The Adirondack Thunder [https://thehockeynews.com/echl/latest-news/adirondack-swings-trade-with-gladiators]announced Tuesday that the club has named Adirondack Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, Sylvain Cloutier, as the fifth Head Coach in team history. The 51-year-old Cloutier returns to Glens Falls after beginning his professional career with the Adirondack Red Wings in the 1993-94 season. The native of Mont-Laurier, Quebec played 287 games with Adirondack and totaled 45 goals and 103 assists for 148 points from 1993 to 1998. Cloutier returned to Adirondack in 2003 and played three seasons with the Frostbite in the United Hockey League. “I’m incredibly honored and excited to be named Head Coach of the Adirondack Thunder,” Cloutier stated. “This organization has a proud tradition and a passionate fan base, and I’m committed to building a team that reflects that same intensity and drive. I can’t wait to get to work and help lead this group toward success on and off the ice." During his playing career, Cloutier was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings]in 1992 and played in seven NHL games with the Chicago Blackhawks [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/chicago-blackhawks]during the 1998-99 season. In 565 American Hockey League [https://thehockeynews.com/ahl/]games with Adirondack, Albany, Houston, and Syracuse, Cloutier had 86 goals and 186 assists for 274 points. He also served as a captain and won a Calder Cup with Houston during the 2002-03 season. Following his playing career, Cloutier was inducted into the Adirondack Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the 2020 class. “We are proud to welcome Sylvain Cloutier back to Glens Falls,” Thunder President Jeff Mead said in a statement. “A respected alumnus of both the Adirondack Red Wings and Frostbite, and a member of the Adirondack Hockey Hall of Fame, Sylvain’s connection to this community and its hockey heritage makes him a natural fit to lead this team. His passion, experience, and dedication to Adirondack hockey will inspire both our players and our fans.” Cloutier got behind the bench during the 2008-09 season with the Corpus Christi IceRays in the Central Hockey League before heading overseas to coach the Hull Stingrays in the EIHL from 2009-14. Cloutier returned to Canada to be the head coach and general manager of the Essa Stallions in the CPJHL and led the Stallions to a 106-21-3 record over his three seasons as Head Coach and earned back-to-back CPJHL Championships in 2018 and 2019, while also collecting the 2017-18 regular season championship with a 42-2-0 record. Cloutier returned to Corpus Christi in the 2022-23 season and this past year, he helped lead the IceRays to their best regular season in team history in the North American Hockey League with a 35-19-2-3 record. HOLMSTROM ADDED AS ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH Also on Tuesday, the Thunder named Ben Holmstrom as the team’s new Associate Head Coach. Holmstrom, 38, returns to Glens Falls after beginning his professional career with the American Hockey League’s Adirondack Phantoms in the 2009-10 season and serving as the team’s captain from 2011-14. In 256 regular-season games with the Phantoms, Holmstrom recorded 49 goals and 73 assists for 122 points. “I’m very excited to come back to the same spot my professional playing career started,” said Holmstrom. “My goal is to try and help these players and this team exceed their potential and put a winning team on the ice in front of these passionate fans! I look forward to feeling the energy the Thunder fans bring in October!” The Colorado Springs, Colorado native appeared in seven National Hockey League games with the Philadelphia Flyers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/philadelphia-flyers]during his time in Adirondack. Following the 2013-14 season, Holmstrom served as the assistant captain for the Charlotte Checkers and totaled 20 points in 62 games. (Photo Courtesy of the Adirondack Thunder)
