UNews - Bill Peters

Former Horns coach Peters earns head job with Carolina Hurricanes

trevor.kenney — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 22:04:54 +0000

Former ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns men's hockey coach Bill Peters achieved a career goal today after being named the new head coach of the National Hockey League's Carolina Hurricanes.

Peters joins Detroit Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock as former Horns coaches who have progressed to the NHL.

Peters's first head coaching experience came with the Pronghorns, when he led the program from 2002 through 2005. Over that time, his teams compiled a 17-59-8 record and one made post-season appearance.

Following his stint in Lethbridge, Peters moved on to the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League, where he spent three seasons. In 2008, Peters led the Chiefs to the 2008 Memorial Cup Championship. During his time in Spokane he fashioned a record of 111-82-23 and set franchise records for wins in a season, with 50, and points, with 107.

Peters acquired his first professional coaching position following his stint in Spokane, earning the head coaching job with the Chicago Blackhawks' top affiliate, Rockford Ice Hogs. He led the Ice Hogs to consecutive 40-win seasons and two playoff appearances.

Peters then reunited with Babcock (they previously coached together in Spokane when Peters served as Babcock's assistant) as an assistant coach with the Red Wings where he served in that role for the past three seasons.

New Horns head coach eager for opportunity

trevor.kenney — Fri, 13 Jun 2014 17:45:02 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns men’s hockey coach, Spiros Anastas, will enjoy two honeymoons this summer, and if things go as planned, the honeymoon bliss will last far into the future.

The Pronghorns present the first head coaching assignment for Anastas.

Anastas, hired as the program’s ninth head coach, has a lot on his plate throughout the summer months. He’s moving across both a continent and a border, and is assuming two new roles simultaneously, that of husband to Lindsay and head coach of the Horns.

“We’re extremely excited, it’s going to be a busy summer but we’re excited to come back to Canada and the opportunity that we have here in Lethbridge,” says Anastas.

What the rookie coach lacks in experience, he more than makes up in pedigree, having been introduced to the program by mentors and former Pronghorns coaches Mike Babcock and Bill Peters. Babcock is the current head coach of the Detroit Red Wings and Peters one of his assistants. Anastas has been working with the Red Wings’ American Hockey League affiliate in Grand Rapids for the past two seasons.

“Right away they had nothing but good things to say about the U of L and credit this institution with basically jump-starting their careers,” says Anastas. “That’s a testament to the hockey program and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ as a whole, that two guys at that level really believe in this place and think it is somewhere that can have a lot of success.”

Looking back on both the Babcock and Peters eras at the U of L, it would have been hard to project their coaching arcs, given they were both unproven when they came to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. Anastas is now where they once were, ready for his opportunity to be the lead man of his own program.

“I look forward to the challenge because it’s my chance to do it on my own and really show people what I’ve got,” he says.

Anastas is up front about the task he has inherited. The Horns won just 4 of 28 games last season in Canada West play and have qualified for the playoffs just once in the past five years. Describing himself as detail oriented, Anastas sees a program in need of a culture change.

Anastas has hit the ground running, meeting with media, players and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ community in his first few days on campus.

“I’ve worked for a lot of different types of coaches and I like to think I’m a transformational coach and that’s getting a new belief system in place,” he says. “I believe in the process. I don’t coach to outcome, I coach the process. You can win a 2-1 hockey game and the process be terrible, so over a long period of time that’s going to catch up with you.”

His philosophy on recruiting for the program begins not on the road, but internally.

“The first step in recruiting is identifying what you have right here. The players are your best recruiters and if they are enjoying their experience, more will come,” he says. “My message to the guys who are already here is, remember what got you to the WHL, remember what got you drafted and what gave you success, what got you recruited to come here. They all have the ability. We have some very capable and accomplished players on the roster and this is their chance to hit the reset button.”

Anastas had the opportunity to work with Babcock, Peters and the entire Red Wings’ coaching staff during development camps and prospects tournaments, but says the bulk of his learning came off the ice.

“The best part for me was the after-hours part, when you’re sitting at the restaurant or at the hotel evaluating the day,” he says. “Just to be able to have those hockey conversations with them has been extremely beneficial to me as a young coach. The surprising thing to me is that they are always learning as well.”

Anastas describes conversations where Babcock would elicit his opinion on some of the work they were doing.

