Post by Stripe on Jun 30, 2015 18:46:45 GMT -5
RAMSAY AND SIMON JOIN GRIFFINS' COACHING STAFF
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Detroit Red Wings on Monday announced the hiring of Bruce Ramsay and Ben Simon as assistant coaches for the Grand Rapids Griffins. In addition, assistant coach Mike Knuble, goaltending coach Jeff Salajko and video coach Bill LeRoy will reprise their coaching roles with Grand Rapids.
Ramsay, 46, has been the head coach of the Tulsa Oilers in the ECHL and Central Hockey League for the past six seasons, compiling a 185-180-35 record in 400 regular season games from 2009-15. Most recently, Ramsay’s Oilers earned a 37-29-3-3 record in their first ECHL season and qualified for the 2015 Kelly Cup Playoffs, where they fell to the eventual champion Allen Americans in five games during the first round.
A native of Dryden, Ontario, Ramsay previously served as an assistant under Griffins head coach Todd Nelson from 2004-06, when the duo led the UHL’s Muskegon Fury to the Colonial Cup during their first season together and a 51-18-7 regular season record in their subsequent campaign. After Nelson departed for an assistant coaching position with the Chicago Wolves, Ramsay succeeded his colleague as the head coach of the Fury and produced an 84-56-12 regular season record in two seasons (2006-08) behind the bench. In all, Ramsay’s head coaching career spans 12 seasons between stints with the ACHL’s St. Pete/Winstom-Salem Parrots (2002-03), the UHL’s Port Huron Beacons (2002-04), the Fury, the IHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks (2008-09) and the Oilers.
Ramsay and Nelson were both members of the Griffins during the team’s inaugural season in 1996-97, and Ramsay collected nine goals and 14 assists in 175 games over three seasons (1996-99) with the team. Ramsay’s 781 penalty minutes as a Griffin rank second all-time in franchise history, and he’s one of just three Grand Rapids players to ever twice eclipse 300 PIM, producing 306 PIM in 1996-97 and leading the team with 310 PIM in 1997-98. In 12 seasons as a professional player (1991-02, 2004-05), Ramsay amassed 245 points (74-171—245) and 3,432 PIM in 677 games.
Simon, 37, recently concluded the 2014-15 season as an assistant coach with the Toronto Marlies and helped lead the team to a 40-27-9-0 regular season record. During the quarterfinals of the 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs, the Griffins defeated the Marlies to become the 11th team in AHL history to win a best-of-five series after trailing 0-2.
Simon’s coaching career began in 2010-11 as the head coach of the EIHL’s Sheffield Steelers. He earned a 43-10-0-1 record (0.806) and led the team to the EIHL regular season championship, before spending the following two seasons as an assistant coach with the Rockford IceHogs. The Shaker Heights, Ohio, native then posted a 41-23-4-4 record as the head coach of the Cincinnati Cyclones during 2013-14, leading his team to the Kelly Cup Finals and falling to the Alaska Aces in six games.
Including Knuble, Nelson and Ramsay, all four of Grand Rapids’ coaches are former Griffins, as Simon notched nine points (4-5—9) in 21 games with the team in 2006-07. Originally drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the fifth round (110th overall) of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, Simon logged 81 NHL games with Atlanta and Columbus during his 11-year playing career.
