Former Vernon Lakers Captain Ramsay Back For Second Season With Oilers:

Former Vernon Lakers captain, Bruce Ramsay enters his second season with the CHL Tulsa Oilers as the teams head coach. Ramsay played just one season in Vernon helping the 1989-90 Vernon Lakers win their first Centennial Cup in a thrilling 6-5 overtime win over the highly favorite New Westminster Royals. Ramsay was named the Oilers head coach back in May 2009. Ramsay comes to the Oilers after the past three seasons coaching the Muskegon Fury of the International Hockey League where he had nearly a .600 winning percentage (127-82-19). He brings a wealth of championship experience, having won 10 championships as a player, and he also is familiar with the Central Hockey League, having played for the Wichita Thunder in the 2000-01. Ramsay joins the Oilers fresh off a trip to the Turner Cup final in the IHL. One of Ramsay’s former Vernon Laker teammates David Oliver is GM of the AHL Lake Erie Monsters, the Monsters are affliated with the Tulsa Oilers.

This is posted on the Central Hockey Leagues website:

In his second season as the head coach of the Oilers, Bruce Ramsay wants to continue on the progress the team made in the 2009-10 season.

Ramsay led the Oilers to a 19 point improvement last season, second best improvement in the Central Hockey League. But he knows the Oilers can’t sit on that accomplishment.

“The goal is always to win the championship,” Ramsay said. “That’s what it’s all about and that’s what people remember. If it’s not your goal, you’re in the wrong business.”

And he knows a thing or 10 about winning titles. Throughout his playing career, Ramsay played on 10 championship teams. And he is eager to create that kind of championship buzz in the BOK Center.

“I had heard the fans really support the Oilers but I didn’t realize how much the community wants this team to succeed until I got here and everybody was telling me good luck, asking what they can do to help, and it was really great to hear. Now we just have to give the winning team they deserve. And we will.”

Longtime astute observers of the CHL may remember Ramsay with the 2000-01 Wichita Thunder. In classic “Rammer” style he collected 11 goals and 24 assists for 35 points that year, all while also serving 364 penalty minutes. No one could ever accuse him of being shy from the rough stuff.

Ramsay had more than 300 penalty minutes eight times in his career and twice went over the 400 mark. But even with that, he also had double digits in goals four times in his career, and never had a full season where he had less than double digits in points.

After three years as a player assistant coach at the end of his playing career, Ramsay began his head coaching career in St. Petersburg, Fla., in the Atlantic Coast Hockey League. He then had stops in Port Huron and Muskegon in the United Hockey League (later the International Hockey League which has teamed with the CHL this season) and in seven seasons as a head coach has compiled a .576 winning percentage at 225-160-43.

He envisions a young enthusiastic, hungry team. “Our guys are going to leave everything on the ice every game. No team should ever outwork us.”

And that will lead to more progress and Ramsay hopes the ultimate goal.