“I’m thinking, why is he asking a second year coach for an opinion? He might not even take it but he likes to hear what’s out there, what’s in young minds, what’s the new thing,” says Anastas. “That’s why he has maintained his success because he’s always learning, adapting and changing, and that’s the number one thing I’ve learned from him.”

Will it be enough to garner Anastas long-term success behind the Horns’ bench? Like marriage, only time will tell.

Horns tap Red Wings organization for new men's hockey coach

trevor.kenney — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 20:54:40 +0000

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns Athletics has named Spiros Anastas as the new head coach of the men’s hockey program, the eighth in team history.

Spiros Anastas becomes the program's eighth head coach.

“It’s an exciting time for Pronghorns men’s hockey, it’s hard not to get excited by the enthusiasm and vision of excellence Spiros brings to the program,” says Executive Director of Sports and Recreation, Sandy Slavin. “He’ll be building on the strengths of the program and taking advantage of the opportunities that are out there. He is a highly motivated individual who brings a strong coaching skill set to our program and is coming from an organization that prides itself on developing a winning program; he’s looking forward to bringing that attitude to the Pronghorns.”

Anastas, originally from Toronto, Ont., is presently an assistant coach with the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins, the top affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings. Currently in his second season behind the Griffins bench, Anastas started with the Griffins as the team’s analytics and advanced scouting coach and helped the Griffins to the Western Conference and Calder Cup Championship in 2013.

“I am honoured to be joining the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge hockey team, and look forward to starting my career as a head coach,” says Anastas. “Through the first five years of my career I have been fortunate to work under some great men like Andy Murray and Jeff Blashill. Furthermore, the accessibility of Mike Babcock and his staff in Detroit has been beneficial to my development."

Babcock, of course, is the program's most noted former head coach. He led the Pronghorns to their lone Canada West title and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Cup national championship during his only season with the program in 1993-94. He has since gone on to win a Stanley Cup with the Red Wings and has led the Canadian men's team to two Olympic gold medals.

Meanwhile, current Red Wings assistant coach Bill Peters was also the head coach of the Pronghorns men’s hockey program from 2002 to 2005. Peters went on to win a Memorial Cup with the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League and is in his third season in Detroit.

Anastas has had the opportunity to work closely with the Red Wings during his time in Grand Rapids, serving as an assistant coach during the Red Wings development camps and NHL Prospects tournament.

Prior to joining the Griffins, Anastas served as the general manager of the Alberni Valley Bulldogs of the British Columbia Junior Hockey League (BCJHL).

A former player with Lebanon Valley College, NCAA division III, Anastas began his coaching career with his alma mater, serving as an assistant coach during the 2010-11 season, before moving on to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Western Michigan. While there, he served as an assistant coach and video coordinator, working under former NHL head coach Andy Murray. During his only season with the Broncos, Anastas helped the team win only its second CCHA Championship in the program’s history and earn a NCAA tournament berth.

“I am excited to put all I have learned to work with the Pronghorns hockey team," he says. "The level of competition in the CIS, and especially Canada West, is high and we definitely have a challenge ahead of us. Getting the wheels in motion right away is a priority and I am confident in the support I'll receive from both the school and the Horns alumni as we rebuild this program.”

Anastas will fulfill his duties with the Griffins this season, remaining with the team until the completion of the American Hockey League regular season and playoffs. The Griffins sit atop the Midwest Division with 94 points.

“This is an exciting time for Pronghorns hockey as we look to the future," adds Anastas. "My fiancée, Lindsay, and I look forward to joining and being heavily involved in the Lethbridge community. I thank Sandy Slavin and the committee members for entrusting me with this program and the hard work they put forth throughout the entire process."

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge men’s hockey coaches
Dave McDowall (1984-1989)
Dave Adolph (1989-1993)
Mike Babcock (1993-94) – ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Cup Champions
Ron Kraft (1994-97)
Dean Holden (1997-98)
Doug Irwin (1998-2002)
Bill Peters (2002-2005)
Greg Gatto (2005-2014)
Spiros Anastas (2014-present)

Peters maintains connection with Horns

trevor.kenney — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 18:48:40 +0000

When Bill Peters left the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns after the 2004-05 season to return to the Western Hockey League, he saw it as a graduation. Given his continued connection with the men's hockey program, he could easily be considered a U of L alum.

It wasn't surprising then, that when the National Hockey League locked out its players and shut down professional rinks across North America, Peters made his way back to Lethbridge to assist the program that gave him his first opportunity as a head coach.