Ramsay's Coaching Record
Regular Season
Playoffs
Season
Team
League
Position
GP
W
L
T
OTL
SOL
PCT
GP
W
L
PCT
1996-97
Thunder Bay
CoHL
Player-Assistant
74
43
23
--
8
--
0.649
11
5
6
0.455
1999-00
Fort Wayne
UHL
Player-Assistant
74
40
27
--
7
--
0.588
13
7
6
0.538
2001-02
Muskegon
UHL
Player-Assistant
74
48
22
--
4
--
0.676
17
11
6
0.647
2002-03
St. Pete/Winston-Salem
ACHL
Head Coach
37
18
12
7
--
--
0.581
--
--
--
--
Port Huron
UHL
Head Coach
23
14
6
--
3
--
0.674
3
0
3
0.000
2003-04
Port Huron
UHL
Head Coach
76
38
31
--
7
--
0.546
9
5
4
0.556
2004-05
Muskegon
UHL
Assistant
80
51
20
--
9
--
0.694
17
12
5
0.706
2005-06
Muskegon
UHL
Assistant
76
51
18
--
7
--
0.717
12
6
6
0.500
2006-07
Muskegon
UHL
Head Coach
76
49
21
--
6
--
0.684
11
7
4
0.636
2007-08
Muskegon
IHL
Head Coach
76
35
35
--
6
--
0.500
6
2
4
0.333
2008-09
Muskegon
IHL
Head Coach
76
43
26
--
7
--
0.612
11
5
6
0.455
2009-10
Tulsa
CHL
Head Coach
64
28
29
--
7
--
0.492
--
--
--
--
2010-11
Tulsa
CHL
Head Coach
66
35
25
--
6
--
0.576
10
5
5
0.500
2011-12
Tulsa
CHL
Head Coach
66
29
29
--
8
--
0.500
--
--
--
--
2012-13
Tulsa
CHL
Head Coach
66
22
39
--
5
--
0.371
--
--
--
--
2013-14
Tulsa
CHL
Head Coach
66
34
29
--
3
--
0.538
6
2
4
0.333
2014-15
Tulsa
ECHL
Head Coach
72
37
29
--
3
3
0.556
5
1
4
0.200
Ramsay's Playing Record
Regular Season
Playoffs
Season
Team
League
GP
G
A
PTS
PIM
GP
G
A
PTS
PIM
1989-90
Vernon
BCJHL
53
11
11
22
225
--
--
--
--
--
1990-91
Thunder Bay
Senior
44
13
20
33
353
--
--
--
--
--
1991-92
Thunder Bay
CoHL
54
7
16
23
313
12
1
2
3
55
1992-93
Thunder Bay
CoHL
52
3
16
19
234
--
--
--
--
--
1993-94
Thunder Bay
CoHL
63
9
22
31
313
8
1
2
3
45
1994-95
Thunder Bay
CoHL
62
14
29
43
462
11
0
3
3
83
Prince Edward Island
AHL
2
0
1
1
10
1
0
0
0
2
1995-96
Thunder Bay
CoHL
56
6
15
21
400
18
2
3
5
142
Milwaukee
IHL
3
0
0
0
5
--
--
--
--
--
1996-97
Grand Rapids
IHL
66
3
5
8
306
4
0
0
0
2
Thunder Bay
CoHL
9
6
4
10
71
--
--
--
--
--
1997-98
Grand Rapids
IHL
62
5
6
11
310
--
--
--
--
--
1998-99
Grand Rapids
IHL
47
1
3
4
165
--
--
--
--
--
1999-00
Fort Wayne
UHL
65
6
21
27
241
13
1
3
4
67
Michigan
IHL
3
0
0
0
7
--
--
--
--
--
2000-01
Wichita
CHL
60
11
24
35
364
--
--
--
--
--
2001-02
Muskegon
UHL
69
2
9
11
214
17
1
0
1
31
2004-05
Muskegon
UHL
4
1
0
1
17
--
--
--
--
--
GRIFFINS TOTALS
175
9
14
23
781
4
0
0
0
2
PRO TOTALS
677
74
171
245
3,432
84
6
13
19
427
Simon's Coaching Record
Regular Season
Playoffs
Season
Team
League
Position
GP
W
L
T
OTL
SOL
PCT
GP
W
L
PCT
2010-11
Sheffield
EIHL
Head Coach
54
43
10
--
0
1
0.806
3
1
2
0.333
2011-12
Rockford
AHL
Assistant Coach
76
35
32
--
2
7
0.520
--
--
--
--
2012-13
Rockford
AHL
Assistant Coach
76
42
31
--
2
1
0.572
--
--
--
--
2013-14
Cincinnati
ECHL
Head Coach
72
41
23
--
4
4
0.625
24
14
10
0.583
2014-15
Toronto
AHL
Assistant Coach
76
40
27
--
9
0
0.586
5
2
3
0.400
Simon's Playing Record
Regular Season
Playoffs
Season
Team
League
GP
G
A
PTS
PIM
GP
G
A
PTS
PIM
1995-96
Cleveland
NAHL
45
38
33
71
134
--
--
--
--
--
1996-97
Notre Dame
CCHA
30
4
15
19
79
--
--
--
--
--
1997-98
Notre Dame
CCHA
37
9
28
37
91
--
--
--
--
--
1998-99
Notre Dame
