By Rich Palzewic
Sports Editor
GREEN BAY – A few days after naming Mike Leone as its new head coach/general manager, the Green Bay Gamblers, members of the United States Hockey League (USHL), added a pair of assistant coaches – Patrick McCadden and Jimmy Spratt – to the staff.
McCadden returns to Green Bay
McCadden was a former Gamblers player and also played at St. Norbert College.
“I look forward to returning to the Gamblers in my new role as an assistant coach with high expectations for the program,” McCadden said in a statement. “I plan to work with Coach Leone to build the winning culture Gamblers fans are familiar with.”
McCadden spent the last five seasons with Lawrence University, serving as the associate head coach.
He was responsible for the team’s penalty kill while serving as the recruiting coordinator.
He was also the head strength and conditioning coordinator for the Lawrence Athletics Department.
Leone said he and McCadden go back years.
“We talked about (this scenario) when we first got into coaching if we got the opportunity,” he said. “We want to bring back what we had in the past with the team. (McCadden) is a great human being, a worker and was in the organization when it thrived. I trust him – I don’t have all the answers, so I look forward to (McCadden) pushing me and making me better. We both want the same thing. He’s the best person I could hire for the job.”
McCadden played three seasons in the professional ranks between the SPHL and the ECHL.
He finished his professional career with the Atlanta Gladiators of the ECHL.
During his collegiate years, he spent two seasons with St. Norbert College, where he was part of the 2014 NCAA Division III national championship team.
Before St. Norbert, he spent two years playing for Michigan Tech.
Before his time in college, McCadden played three years of junior hockey.
He won the Robertson Cup in 2008 with the St. Louis Bandits in the NAHL and then made the move with former Gamblers Head Coach Jon Cooper to Green Bay in 2008.
Under Cooper, he served as team captain when the Gamblers won the Clark Cup in 2010.
Spratt to focus between the pipes
Previously, Spratt spent three seasons with Miami University (Ohio) and five seasons at Bowling Green State University (BGSU), serving as the director of hockey operations with both teams.
Spratt is a former goalie at BGSU (2005-09).
“Arguably, the goalie is the most important piece of your team,” Leone said. “There aren’t enough teams in the USHL or junior hockey who have someone there working with the goalie every day. I don’t claim to know much about the position – I only know when our goalie stops the puck. If our goalie has a tough night, he needs to have somebody to talk with and watch film to figure things out.”
During his time at BGSU, Spratt accumulated more than 5,500 minutes of action between the pipes.
He totaled a 3.45 goals-against average (GAA) and made 2,441 saves in 100 appearances.
Spratt also accounted for three shutouts in a single season, tying the mark for the most shutouts in a single season by a BGSU goalie.
Before college, he played junior hockey for three seasons with the Sioux City Musketeers in the USHL, where he posted a record of 49-23-10 in 94 appearances.
After graduating from BGSU in 2009 with a degree in sports management, Spratt spent four seasons in the ECHL.
He split time with several teams during his stint as a professional, making appearances with the Toledo Walleye (2009-11, 2012-13) Las Vegas Wranglers (2009-10), Victoria Salmon Kings (2009-10), Idaho Steelheads (2011-12) and Utah Grizzlies (2011-12).
Spratt also played in the American Hockey League in 2011-12 for the Texas Stars, making 40 saves and recording a 2.02 GAA in two appearances.
Leone said Spratt won’t only be a goalie coach.
“He’s a detailed coach,” he said. “He has great eyes for other things. He’s probably over-qualified (for this job), but like (McCadden), I trust him.”