The Carolina Thunderbirds of the Federal Professional Hockey League have announced that they have named Garrett Rutledge as their second head coach in team history. Rutledge replaces Andre Niec behind the bench, after Niec left to pursue a scouting position with the NHL’s Florida Panthers.
Rutledge makes the jump to the FPHL from the Ontario Hockey League’s Saginaw Spirit, where he served as the video coach since 2019. Prior to Saginaw, Rutledge served as a scout and later becoming an assistant coach with the Flint Firebirds.
In their shortened 2020-21 season, the Thunderbirds posted an 8-9-2-1 record in 20 games, finishing third out of four teams that were able to participate, spending the entire season on the road. Carolina looks to rebound this season after having won the 2018-19 Commissioner’s Cup, and was poised to make a run at a second-straight championship before COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the 2019-20 season.
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