Former Blues Defenseman Hired As NAHL Coach

The Houston Bulls of the NAHL have hired former St. Louis Blues defenseman Nathan Oystrick as the head coach.

Oystrick will coach the team as they enter their inaugural season.

Oystrick joins the Bulls’ bench after over a decade of coaching experience and four seasons as coach of the NA3HL’s Wausau Cyclones. Oystrick was named the NA3HL Coach of the Year in 2023-24 after leading the Cyclones to a 36-10-0-1 record that year.

“I’ve been there, and I’ve done it,” said Oystrick in an interview with The Sporting News’ Jennifer Streeter. “I played junior hockey, I went to Northern Michigan, that’s what all these guys want to do. They want to go the Division I college route and then hopefully move on to pro, and I think that experience that I had as a player can only help give our guys the knowledge and the tools … I’ll always be picking up the phone and making sure our guys are getting the exposure they need.”

Before his coaching career began, the 43-year-old spent time in the NHL, with a brief stint with the Blues. Oystrick played just nine games with St. Louis in the 2010-11 season, scoring one goal and three points. In all, his NHL career saw him score five goals and 15 points in 65 games.

Most of his playing career was spent in the AHL, where he recorded 64 goals and 206 points in 338 games, winning the Calder Cup with the Chicago Wolves in the 2007-08 season. He also spent seasons in the ECHL and the KHL, and four years in college at Northern Michigan University. 

The NAHL is a Tier II junior league in the USA. The Houston Bulls are moving from North Iowa, and Oystrick is tasked with helping the transition move smoothly while developing his players. 

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