Mike Vellucci

Michael George Vellucci (born August 11, 1966, in Farmington, Michigan) is a retired professional ice hockey player. He is currently the head coach and general manager of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the American Hockey League. Previously, he was the head coach and general manager of the Plymouth Whalers in the Ontario Hockey League for 14 seasons[1] and head coach of the Charlotte Checkers in the American Hockey League for two seasons.

Mike Vellucci
Born (1966-08-11) August 11, 1966
Farmington, Michigan, U.S.
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
Position Defense
Shot Left
Played for Hartford Whalers
NHL Draft 131st overall, 1984
Hartford Whalers
Playing career 1986–1995

Playing career

Vellucci played professionally in the IHL, AHL, ECHL and BHL from 1986 to 1989. Selected by the Hartford Whalers in the seventh round of the 1987 NHL Entry Draft, Vellucci played for Hartford during the 1987–88 season. Vellucci appeared in two games in the National Hockey League in 1987–88.[2]

Management career

Vellucci was with the Detroit Compuware Ambassadors of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) from 1994 to 1999, where his teams went 241–82–27 in the regular season and captured U.S. national championships in 1994 and 1999. The Ambassadors also captured two NAHL regular season titles and four Robertson Cups.

Vellucci coached the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) from 2001 to 2008, winning the Matt Leyden Trophy as OHL Coach of the Year in 2007 becoming the first American to win. That same season, he led the Whalers to the J. Ross Robertson Cup and a berth in the 2007 Memorial Cup.[3] He was also named the OHL's Coach of the Year and Executive of the Year in 2012–13. Vellucci stepped down as head coach of the Whalers in December 2007, as he wanted more time to concentrate on his general manager duties, and he was replaced by Greg Stefan. Stefan coached the club until November 2008, when he resigned to take a job with the Carolina Hurricanes of the NHL, and Vellucci took over the coaching duties once again.

Vellucci left the Whalers after the 2013–14 season and took a job as an assistant general manager and director of player development with the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League. After three seasons, he became the head coach of the Hurricanes' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers in 2017. In his second season as the Checkers head coach, Vellucci won 2019 AHL's Coach of the Year award. The Checkers won the 2019 Calder Cup under Vellucci, beating the defending champion Toronto Marlies in the conference finals and the Chicago Wolves in the finals. This was the Checkers' first Calder Cup finals appearance and win.[4]

On June 28, 2019, Vellucci parted ways with the Hurricanes organization.[5] On the same day, he was announced as the head coach of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the Pittsburgh Penguins' AHL affilitate.[6]

Personal life

Vellucci and his wife, Sue, have a daughter, Allison, and a son, Ryan.

Coaching record
TeamYearRegular seasonPostseason
GWLTOTLPtsFinishResult
PLY2001–02 683915122921st in WestLost in Conference Quarterfinals
PLY2002–03 68431492971st in WestLost in Conference Finals
PLY2003–04 68322493762nd in WestLost in Conference Semifinals
PLY2004–05 68302963692nd in WestLost in Conference Quarterfinals
PLY2005–06 683528—5751st in WestLost in Conference Semifinals
PLY2006–07 684914—51031st in WestWon J. Ross Robertson Cup
PLY2007–08 29188—339(resigned)—
PLY2008–09 493115—3652nd in WestLost in Conference Semifinals
PLY2009–10 683827—3792nd in WestLost in Conference Semifinals
PLY2010–11 683626—6783rd in WestLost in Conference Semifinals
PLY2011–12 684718—3971st in WestLost in Conference Semifinals
PLY2012–13 684217—9931st in WestLost in Conference Finals
PLY2013–14 682833—7631st in WestLost in Conference Quarterfinals
Total8264682683654

AHL
TeamYearRegular seasonPostseason
GWLOTLPtsFinishWLWin %Result
Charlotte2017–18 7646264963rd in Atlantic44.500Lost in Division Finals
Charlotte2018–19 76511771101st in Atlantic154.789Won Calder Cup
AHL total152974311206198.7042 playoff appearances

References
  1. "Hockey Operations". NHL.com. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  2. "Mike Vellucci player profile". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved February 2, 2010.
  3. Koshan, Terry (2007). Not flashy, just successful. 2007 Mastercard Memorial Cup Program. p. 90.
  4. "VELLUCCI NAMED HEAD COACH IN CHARLOTTE". American Hockey League. June 15, 2017.
  5. "VELLUCCI LEAVING HURRICANES ORGANIZATION". American Hockey League. June 28, 2019.
  6. "PENGUINS NAME VELLUCCI NEW HEAD COACH IN WBS". American Hockey League. June 28, 2019.
Preceded by
Peter DeBoer		 Head coaches of the Plymouth Whalers
2001–2008		 Succeeded by
Greg Stefan
Preceded by
Greg Stefan		 Head coaches of the Plymouth Whalers
2008–2014		 Succeeded by
Don Elland
Preceded by
Ulf Samuelsson		 Head coaches of the Charlotte Checkers
2017–2019		 Succeeded by
Ryan Warsofsky
Preceded by
Clark Donatelli		 Head coaches of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
2019–present		 Succeeded by
Incumbent


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