Keith McCambridge explained

Position:Defence
Shoots:Left
Height Ft:6
Height In:2
Weight Lb:205
Birth Date:February 1, 1974
Birth Place:Thompson, Manitoba, Canada
Career Start:1995
Career End:2006
Draft:201st overall
Draft Year:1994
Draft Team:Calgary Flames
Played For:Saint John Flames
Las Vegas Thunder
Long Beach Ice Dogs
Providence Bruins
Manitoba Moose
Houston Aeros
Cleveland Barons
Alaska Aces

Keith McCambridge (born February 1, 1974) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and a former defenceman. He was previously the head coach of the American Hockey League's Manitoba Moose/St. John's IceCaps team from 2011 to 2016 and the Hartford Wolf Pack from 2017 to 2019.

Playing career

McCambridge was born in Thompson, Manitoba, but grew up in Selkirk. He joined the Selkirk Steelers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League as a 16-year-old, playing one season before moving on to the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League, where he spent most of his major junior career. During his final season of junior hockey, McCambridge was traded to the Kamloops Blazers, joining them on their 1995 Memorial Cup championship run.[1] [2]

McCambridge was drafted in the eighth round, 201st overall by the Calgary Flames in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft. After junior, he spent three seasons with the Saint John Flames, Calgary's AHL affiliate, from 1995 to 1998. He later went on to play for several teams in both the American and the International Hockey Leagues, including the Las Vegas Thunder, Providence Bruins, Long Beach Ice Dogs, and Cleveland Barons. Known for his tough, bruising style of play, McCambridge recorded 42 points and 1333 penalty minutes in 461 regular season games, AHL and IHL combined. He also played in 40 playoff games.

In 2003, McCambridge signed as a player-coach with the Alaska Aces of the ECHL. He spent three seasons with the Aces, as a captain wearing the number 2, and was a part of their 2006 Kelly Cup championship team. McCambridge retired as a player following the Aces' championship season.

Coaching career

After retiring a player, McCambridge became a full-time assistant coach for Aces in 2006 and was promoted to head coach a year later. The Aces enjoyed two successful seasons under McCambridge's guidance and advanced to the finals in 2008-2009.

In 2009, McCambridge joined the American Hockey League's Manitoba Moose as an assistant coach and later moved with the team to St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador in 2011. The Winnipeg Jets, the parent club of the St. John's IceCaps, subsequently selected McCambridge to replace Claude Noël as head coach.[3] McCambridge led the IceCaps to a division title in 2011–12 and a berth in the 2014 Calder Cup finals, which they lost to the Texas Stars in five games.

McCambridge was retained as head coach when the franchise relocated back to Winnipeg as the Moose in 2015. After one season back in Manitoba, McCambridge's contract was not renewed by the Jets' organization.[4] He was hired as an assistant coach by the Hartford Wolf Pack in August 2016.[5]

On June 12, 2017, McCambridge was named Wolf Pack head coach for the 2017–18 AHL season.[6] He was fired after two seasons.

McCambridge was hired as an Associate Coach by the Vancouver Giants of the WHL in 2020 and served in that capacity for two seasons. He has been hired by the Bakersfield Condors of the American Hockey League as an Assistant Coach.[7]

Career statistics

Team League GP GPG A Pts PIM
1991–92Swift Current BroncosWHL72 1 4 5 948 0 0 0 2
1992–93Swift Current BroncosWHL70 0 6 6 8717 0 1 1 27
1993–94Swift Current BroncosWHL71 0 10 10 1797 0 0 0 4
1994–95Swift Current BroncosWHL48 5 7 12 120
1994–95Kamloops BlazersWHL21 0 6 6 9021 0 5 5 49
1995–96Saint John FlamesAHL48 1 3 4 8916 0 0 0 6
1996–97Saint John FlamesAHL56 2 1 3 109
1997–98Saint John FlamesAHL56 4 4 8 118
1997–98Las Vegas ThunderIHL10 0 1 1 164 0 0 0 9
1998–99Las Vegas ThunderIHL18 1 2 3 56
1998–99Long Beach Ice DogsIHL52 2 5 7 2008 0 0 0 20
1999–00Providence BruinsAHL47 0 2 2 135
1999–00Manitoba MooseIHL3 0 1 1 4
2000–01Providence BruinsAHL63 1 5 6 21510 0 0 0 18
2001–02Providence BruinsAHL59 1 3 4 2632 0 0 0 5
2002–03Houston AerosAHL11 0 0 0 22
2002–03Cleveland BaronsAHL38 0 3 3 106
2003–04Alaska AcesECHL63 1 5 6 1716 1 1 2 2
2004–05Alaska AcesECHL56 3 8 11 11115 0 4 4 12
2005–06Alaska AcesECHL47 1 3 4 9322 0 4 4 16
AHL totals378921301,0572800029

Coaching record

Team Year League Regular Season Post Season
G W L T OTL Pts Finish Result
AK724126-5873rd in WestLost in Second Round (LV)
AKECHL72452412931st in WestLost in Kelly Cup Finals (SC)
STJAHL764325-8941st in AtlanticLost in Third Round (NOR)
STJAHL763236-8725th in AtlanticDid not qualify
STJAHL764623-7992nd in AtlanticLost in Calder Cup Finals (TEX)
STJAHL 763233-11755th in AtlanticDid not qualify
MANAHL762641-9617th in CentralDid not qualify
HFDAHL763433-9776th in AtlanticDid not qualify
HFDAHL 762936-11698th in AtlanticDid not qualify
ECHL Totals 144865017180
AHL Totals 532242227-63547

Notes and References

  1. News: Passion drives IceCaps coach. October 6, 2012. Winnipeg Sun.
  2. News: McCambridge a Moose coach. July 27, 2009. InterlakeToday.ca.
  3. News: Moose assistant coach Keith McCambridge promoted to head coach of Jets farm team. July 14, 2011. FoxNews.com.
  4. Web site: Jets Elect Not to Renew Contract of Moose Coach Keith McCambridge . OurSports Central . April 22, 2016.
  5. Web site: Keith McCambridge named Assistant Coach for Hartford . OurSports Central . August 3, 2016.
  6. Web site: Keith McCambridge Named Head Coach of Hartford Wolf Pack. NHL.com. en-US. 2017-06-12.
  7. Web site: Keith McCambridge . Bakersfield Condors . December 31, 2022.