Team WHL Names Vernon Vipers Alumni Kisio Assistant Coach:

The Western Hockey League, in collaboration with the Canadian Hockey League and Hockey Canada have named former Vernon Vipers forward Brent Kisio assistant coach with Team WHL.

Team WHL, which will compete against Team Russia at the 2018 CIBC Canada Russia Series in Kamloops and Vancouver. Team WHL will host Team Russia November 5 in Kamloops and November 6 in Vancouver.

In August Kisio was named an assistant coach of team Canada at the World Junior hockey Championships. Kisio is in his fourth season with the Western Hockey League Lethbridge Hurricanes, also coached at the 2016 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and the 2017 Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team that won the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup in August 2017. 

In his first season with the Hurricanes, Kisio led the team to a 46-24-1-1 record, helping the team back to the post-season after a six year absence. Kisio also led the Hurricanes to their first Central Division Championship since 1996-1997 while being named the Eastern Conference’s nominee for Coach of the Year. Kisio guided the Huricanes last season to 2nd place in the Eastern Conference with a (33-33-6-0) regular season record. 

Kisio was an Assistant, Associate Coach & Assistant General Manager for eight seasons with the Western Hockey League (WHL) Calgary Hitmen before being named the Lethbridge Hurricanes Head Coach June 4th 2015.

Kisio played one season in Vernon (2002-2003) The Vipers acquired Kisio in August 2002 in a trade with the Alberta Junior Hockey League Ft. McMurray Oil Barons. In 59 regular season games with the Vipers Kisio collected (20-goals-46-assists-66-points).

Brent Kisio's Player-Coaches Profile:

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=78357

This was posted on the Western Hockey League website:

Team WHL Coaching Staff announced for 2018 CIBC Canada Russia Series 

October 18, 2018      WHL Network 

Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League, in collaboration with the Canadian Hockey League and Hockey Canada, announced today the coaching staff for Team WHL, which will compete against Team Russia at the 2018 CIBC Canada Russia Series in Kamloops and Vancouver.

Moose Jaw Warriors Head Coach Tim Hunter will return as Head Coach for the third consecutive year after serving behind the bench during the 2016 and 2017 CIBC Canada Russia Series. He will be joined by Lethbridge Hurricanes Head Coach Brent Kisio as well as Kelowna Rockets Head Coach Jason Smith.

Team WHL will host Team Russia November 5 in Kamloops and November 6 in Vancouver.

Working the bench as Athletic Trainer for both games will be Mike Burnstein of the Vancouver Giants. In Kamloops, he will be joined by Athletic Trainer Colin ‘Toledo’ Robinson of the Blazers, while Khore Elliott, Athletic Therapist of the Victoria Royals, will provide his services in Vancouver. Equipment Manager Shingo Sasaki of the Vancouver Giants will also assist in Vancouver.

The 58-year-old Hunter, now in his fifth season with the Moose Jaw Warriors, is also returning to the coaching staff for Canada’s National Junior Team. Having served as an assistant coach in 2017 and 2018, Hunter was named Head Coach of Canada’s National Junior Team in July 2018. As an assistant coach, Hunter aided Canada to a silver medal in 2017 and a gold medal in 2018. Behind the Team WHL bench at the CIBC Canada Russia Series, Hunter has collected a record of 2-1-1-0.

The 35-year-old Kisio, now in his fourth season as Head Coach of the Lethbridge Hurricanes, was named Assistant Coach on Hunter’s coaching staff for Canada’s National Junior Team in July 2018 after winning a gold medal as Head Coach for Canada at the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup in August 2017.

The 44-year-old Smith is now in his third season as Head Coach of the Kelowna Rockets after beginning his coaching career as an Assistant Coach with the NHL’s Ottawa Senators (2014 to 2016).

The six-game CIBC Canada Russia Series features regional league teams of Canadian National Junior Team candidates competing against the Russian National Junior Team. For the fifth straight season, the event will open with two games in the WHL.

Since the event first began in 2003, CHL teams have played to an overall record of 61-22-1-6. The competitiveness of the rivalry has grown in recent years, with the 2017 event requiring a shootout to break a series tie in Game 6. The first ever shootout finale in event history was won by Team QMJHL, giving the CHL its third consecutive series victory. Team CHL has won 12 times in event history, with Russia emerging victorious on three occasions.

The 2018 CIBC Canada Russia Series is supported by title sponsor CIBC, the Official Bank of the CHL, along with associate sponsors Kia Canada, Sherwin-Williams, Cooper Tires, and Kubota Canada.  All games will be broadcast nationally on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.

2018 CIBC Canada Russia Series Schedule

Game 1 – Monday, November 5 at Kamloops, BC

Game 2 – Tuesday, November 6 at Vancouver, BC

Game 3 – Thursday, November 8 at Sarnia, ON

Game 4 – Monday, November 12 at Oshawa, ON

Game 5 – Tuesday, November 13 at Sherbrooke, QC

Game 6 – Thursday, November 15 at Drummondville, QC

For event information please visit http://chlcanadarussia.ca.

About the Western Hockey League

Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 17 located in Western Canada and five in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for over 50 years. The WHL is also the leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 350 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.