Hurricanes bid farewell to head coach Brent Kisio

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. -

After eight seasons with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, Head Coach Brent Kisio is moving on after accepting a new coaching job in the American Hockey League (AHL).

It's a big step in the right direction for his coaching career but he's leaving the ‘Canes organization with a heavy heart.

"My goal was to hopefully leave this place and leave the jersey in a better place and that's what I wanted to do and I hopefully achieved that," said Kisio during Thursday’s announcement at the ENMAX Centre.

Both Kisio and the ‘Cane's General Manager, Peter Anholt, say it's a tough goodbye for the organizations longest-tenured and winningest head coach.

"It's obviously bittersweet leaving Lethbridge, a place that my family has grown to know as home," said Kisio.

"We love it here and my family will stay here when go for my first year by myself, but this is home to us."

"He's a slam dunk for the Wall of Honour at some point," said Anholt.

"He came here to an organization that was floundering and he put a stamp on this team right off the bat."

Over the course of his career in Lethbridge, Kisio put up 267 wins in 484 games, ranking first in games coached and total victories in ‘Canes history and was the only coach to reach the 200-win plateau.   

He's looking forward to bringing his talents to the AHL's Henderson Silver Knights, where he's accepted an assistant coaching position, and looks forward to learning some things along the way.

"I’m fortunate to be a part of another great organization that won a cup, getting to hang around NHL coaches and getting to hang around the AHL club and seeing those experiences and learning more and growing as a coach," he said.

Kisio says there were multiple highlights during his time Lethbridge.

Those include an overtime game seven playoff win against the Medicine Hat Tigers in 2017 and getting the opportunity to help Team Canada bring home gold as an assistant coach at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championships.       

Brent Kisio receives a gold medal at the 2023 World Junior Hockey Championships, where he served as an assistant coach for Team Canada

However, working with the up-and-coming players on the ‘Canes is something he'll hold true for years to come.

"We have some great kids and you want to be a part of their development," said Kisio.

"You want to help them meet their goals, you want to see them play in the NHL one day and I'll really miss being a part of that process with them."

Kisio's impact on the team and the community won't soon be forgotten, having helped set the standard for ‘Canes hockey in Lethbridge for nearly a decade.

"There's always some non-negotiables that I think that Brent has really, really established here and so those non-negotiables will carry on with whoever's the head coach," Anholt told media earlier today.

"Leaving here and leaving the great people is always hard but in coaching you have to try and push yourself, you have to try to move up and this will be another step in my career," added Kisio.

The ‘Canes have yet to announce Kisio's replacement but with training camp beginning on Aug.31, fans can expect that news to come out in the coming weeks.

The Hurricanes' pre-season starts Sept.5 against the Medicine Hat Tigers and the home opener is set for Sept.22 versus the Swift Current Broncos.