CCHA
37
18
24
42
65
--
--
--
--
--
1999-00
Notre Dame
CCHA
40
13
19
32
53
--
--
--
--
--
2000-01
Orlando
IHL
77
8
12
20
47
16
6
5
11
20
2001-02
Chicago
AHL
74
11
23
34
56
25
2
3
5
24
Atlanta
NHL
6
0
0
0
6
--
--
--
--
--
2002-03
Chicago
AHL
69
15
17
32
78
9
0
0
0
6
Atlanta
NHL
10
0
1
1
9
--
--
--
--
--
2003-04
Atlanta
NHL
52
3
0
3
28
--
--
--
--
--
Milwaukee
AHL
18
1
3
4
6
--
--
--
--
--
2004-05
Chicago
AHL
53
11
10
21
58
18
1
5
6
44
2005-06
Syracuse
AHL
66
13
24
37
93
3
0
1
1
2
Columbus
NHL
13
0
0
0
4
--
--
--
--
--
2006-07
Syracuse
AHL
56
9
12
21
77
--
--
--
--
--
Grand Rapids
AHL
21
4
5
9
28
7
0
0
0
9
2007-08
Springfield
AHL
80
12
10
22
88
--
--
--
--
--
2008-09
Iserlohn
Germany
51
5
10
15
64
--
--
--
--
--
2009-10
Toronto
AHL
44
2
6
8
51
--
--
--
--
--
Kalamazoo
ECHL
18
4
9
13
16
3
3
0
3
14
2010-11
Sheffield
EIHL
54
21
36
57
62
3
2
0
2
12
NHL TOTALS
81
3
1
4
47
--
--
--
--
--
GRIFFINS TOTALS
21
4
5
9
28
7
0
0
0
9
PRO TOTALS
762
119
178
297
771
84
14
14
28
131
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Detroit Red Wings on Monday announced the hiring of Bruce Ramsay and Ben Simon as assistant coaches for the Grand Rapids Griffins. In addition, assistant coach Mike Knuble, goaltending coach Jeff Salajko and video coach Bill LeRoy will reprise their coaching roles with Grand Rapids.
Ramsay, 46, has been the head coach of the Tulsa Oilers in the ECHL and Central Hockey League for the past six seasons, compiling a 185-180-35 record in 400 regular season games from 2009-15. Most recently, Ramsay’s Oilers earned a 37-29-3-3 record in their first ECHL season and qualified for the 2015 Kelly Cup Playoffs, where they fell to the eventual champion Allen Americans in five games during the first round.
A native of Dryden, Ontario, Ramsay previously served as an assistant under Griffins head coach Todd Nelson from 2004-06, when the duo led the UHL’s Muskegon Fury to the Colonial Cup during their first season together and a 51-18-7 regular season record in their subsequent campaign. After Nelson departed for an assistant coaching position with the Chicago Wolves, Ramsay succeeded his colleague as the head coach of the Fury and produced an 84-56-12 regular season record in two seasons (2006-08) behind the bench. In all, Ramsay’s head coaching career spans 12 seasons between stints with the ACHL’s St. Pete/Winstom-Salem Parrots (2002-03), the UHL’s Port Huron Beacons (2002-04), the Fury, the IHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks (2008-09) and the Oilers.
Ramsay and Nelson were both members of the Griffins during the team’s inaugural season in 1996-97, and Ramsay collected nine goals and 14 assists in 175 games over three seasons (1996-99) with the team. Ramsay’s 781 penalty minutes as a Griffin rank second all-time in franchise history, and he’s one of just three Grand Rapids players to ever twice eclipse 300 PIM, producing 306 PIM in 1996-97 and leading the team with 310 PIM in 1997-98. In 12 seasons as a professional player (1991-02, 2004-05), Ramsay amassed 245 points (74-171—245) and 3,432 PIM in 677 games.
