Chesterville's Bryan Helmer named Assistant Coach of Peterborough Petes

Chesterville's Bryan Helmer - seen here accepting the 2010 Calder Cup as captain of the Hershey Bears - has been named Assistant Coach of the Peterborough Petes. Helmer is the AHL all-time leading scorer amongst defencemen with 562 points.

PHOTO CREDIT - Just Sports Photography

Peterborough - July 22, 2013 - Peterborough Petes General Manager Mike Oke and Head Coach Jody Hull are pleased to announce the addition of Bryan Helmer to the Petes coaching staff.

Bryan Helmer played twenty seasons of professional hockey including 146 games in the National Hockey League, 1147 in the American Hockey League and 50 in the International Hockey League. While going undrafted in the National Hockey League, Helmer signed as a free agent with the New Jersey Devils in 1994. In 1997-98 he was named to the AHL First All-Star Team and in 2005-06 to the AHL Second All- Star Team. While playing with the Oklahoma City Barons in 2011, Bryan became the AHL all-time leading scorer amongst defencemen 562 points. He sits third all-time in AHL games played. In 2011-12 he was named Oklahoma City’s winner of the AHL Man of the Year Award. Helmer has served as team Captain with San Antonio in 2007-08, and Hershey in 2008-09 and 2009-10 winning the Calder Cup Championship both seasons.

“We are very fortunate to be able to add Bryan Helmer to our Team and welcome Bryan, his wife Pam, son Cade (12) and daughter Rylan (8) to Peterborough” says Petes General Manager Mike Oke. “Bryan’s experience will be an asset to complement the coaching philosophy of Jody Hull and Andrew Verner as well as relay to our players what it takes to play professional hockey as well as assisting our players to develop their on ice skills.”

“Bryan has tremendous character, dedication and passion for the game” says Petes Head Coach Jody Hull. “His accolades from his playing days speak volumes, over 1100 AHL games, 3 Calder Cups, and all-time leader for points by a defenseman in the AHL.”

“I am so excited to be a part of the Peterborough Petes organization” says Bryan Helmer. “I am looking forward to working with Mike, Jody and Andrew in having a winning season.”