San Diego Gulls Name Dave Barr Assistant Coach
Aug 5, 2024The San Diego Gulls announced today that the American Hockey League (AHL) club has named Dave Barr as Assistant Coach. He joins Head Coach Matt McIlvane’s coaching staff alongside Assistant Coach Kris Sparre, Goaltending Coach Jeff Glass, and Video Coordinator Lucas Hurtt.
Barr, 63, spent 2023-24 as Assistant Coach for the Chicago Wolves. Prior to joining Chicago, he served as Head Coach for the Vienna Capitals of the ICEHL from 2021-23, Austria’s top professional league, leading Vienna to a combined 45-34-12 record in two seasons. Barr also helped Team Canada to gold as Head Coach at the 2021 U-18 World Championship, a team that included former Gulls and current Anaheim Ducks Mason McTavish and Olen Zellweger.
Barr spent parts of 11 seasons as an Assistant Coach in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 2008-20 with Colorado, Minnesota, New Jersey, Buffalo and San Jose, as well as one season as an Associate Coach for the Florida Panthers in 2016-17. He helped the Devils reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2012, and helped guide the Sharks to back-to-back playoff appearances in 2018 & 2019.
Barr began his coaching career in the International Hockey League in 1995, serving as a Player-Assistant Coach for the Orlando Solar Bears from 1995-97 before joining the Houston Aeros as an Assistant Coach from 1997-00. He served as Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations for one season in 2000-01 before being named the General Manager of the Aeros after the team joined AHL in 2001, leading them to a Calder Cup in the 2002-03 season.
A Toronto, Ontario native, Barr was the Head Coach of the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) from 2004-2008, as well as General Manager from 2003-08. Under his guidance, Guelph won the OHL Championship in 2004 and made the OHL playoffs five straight seasons. He was named the OHL Coach of the Year in 2005-06 after leading the Storm to a 40-24-4 record. In Guelph, he oversaw the development of numerous future NHL players, including Drew Doughty, Ryan Callahan, Dan Girardi and Ben Chiarot.
Prior to his coaching career, Barr had a 13-year NHL career from 1981-94 with Boston, New York Rangers, St. Louis, Hartford, Detroit, New Jersey and Dallas, posting 128-204=332 points with a +84 rating and 520 penalty minutes (PIM) in 614 career games. He skated in 71 career Stanley Cup Playoff games and recorded 12-10=22 points and 70 PIM. Barr also appeared in 158 career AHL games with Erie, Baltimore, Adirondack and Utica, earning 46-113=159 points and 120 PIM.