John Becanic named head coach in WHL

NEWS RELEASE

EVERETT SILVERTIPS

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John Becanic Named New Head Coach of the Silvertips

Silvertips Promote Becanic to Head Coach and Varady to Associate Head Coach

Everett, WA – May 31, 2007: Everett Silvertips VP/General Manager, Doug Soetaert, is proud to announce that John Becanic has been appointed as the new Head Coach of the Everett Silvertips Hockey Club. Soetaert also announced that Jay Varady has been promoted to Associate Head Coach of the hockey club and will assist Becanic with the coaching duties. Both appointments are effective immediately.

John Becanic has been on the coaching staff of the Silvertips since its inaugural season in 2003-2004. John was the Assistant Coach of the hockey club for two seasons before being promoted to Associate Head Coach during the 2005-2006 season. The Sault Ste Marie, Ontario native came to Everett from Pittsburgh where he worked as the Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations of the Pittsburgh Forge (Junior A) team of the North American Hockey League. As Head Coach, John led the Forge to a 43-9-4 regular season record and went on to win the USA Junior A National Championship during the 2002-2003 season where John was named Coach of the Year. During the Pittsburgh Forge’s expansion year in 2001-2002, Becanic helped the Forge become the first USA Junior A expansion team to reach the National Championship of the NAHL.

Prior to working with the Forge in Pittsburgh, John spent five seasons as the Head Coach and Director of Operations with the Bismarck Bobcats (Junior A) in the America West Hockey League. John compiled a 121-93-22 record with the Bobcats and led them to three semi-final appearances. From 1992 to 1994, Becanic was the Assistant Coach of the Soo Greyhounds of the OHL and was part of their 1993 Memorial Cup Championship victory.

Jay Varady has coached along side with John Becanic since 2001 and has been an Assistant Coach with the Silvertips since their inaugural season in 2003. Prior to joining the Silvertips, Varady served as an Assistant Coach with the Pittsburgh Forge where he helped them win a National Championship in 2003.

The Cahokia, Illinois native is a graduate of Union College, where he played three seasons of Division I hockey from 1997 through 2000. He was captain of the team during the 1999-2000 season, and a two-time member of the East Coast Athletic Conferences All-Academic Team. In 2000, Jay was awarded the Charles N. Morrison Scholarship, which is given to the Union College hockey player dedicated to academics.

Jay has also been involved in running and operating hockey schools. Jay was the Director of Hockey Schools from 1994-1999 for Mid-West Elite/Allied Sports in Chicago. Along with his coaching duties with the Silvertips, Jay is in charge of organizing the Silvertip's summer hockey programs.

"The Silvertips organization is delighted to have John and Jay assume their new coaching responsibilities with the hockey club and I look forward to working with them in accomplishing our organizational team goals,” mentions Silvertips VP/General Manager Doug Soetaert. “We are fortunate to have two extremely quality individuals in our organization to continue to lead our players on and off the ice."

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