Ducks Name Geoff Ward and Mike Stothers as Assistant Coaches

Jun 15, 2021

The Anaheim Ducks announced today that the National Hockey League (NHL) club has named Geoff Ward and Mike Stothers as Assistant Coaches. 

Ward, 59 (2/9/62), was the Head Coach of the Calgary Flames from 2019-21, leading the club to a 36-26-5 record, including a 25-15-3 mark in 2019-20 and a berth in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He also served as Calgary’s Associate Coach in 2018-19. 

Ward served as an Assistant Coach with the New Jersey Devils from 2015-18 and the Boston Bruins for seven seasons from 2007-14, helping to lead the club to two Stanley Cup Finals (2011 and 2013), including a championship in 2011. In 2014-15, Ward served as the head coach of Adler Mannheim, winning the German championship and was named the DEL coach of the year. He also served as a Head Coach in Germany with Iserlohn in 2006-07 and Bad Nauheim in 2000-01. 

A native of Waterloo, Ontario, Ward served as Head Coach of the Montreal Canadiens' primary American Hockey League (AHL) affiliates in Hamilton (2002-03), Toronto (2003-04) and Edmonton (2004-06). In 2003, he was named the AHL Coach of the Year with Hamilton after guiding the Bulldogs to the Calder Cup Finals.

Ward served as the Head Coach of Arkansas (ECHL) in 1999-00, the Ontario Hockey League’s Guelph Storm (1998-99) and Kitchener Rangers (1994-98). He began his career as an Assistant Coach at the University of Waterloo (1989-90) before guiding the Waterloo Siskins to a MWJHL championship as Head Coach in 1993-94. Ward also was an assistant for the German National Team from 2015-2018, appearing at four World Championships. 

Stothers, 59 (2/22/62), most recently won a gold medal as an Assistant Coach for Canada at the 2021 U-18 World Championship. He previously spent six seasons as Head Coach of the Los Angeles Kings’ AHL affiliate in Ontario (2015-20) and Manchester (2014-15), leading the Monarchs to a Calder Cup Championship in 2015 while being named the AHL Coach of the Year. He guided the Reign and Monarchs to a 220-137-48 record and four postseason appearances. 

The Toronto, Ontario native spent three NHL seasons as an Assistant Coach with Atlanta Thrashers (2010-11) and Philadelphia Flyers (2000-01). He served as Head Coach of the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League (2011-14) and the Owen Sound Attack of the OHL from 2002-07. He also was the Head Coach of Grand Rapids (AHL) in 2007-08. 

Stothers began his coaching career as a player/Assistant Coach with the Hershey Bears in 1991-92 and served as Assistant Coach from 1992-96. He served in the same role with the Philadelphia Phantoms in 1996-00, helping the club to a Calder Cup championship in 1998. 

Selected by Philadelphia in the first round (21st overall) of the 1980 NHL Draft, Stothers recorded two assists (0-2=2) in 30 career NHL games with Philadelphia and Toronto from 1984-88. He also skated in five Stanley Cup Playoff Games with the Flyers, including the 1987 Stanley Cup Final. The defensemen appeared in 671 career AHL games with the Maine Mariners (1981-84), Hershey Bears (1984-88 and 1988-92) and New Market Saints (1987-88), scoring 36-106=144 points and 1,840 penalty minutes. He won a Calder Cup championship with Maine in 1984.