Simon, 37, recently concluded the 2014-15 season as an assistant coach with the Toronto Marlies and helped lead the team to a 40-27-9-0 regular season record. During the quarterfinals of the 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs, the Griffins defeated the Marlies to become the 11th team in AHL history to win a best-of-five series after trailing 0-2.
Simon’s coaching career began in 2010-11 as the head coach of the EIHL’s Sheffield Steelers. He earned a 43-10-0-1 record (0.806) and led the team to the EIHL regular season championship, before spending the following two seasons as an assistant coach with the Rockford IceHogs. The Shaker Heights, Ohio, native then posted a 41-23-4-4 record as the head coach of the Cincinnati Cyclones during 2013-14, leading his team to the Kelly Cup Finals and falling to the Alaska Aces in six games.
Including Knuble, Nelson and Ramsay, all four of Grand Rapids’ coaches are former Griffins, as Simon notched nine points (4-5—9) in 21 games with the team in 2006-07. Originally drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the fifth round (110th overall) of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft, Simon logged 81 NHL games with Atlanta and Columbus during his 11-year playing career.
Ramsay's Coaching Record
Regular Season
Playoffs
Season
Team
League
Position
GP
W
L
T
OTL
SOL
PCT
GP
W
L
PCT
1996-97
Thunder Bay
CoHL
Player-Assistant
74
43
23
--
8
--
0.649
11
5
6
0.455
1999-00
Fort Wayne
UHL
Player-Assistant
74
40
27
--
7
--
0.588
13
7
6
0.538
2001-02
Muskegon
UHL
Player-Assistant
74
48
22
--
4
--
0.676
17
11
6
0.647
2002-03
St. Pete/Winston-Salem
ACHL
Head Coach
37
18
12
7
--
--
0.581
--
--
--
--
Port Huron
UHL
Head Coach
23
14
6
--
3
--
0.674
3
0
3
0.000
2003-04
Port Huron
UHL
Head Coach
76
38
31
--
7
--
0.546
9
5
4
0.556
2004-05
Muskegon
UHL
Assistant
80
51
20
--
9
--
0.694
17
12
5
0.706
2005-06
Muskegon
UHL
Assistant
76
51
18
--
7
--
0.717
12
6
6
0.500
2006-07
Muskegon
UHL
Head Coach
76
49
21
--
6
--
0.684
11
7
4
0.636
2007-08
Muskegon
IHL
Head Coach
76
35
35
--
6
--
0.500
6
2
4
0.333
2008-09
Muskegon
IHL
Head Coach
76
43
26
--
7
--
0.612
11
5
6
0.455
2009-10
Tulsa
CHL
Head Coach
64
28
29
--
7
--
0.492
--
--
--
--
2010-11
Tulsa
CHL
Head Coach
66
35
25
--
6
--
0.576
10
5
5
0.500
2011-12
Tulsa
CHL
Head Coach
66
29
29
--
8
--
0.500
--
--
--
--
2012-13
Tulsa
CHL
Head Coach
66
22
39
--
5
--
0.371
--
--
--
--
2013-14
Tulsa
CHL
Head Coach
66
34
29
--
3
--
0.538
6
2
4
0.333
2014-15
Tulsa
ECHL
Head Coach
72
37
29
--
3
3
0.556
5
1
4
0.200
Ramsay's Playing Record
Regular Season
Playoffs
Season
Team
League
GP
G
A
PTS
PIM
GP
G
A
PTS
PIM
1989-90
Vernon
BCJHL
53
11
