post game notes of the Fan Appreciation night game against the Wranglers in the final home game of the year Coach Sommer gave thanks to the Pechanga Arena crowd before stating he would not be coming back next season.
He will oversee the Gulls bench for the remaining two games before saying goodbye to the team and likely making it more official.
It had been speculated since January when he made passing comments regarding not coming back again to certain arenas like his previous teams brand new facilities in San Jose and now it has been confirmed. Sommer was only meant as an interim until Ducks management could find a more permanent solution to steer their affiliate and the incoming wave of talented prospects arriving in the coming year.
The wait now begins with speculation already uncovering one name that Ducks GM Pat Verbeek has on his radar. Matt McIlvane from Red Bull Salzburg in the Austrian league. The 37 year old has been quietly making noise around the coaching ranks – having overseen Salzburg winning the 2022 championship in the Austrian ICEHL and I am assuming a stellar record since his stint there began in 2018-2019. He was also the assistant coach for Team Germany at the World Championships in 2021-2022.
As I wrote about in my post game notes – his name being out there is slightly out of left field but after reading up on him I can see why he might fit exactly what the Ducks and Gulls are after. From the linked article.
Time will tell what other names pop up but for now McIlvane is an intriguing possibility for the next head coach of a Gulls squad that is looking to be a lot more competitive than these last two seasons.
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