"It was a good learning experience for me," says Peters of his run as head coach with the Pronghorns from 2002-03 through 2004-05. "It was my first time as a head coach, coming from Spokane as an assistant, and I was here for three years and I really enjoyed my time. It was a good situation for me and that phase of my development as a coach, but I worked with and for good people and that's always important."

The Pronghorns men's hockey team may be taking its lumps this season, but former Horns coach Bill Peters sees the beginnings of a solid future.

The connection to people and the relationships cultivated are what ties Peters to the program today. Now an assistant coach with the NHL's Detroit Red Wings (working with another former Horns coach in Mike Babcock), Peters regularly speaks with current head coach Greg Gatto. It was Gatto who headed to Detroit late last season to spend a weekend with the Red Wings, watching practice and film sessions and gaining the kind of knowledge you can only glean from true professionals.

"We kept talking this fall and he asked what I was doing to keep busy and if I'd like to come up to Lethbridge," says Peters. "This was an opportunity with their bye week to come up and spend some time with the team, and I think it's been as good for me as it was for them."

Peters ran practices, led film sessions, instituted Red Wings philosophies on power play and breakout situations and more than anything, worked the club at a high tempo. While the dividends of his visit have yet to show in the results column, the experience is another valuable building block in establishing the Pronghorns program and a level of expectation.

"I like the group that Greg has here, they worked very hard for me," says Peters of a squad that has just one win on the season but is one of the least experienced rosters in Canada West.

"These guys don't know each other as well as they are going to in years three and four, obviously, and chemistry plays a huge part of it, consistency in the culture of your program and what's expected."

Peters is consistent with that message and it has taken him all the way to the NHL. He understands struggle, winning only four and three games respectively his final two seasons with the Horns. But he believed in his ideals and parlayed that into success both at the WHL and American Hockey League levels.

"When you have tough times, it forces you to dig deep and reflect and to try and get better," he says. "You're always asking your players to get better, so as a coach, you have to continue to evolve and get better as well.

"I was fortunate, we didn't have as much success on the ice as we'd have liked but I had some great kids to work with. Ryan Epp, Chad Kletzel, Billy Katelnikoff, Andy Houthuys, they're good people. It would have been nice to get some more wins but they're quality men."

That was in evidence over the course of Peters' week in town, as he also skated with the Catholic Central Hockey Academy and was assisted by Houthuys. Epp, Kletzel and Katelnikoff have all coached in the minor hockey ranks as well since their playing days with the Horns.

What's next for Peters, when and if the NHL returns to the ice, is a desire to become a head coach again, this time on the biggest stage.

"For sure, most people want to be a head coach and most people want to coach at the highest level and for me that's the natural step," says Peters. "I enjoy being a head coach and for me to become a head coach in the national league, I need some NHL experience and I'm getting it in a good organization right now."

Having had it all start at the U of L is something Peters will never forget. So, while he may not have the parchment, it's apparent he'll gladly play the role of an alumnus and ambassador wherever he goes.

This story first appeared in the December 2012 issue of the Legend. For a look at the entire issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Peters joins Babcock with Wings

trevor.kenney — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 20:24:05 +0000

Former ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Pronghorns men's hockey coaches are reuniting in the National Hockey League.

Bill Peters, a Horns coach from 2002 to 2005, will serve as an assistant coach with Mike Babcock after the Detroit Red Wings announced his appointment on Friday. Babcock coached the Horns in 1994, guiding the team to its only ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Cup title.

The two were linked previously as Peters was Babcock's assistant coach with the Western Hockey League's Spokane Chiefs. Peters joined Babcock's Spokane staff during the 1996-97 season and returned to the same post in 1999 – Babcock's final season with the Chiefs – where he stayed until joining the Horns.

Peters spent three seasons with the Horns from 2002 through 2005, guiding the team to a 17-59-8 record and one post-season appearance. In 2005 he returned to the Chiefs, eventually leading Spokane to a Memorial Cup title in 2008, the same season that Babcock and the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup.

Most recently, Peters was the head coach with the Rockford IceHogs in the American Hockey League. He was the longest tenured coach in IceHogs history, spending three seasons behind the bench while compiling a record of 122-97-7-14. The Three Hills, Alta. native guided the Hogs to a winning season during every campaign he coached in Rockford.

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