Former Vernon Lakers forward Glen Metropolit remembers his playing years in Finland very fondly. His career in ice hockey continues in coaching positions.
Here is the story from www.iltalehti.fi
Metropolit is in his first season as an Assistant Coach with HC Davos. HC Davos is a professional Swiss ice hockey team based in Davos, Switzerland.
Metropolit retired from professional hockey in 2017. Metropolit last played professional hockey with the HCB Foxes. Metropolit left the team for family reasons during the 2016-17 season. The HCB Foxes or also known as Hockey Club Bolzano-Bozen Foxes is an Italian ice hockey team located in the city of Bolzano, South Tyrol, that plays in the Austrian Hockey League.
Metropolit got into coaching in 2020, was Head Coach of Jenkins High in Florida for the 2020-21 season and an Assistant Coach in Turkey during the 2021-22 season.
Metropolit was inducted into the ECHL Hall of Fame in November 2019.
Metropolit was never drafted played eight seasons in the NHL with seven different teams (Washington, Tampa Bay, Atlanta, St. Louis, Boston, Philadelphia & Montreal) One season in the ECHL with Nashville, three seasons in the IHL with (Quebec, Atlanta & Grand Rapids), seven seasons overseas playing with five different teams (EV Zug, HC Lugano, SC Bern, Adler Mannheim & HC Bolzano) in three different leagues (NLA, DEL & EBEL). Metropolit was also captain for Team Canada at the 2014 Spengler Cup.
Metropolit played one season in Vernon with the 1994-95 Vernon Lakers. In 60 games with the Lakers, Metropolit lead the team in scoring with (43-goals-74-assists-117-points).
The Vernon Lakers were around from 1980-1995 before changing their name to the Vernon Vipers in 1995
Other Vernon connections: Team Canada assistant coach at the World Junior tournament is Brent Kisio. He was a Viper in 2002-03 and then went to NCAA Nebraska-Omaha.
ReplyDeleteTeam USA captain at the World Juniors is Rutger McGroarty. He's the son of 1992-93 Vernon Laker Jim McGroarty who put up 50 goals and 53 assists in 45 games here in Vernon.