Broncos And Lamb Agree On Contract Extension

The Swift Current Broncos Hockey Club announced that they have signed General Manager and Head Coach, Mark Lamb, to a three-year contract extension.

“This past year we conducted a thorough review of Mark’s work over the past three years,” states Chairman of the Board, Liam Choo-Foo. “As a result, the Board is convinced he has the respect of all staff on both our organization’s Hockey and Business Operations. Equally as important, the Board believes that he has worked tirelessly to provide the leadership necessary to make our team successful in implementing our strategic plan on and off the ice. The length of this new contract is reflective of the time necessary and our confidence in Mark being able to lead us to become a Premiere Franchise in the Western Hockey League.”

Lamb is the sixth head coach in Broncos franchise history after joining the club in July of 2009. A well-known NHL alumnus and member of the 1990 Stanley Cup Champion Edmonton Oilers, he played a total of 403 NHL career games where he recorded 46 goals and 100 assists for 146 points. Following his lengthy NHL career, Lamb sat behind the bench as assistant coach for seven years in the NHL (one year spent with the Edmonton Oilers and six years with the Dallas Stars) before taking the role as General Manager and Head Coach of the Swift Current Broncos.

Lamb made his mark in Bronco history on the eve of trade deadline day in 2011 by making one of the biggest trades in WHL history dealing Bronco all-star Cody Eakin to the Kootenay Ice in exchange for five players and three draft picks, thus declaring the team’s rebuilding process. Following the deal, Lamb has been focusing on building from within coming off of two strong bantam draft years (selecting 5th overall in 2012 and 2nd and 13th overall in 2011). The club has signed all of their first and second round picks from both years. Lamb also most recently hired NHL alumnus Jamie Heward as the club’s newest Assistant Coach & Director of Player Personnel with one of his main priorities to work with and mentor the organization’s prospects.

On the international scale, Lamb sat behind the bench for Team Canada as an Assistant Coach at the 2011 IIHF World Under-18 Championship.

“I am very happy with the new contract.” States General Manager and Head Coach, Mark Lamb. “The direction our team is headed is very positive and I am excited to be a part of the growing success of the highly-respected franchise. The future of our organization looks very promising.”

On the business side, Lamb has been a major part of the organization’s Strategic Management Framework Plan, a step-by-step guide to achieving long-term franchise viability and becoming recognized as a premiere franchise.

The Broncos will begin to see the rebuilding process come to fruition as they enter the 2012-13 season with a strong core of NHL drafted players and highly-touted prospects.