PHIL OBERLIN RETURNS FOR 2025-26 SEASON
Corpus Christi TX – The Corpus Christi IceRays of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) announce today that they have rehired Phil Oberlin to be the organizations Interim Head Coach and Manager of Hockey Operations until a Head Coach and General Manager is hired.
Oberlin will temporarily assume the duties of a Head Coach and take over hockey operations duties, which were handled in the past by former Head Coach Sylvain Cloutier, who resigned last month to focus on his family and stay closer to home.
Managing Partner and team Chief Operating Officer George Manias added, “having Phil back was important to Steve and me as we take over as the new Managing Partners of the organization. Phil was popular with the players and staff last season and will serve as a stable figure to the team this season, since he is familiar with all the circumstances of the league, organization, arena and market as we take over. Phil will also work with us in the interim and until a Head Coach is hired, to prepare for the upcoming draft and with player recruiting to put together a solid and competitive team. We are still conducting our Head Coaching search to find our perfect candidate and Phil will be a great asset for us in the interim. We are thrilled to have Phil onboard as we move forward.”
Phil is going into his 4th season with the Ice Rays and his first with the new Managing Partners. Prior to joining the Ice Rays in December of 2022, Phil spent four and half seasons in the North American 3 Hockey League as head coach and general manager of the Yellowstone Quake and then the Austin Ice Bats before making the jump to the North American Hockey League. This valuable experience makes Phil very familiar with the junior hockey landscape.
Preceding Phil’s move into junior hockey, he spent seven years as the head coach of the Ohio University ACHA Division Two Men’s Hockey team. Leading the program to a league championship in 2018, four straight regional tournament births and the programs first ever national tournament appearance.
Phil also played his collegiate hockey at Ohio University for the ACHA Division One Men’s Hockey team while earning his bachelor’s degree in Recreation Management.
“First, I want to say thank you to Steve and George for the opportunity to fill this role. I’m extremely proud of what coach Cloutier, the players, and all the staff previously built here in Corpus over the years, and I am excited to uphold the standard we set as a group. I can’t wait to see the American Bank Center packed in the fall. Go Rays! said Oberlin.
The IceRays are planning a press conference at the American Bank Center on June 17th at 2pm to introduce new Managing Partner & CEO Steve Donner and Managing Partner & COO George Manias, who plan to speak on updates within the organization, such as the Head Coach search, ticket packages, an on-line merchandise store and several other items.
About Corpus Christi IceRays: The Corpus Christi IceRays, a member of the North American Hockey League playing out of the American Bank Center in downtown Corpus Christi, TX. For more information or for all your ticketing needs, contact the IceRays Front Office at (361)-814-PUCK or visit www.GoIceRays.com . You can also follow the team through their social media platforms: Facebook @goicerays, Instagram @iceraysnahl, and Twitter @iceraysnahl
About North American Hockey League: Celebrating its 50th season in 2024-25, the NAHL, the only USA Hockey sanctioned Tier II Junior league boasting 35 teams in 20 states from North American. For more information, visit the NAHL website at https://nahl.com/
About American Bank Center: American Bank Center is an entertainment complex owned by the city of Corpus Christi and managed by Oak View Group with OVG Hospitality. The complex is in downtown Corpus Christi, Texas and consists of an arena, auditorium, and convention center. The facility hosts numerous conventions, trade shows, exhibitions, live performances, and sporting events. Located directly on the beautiful Corpus Christi Bay downtown, American Bank Center is flexible for any group offering complimentary Wi-Fi and premium food and beverage options.
About Oak View Group (OVG)
Oak View Group (OVG) is the global leader in live experience venue development, management, premium hospitality services, and 360-degree solutions for a collection of world-class owned venues and a client roster of arenas, convention centers, music festivals, performing arts centers, and cultural institutions. Founded by Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff in 2015, OVG is the leading developer of major new venues either open or under development across four continents. Visit OakViewGroup.com, and follow OVG on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.
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