David, Quenneville to coach NAHL 18U Selects Team

The North American Hockey League announced today the coaches that will be behind the bench for the NAHL 18U Selects team at the 2012 NAHL Top Prospects Tournament from February 20-22 in Troy, Michigan. The coaches will be Oliver David, who is the head coach of the West Division’s Kenai River Brown Bears, and Justin Quenneville, who is the head coach of the South Division’s Corpus Christi IceRays.

David is in his third full season with the Brown Bears and has them in playoff contention in the West Division, just a point out of the fourth and final playoff spot with three games in hand on 4th place Fresno.  Last season under David’s helm, the Brown Bears won a franchise record 27 games, shattering team records.  The previous high for a season for Kenai was 14. The Brown Bears have made the playoffs the last three seasons.  During those three seasons under David, dozens of players have advanced to play hockey in the NCAA ranks.

Quenneville in his first year as head coach of the Corpus Christi IceRays.  Currently, he has the IceRays in the fourth and final playoff position in the South Division with 43 points, seven points ahead of the next competitor.  This is Quenneville’s second year behind the bench in Corpus Christi and sixth overall for the NAHL franchise. In 2010-11, he served as an assistant coach. The Montreal, Canada native played four of his six professional seasons in Corpus Christi prior to the franchise’s move to the NAHL

The NAHL 18U Selects team is new this year to the Top Prospects Tournament and features the top 17 and 18 year olds currently playing in the NAHL this season.  “Oliver and Justin are two successful, young coaches in our league,” said Denny Scanlon, Director of Hockey Operations for the NAHL.  “They understand our league, its players and how to interact with the scouts that will be in attendance.  They are a perfect fit to coach this team of up-and-coming young players.”