NHL Veteran Kromm Named Winter Hawks Head Coach

This is Kromm's second head coaching position in the Western Hockey League.

Salem-News.com SPORTS

PORTLAND, Ore. - Richard Kromm, a ten-year National Hockey League veteran and Captain of the Portland Winter Hawks 1983 Memorial Cup championship team, has been named Head Coach of the Portland Winter Hawks.

Kromm returns to Portland having established a tradition of excellence as both a coach and player.

“I am very excited about coming back to Portland to help rebuild the winning tradition of past years,” said Kromm. “I feel we have a terrific core of young players. We should be able to produce winning seasons for a long time to come.”

His coaching resume includes winning the 1999 United Hockey League Turner Cup and 1998 International Hockey League Turner Cup.

He was named the UHL's Coach of the Year for the 1998-99 season and coached in the UHL All-Star game in both 1999 and 2000.

As a player, Kromm won the 1990 American Hockey League Alder Cup, the 1983 Western Hockey League Memorial Cup and the 1982 WHL Championship.

"We are thrilled to have a person of Richard’s experience at the NHL level as a player and the Western Hockey League as a player and coach. He is a man of character, skill and leadership. He possesses all the qualities we were looking for in a Head Coach and he has a memorable history with our organization," said Winter Hawks Principle Owner and Director of Hockey Operations, Jim Goldsmith. "We are confident that Richard will create a winning attitude and his presence in the organization will instill confidence and enthusiasm for all the Winter Hawks."

This is Kromm's second Head Coaching position in the Western Hockey League. He led the bench staff of the Calgary Hitmen for three seasons from 2001-02 to 2003-04.

Kromm played three seasons with the Winter Hawks from 1981-82 to 1983-84 including a career high 38 goals, 68 assists for 103 points as Captain of the 1982-83 team that went on to win the Memorial Cup Championship. He added another 27 points in 18 games during the 1983 playoffs and Memorial Cup Tournament.

“Richard was an outstanding leader when he played for us. We were able to go to two Memorial Cups, one in Hull, Quebec and one that we hosted here in Portland and won,” said Kromm’s former coach and current Winter Hawks General Manager, Ken Hodge. “He had a great heart as a player and was gave one of the most consistent efforts night-in and night-out of any player in our 32 year history.”

The New York Islanders selected Kromm in the second round, 37th overall, of the 1982 National Hockey League entry draft. He made the jump directly from the Winter Hawks to the NHL with the Calgary flames during the 1983-84 season.

“He was one of the few players that made the jump to the National Hockey League midway through his 19 year-old season,” said Hodge. “We were not able to enjoy him as long as we would have liked.”

After three seasons, Kromm was traded back to the New York Islanders where he would finish his NHL career with a total of 372 games played.

Kromm, the fifth Head Coach in team history, replaces Mike Williamson who led the team from 2000 until June of this year.

Harold Snepts took over for Brent Peterson after the 1997-98 season when Peterson accepted a coaching position with the Nashville Predators of the NHL. Snepts resigned during the 1999-2000 season.

Peterson was named Head Coach in 1992 and later won the 1998 Memorial Cup. Kromm was coached by Ken Hodge during his 16-year tenure as Head Coach from 1976-77 to 1991-92.

Hodge still holds the all-time Western Hockey League record for most wins in a coaching career with 742.

Kromm has coached the last three seasons with the Okanagan Hockey Schools as a Head Instructor along with former Winter Hawks Player and Coach, Blake Wesley. He is currently making arrangements for his move to Portland.

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