The new head coach of the Bakersfield Condors is looking forward to playing aggressive hockey with familiar players during the team’s inaugural American Hockey League season.
Gerry Fleming, who helped guide the Oklahoma City Barons to the Calder Cup Playoffs last year, said former Condors from the ECHL have done well in the higher-level AHL – the team routinely called up Bakersfield’s best through an affiliation agreement.
“Those players helped us get through a rough time, and, when we got players back, you couldn’t take them out of the lineup – they performed so well with their opportunity,” he said.
Several top-tier ECHL Condors, including forward Josh Winquist and defenseman Nick Pageau, will return to Bakersfield this year.
The Condors will play their first AHL regular-season game on Oct. 10.
– Anthony Pollreisz