The Green Bay Gamblers introduced the 8th Head Coach and General Manager in franchise history Tuesday afternoon, naming 34 year old Mike Leone as the successor to Pat Mikesch.
Gamblers new Head Coach Mike Leone
The Dearborn, Michigan native spent the past three seasons as the assistant coach with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program based out of Ann Arbor that also participates in the United States Hockey League.
Gamblers President Jeff Mitchell said, “Mike brings everything we were looking for in a new Head Coach. He’s well respected in the hockey world and is a proven winner with ties to two former successful Gamblers coaches.
Leone skated for Jon Cooper, the current Head Coach of the two time Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning when Cooper was leading the Texarkana Bandits in the North American Hockey League from 2005 through 2008 when the franchise moved to St. Louis.
After playing college hockey at Western Michigan, Leone advanced to play professionally in the ECHL under another former Gambler coach Derek Lalonde with the Toledo Walley for two seasons.
After getting introduced by Mitchell at the Resch Center, Leone said he’s admired the Gambler organization from afar and is now thrilled to be a part of it.
Leone is jumping in with both feet as he wants to quickly assemble his coaching staff while preparing for the USHL draft next month.
Mikesch completed his 8th season as Head Coach and 11th year with the Gamblers after mutually agreeing to part ways to pursue career opportunities elsewhere. Green Bay finished in last place in the USHL’s Eastern Conference with a 23-34-3-2 record, among four teams in the league that failed to make the playoffs after Mikesch led Green Bay to four post-season berths during his tenure.
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