Bob Ferguson - Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Entering his third season with the Lynx, Bob Ferguson led the Lynx back to the post-season for the second consecutive season when he guided the team to a first round matchup against the Charlotte Checkers. That appearance kept alive Ferguson’s streak of 25 straight playoff appearances as a head coach, including stints in the International Hockey League, ECHL, and USHL (American Junior A hockey). The sixth head coach in team history, Ferguson began his coaching career in 1981-82 with the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League, the top level of major junior hockey in the United States. Guiding the Musketeers to two USHL championships, Ferguson also collected three USHL Coach of the Year awards before heading to Des Moines in 1990-91 to coach the Buccaneers, also of the same league. Over five seasons there, Ferguson posted back-to-back championships with the Bucs and won Coach of the Year honors twice more. Shifting to the International Hockey League’s Indianapolis Ice in 1995-96, Ferguson led the club to a Central Division championship in 1996-97 and a 44-29-9 mark that year. After three seasons with Indianapolis, Ferguson headed to Florida at the helm of the then-expansion Everblades. Successful right out of the gate, the 98-99 Everblades set a 45-20-5 mark, the second-best record posted by an ECHL expansion team. The following season, Florida posted a 53-15-2 mark, at the time setting a mark for most wins in an ECHL season (eclipsed by the 2001-02 Louisiana IceGators with 56). That Everblades team would also place among the top three teams all-time with 25 road wins (T-2nd), fewest road losses (8, T-3rd), longest winning streak in a single season (12 games, T-2nd), and longest road winning streak in a single season (nine games, T-2nd). Florida’s .771 win percentage from that year also set a record at the time, since eclipsed by that same 01-02 IceGators team at .806. For his efforts in 1999-00 and again in 2000-01, Ferguson became the only coach in ECHL history to be twice-named ECHL Coach of the Year. Following his three years with Florida, Ferguson relocated back to Des Moines, once again assuming control of the Buccaneers through 2004 before accepting the head coaching duties in Augusta. All time, Ferguson’s career coaching record stands at 849-526-100, with his professional record at 323-224-46. Playing Career Selected by both the New York Islanders (round 10, #163 overall) in the 1974 NHL Entry Draft and the Winnipeg Jets (round 9, #125 overall) in the 1974 WHA Amateur Draft, Ferguson twice scored 87 points as a pro, the first with Sioux City in the 1977-78 season (50 GP, 37-50-87) and again with the Utica Mohawks of the Eastern Hockey League in 1979-80 (70 GP, 35-52-87). After wrapping up his playing career with the Salem Raiders in the EHL in 1980-81 (71 GP, 26-34-60), Ferguson turned to coaching full time starting with the 1981-82 campaign. He finished his pro career with 261 GP, 130-168-298, but those totals do not include a year with the Southwestern Hockey League’s Tucson Icemen, for which stats are not available. Honors and Awards • Five times USHL Playoff Champion • Five times USHL Regular Season Champion • Three times USA Hockey National Champion • Five times USHL Coach of the Year • Five times USHL General Manager of the Year • ACHA Kelley Award winner (USA Coaching Achievement) • Central Division Champions, Indianapolis Ice , IHL • Two times ECHL Coach of the Year (only coach in league history to accomplish this feat) • Southern Division Champions, Florida Everblades, ECHL • Over 250 players coached have gone on to Division I College Hockey