T-Birds add Ian Gordon as goaltending coach
Aug 5, 2013, 8:02 PM | Updated: 8:05 pm
By Andrew Eide
The Seattle Thunderbirds rounded out their coaching staff Monday by announcing they have hired Ian Gordon as the team’s new goalie coach. Gordon replaces out-going coach Dusty Imoo who took a job with the Winnipeg Jet’s organization this summer.
Gordon has WHL experience as a player, spending time with the Saskatoon Blades and Swift Current Broncos. After several stops in the IHL and AHL he spent 13 seasons playing the German Elite League.
Who Gordon will be coaching in Seattle is still somewhat of a mystery as the club will have to replace last year’s net minder Brandon Glover — who has graduated. The top candidates to be in the T-Birds nets are Justin Myles, Danny Mumaugh and newcomer Devon Fordyce. Seattle still may make a move to bring in a goalie but for now they seem satisfied with one of their returning guys.
Last year Myles won the back up spot in training camp and appeared in eight games, posting a 3.90 goals against average and .865 save percentage. He got injured and missed the remainder of the season. He was replaced by then 16-year-old Danny Mumaugh who seemed to grow stronger as the season wore on. Mumaugh picked up his first WHL win in a big late season game against Tri City that ended up clinching a playoff spot for Seattle. At season’s end he appeared in 18 games with a 4.11 goals against average and .871 save percentage.
Fordyce is an interesting player as he was let go by Prince George last season and was selected by Seattle late in the bantam draft. With the Cougars he appeared in 14 games with a 4.30 goals against average and .875 save percentage.
With a total of 40 WHL games under their colletive belts, Gordon will hope to instill some of his goaltending knowledge into Seattle’s young goalies.
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