Rangers announce Kitchener native Dennis Wideman as assistant coach
Posted Nov 23, 2017 11:50:12 AM.
Last Updated Nov 23, 2017 05:14:00 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Your Kitchener Rangers are on the ice in North Bay Thursday night with a new weapon in their arsenal.
Dennis Wideman is joining the Rangers’ coaching staff, and makes his debut with the team in tonight’s game.
The veteran NHL defenceman from Elmira officially joins the club for the remainder of the regular season as an assistant coach.
Rangers’ general manager Mike McKenzie says things just happened organically.
“He was skating with our team at the start of the year … so when he found out he was going to retire from playing the game, we thought it was a pretty good fit,” McKenzie says.
Through the course of his 12 NHL seasons, Wideman has dressed for the St. Louis Blues, Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, Washington Capitals and Calgary Flames.
While McKenzie says he brings a wealth of knowledge from his career as a professional hockey player, he also spent five seasons in the OHL.
“Not too long ago, he was sitting in the same shoes that these guys that are on our team now are sitting in, so he understands what it’s about to go through junior hockey, and play in this league, and try to make it to the next level,” McKenzie says. “I’m sure he’ll be passing all that on to our players.”
Wideman tells 570 NEWS that’s exactly what he hopes to accomplish with the team.
“If that’s something they want — to play in the next level — hoepfully I can give them the right advice, or some advice, to help them along the way,” Wideman says. “I’m just hoping to help the guys get whatever they want out of the game.”
He says his focus will be on developing young defencemen, but he’s taking the transition to coaching one day at a time.
“I’m not sure what my coaching style is yet,” says Wideman. “It’s my first night, and I’m just learning as I go here. I’m learning along with everybody else.”
The puck drops at 7 p.m., with broadcast time on 570 NEWS at 6:35.
