Rivermen's Jean-Guy Trudel wins SPHL coach of the year for 4th time
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) — For the fourth time, Peoria Rivermen coach Jean-Guy Trudel has been named Coach of the Year by the SPHL.
It's a remarkable accomplishment for Trudel as the Rivermen have only been in the league for 11 years and comes after the team earned their 6th William B. Coffey Trophy as regular-season champions with a 40-10-6 record, matching a Rivermen record for wins set in the 2018-2019 season.
'First and foremost, it's a tremendous honor for what we feel is one of the best coaching staffs in minor league hockey with Trudel leading the way and Eric Levine as his assistant,' said Bart Rogers, the team's co-owner. 'They went through a tremendous adversity with more than 60 players coming and going through the system as either injured or called up.'
Trudel also became the winningest coach in SPHL history in November when he notched his 369th win over the Pensacola Ice Flyers. He reached 400 wins when the Rivermen beat the same team on March 29. He finished the season with 402 wins.
He previously earned the title after the 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2017-18 seasons.
Trudel and the team are on the road in the Quad Cities where they face an elimination game against the Quad City Storm in the second round of the SPHL playoffs. They lost the first game in the best of three series 2-0 on Wednesday at Carver Arena.
The honor comes after Rivermen players dominated the all-SPHL honors earning four of six spots on the 1st team.
Goalie Colby Muise, defenseman Zach Wilkie, and forwards Alec Baer and Jordan Ernst were all honored as being named the best in the SPHL.
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