11
22
225
--
--
--
--
--
1990-91
Thunder Bay
Senior
44
13
20
33
353
--
--
--
--
--
1991-92
Thunder Bay
CoHL
54
7
16
23
313
12
1
2
3
55
1992-93
Thunder Bay
CoHL
52
3
16
19
234
--
--
--
--
--
1993-94
Thunder Bay
CoHL
63
9
22
31
313
8
1
2
3
45
1994-95
Thunder Bay
CoHL
62
14
29
43
462
11
0
3
3
83
Prince Edward Island
AHL
2
0
1
1
10
1
0
0
0
2
1995-96
Thunder Bay
CoHL
56
6
15
21
400
18
2
3
5
142
Milwaukee
IHL
3
0
0
0
5
--
--
--
--
--
1996-97
Grand Rapids
IHL
66
3
5
8
306
4
0
0
0
2
Thunder Bay
CoHL
9
6
4
10
71
--
--
--
--
--
1997-98
Grand Rapids
IHL
62
5
6
11
310
--
--
--
--
--
1998-99
Grand Rapids
IHL
47
1
3
4
165
--
--
--
--
--
1999-00
Fort Wayne
UHL
65
6
21
27
241
13
1
3
4
67
Michigan
IHL
3
0
0
0
7
--
--
--
--
--
2000-01
Wichita
CHL
60
11
24
35
364
--
--
--
--
--
2001-02
Muskegon
UHL
69
2
9
11
214
17
1
0
1
31
2004-05
Muskegon
UHL
4
1
0
1
17
--
--
--
--
--
GRIFFINS TOTALS
175
9
14
23
781
4
0
0
0
2
PRO TOTALS
677
74
171
245
3,432
84
6
13
19
427
Simon's Coaching Record
Regular Season
Playoffs
Season
Team
League
Position
GP
W
L
T
OTL
SOL
PCT
GP
W
L
PCT
2010-11
Sheffield
EIHL
Head Coach
54
43
10
--
0
1
0.806
3
1
2
0.333
2011-12
Rockford
AHL
Assistant Coach
76
35
32
--
2
7
0.520
--
--
--
--
2012-13
Rockford
AHL
Assistant Coach
76
42
31
--
2
1
0.572
--
--
--
--
2013-14
Cincinnati
ECHL
Head Coach
72
41
23
--
4
4
0.625
24
14
10
0.583
2014-15
Toronto
AHL
Assistant Coach
76
40
27
--
9
0
0.586
5
2
3
0.400
Simon's Playing Record
Regular Season
Playoffs
Season
Team
League
GP
G
A
PTS
PIM
GP
G
A
PTS
PIM
1995-96
Cleveland
NAHL
45
38
33
71
134
--
--
--
--
--
1996-97
Notre Dame
CCHA
30
4
15
19
79
--
--
--
--
--
1997-98
Notre Dame
CCHA
37
9
28
37
91
--
--
--
--
--
1998-99
Notre Dame
CCHA
37
18
24
42
65
--
--
--
--
--
1999-00
Notre Dame
CCHA
40
13
19
32
53
--
--
--
--
--
2000-01
Orlando
IHL
77
8
12
20
47
16
6
5
11
20
2001-02
Chicago
AHL
74
11
23
34
56
25
2
3
5
24
Atlanta
NHL
6
0
0
0
6
--
--
--
--
--
2002-03
Chicago
AHL
69
15
17
32
78
9
0
0
0
6
Atlanta
NHL
10
0
1
1
9
--
--
--
--
--
2003-04
Atlanta
NHL
52
3
0
3
28
--
--
--
--
--
Milwaukee
AHL
18
1
3
4
6
--
--
--
--
--
2004-05
Chicago
AHL
53
11
10
21
58
18
1
5
6
44
2005-06
Syracuse
AHL
66
13
24
37
93
3
0
1
1
2
Columbus
NHL
13
0
0
0
4
--
--
--
--
--
2006-07
Syracuse
AHL
56
9
12
21
77
--
--
--
--
--
Grand Rapids
AHL
21
4
5
9
28
7
0
0
0
9
2007-08
Springfield
AHL
80
12
10
22
88
--
--
--
--
--
2008-09
Iserlohn
Germany
51
5
10
15
64
--
--
--
--
--
2009-10
Toronto
AHL
44
2
6
8
51
--
--
--
--
--
Kalamazoo
ECHL
18
4
9
13
16
3
3
0
3
14
2010-11
Sheffield
EIHL
54
21
36
57
62
3
2
0
2
12
NHL TOTALS
81
3
1
4
47
--
--
--
--
--
GRIFFINS TOTALS
21
4
5
9
28
7
0
0
0
9
PRO TOTALS
762
119
178
297
771
84
14
14
28
131