Kenneth Robert Gernander (born June 30, 1969) is an American fomer ice hockey player and currently head coach for the Connecticut Whale in the AHL. Born in Coleraine, Minnesota, he played for the University of Minnesota for four years and was drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in the fifth round of the 1987 NHL Entry Draft.
Gernander played 14 professional seasons, the last 11 in the New York Rangers organization with their AHL affiliates in Binghamton (1994–97) and Hartford (1997–2005). He served as team captain for 10 years and led the Wolf Pack to a Calder Cup championship in 2000. He is the Wolf Pack's all-time franchise record-holder in games played (599) and playoff games played (78). Gernander also ranks second all-time in goals (160), assists (187) and points (347) in Hartford franchise history. Despite these accomplishments, Gernander was rarely called up to play for the Rangers; he appeared in only 27 NHL games over the course of his career.
Gernander retired after the 2004–05 season. He is the AHL's all-time leader with 123 career playoff games played and is the league's all-time leading scorer among American-born players with 624 points in 973 games.
After his retirement, Gernander spent two seasons as Hartford's assistant coach. On July 23, 2007, the Wolf Pack announced that Gernander would replace Jim Schoenfeld as head coach. Schoenfeld had been promoted to assistant general manager of the New York Rangers.
Gernander's number 12 is the only number retired by the Whale, having been retired on October 8, 2005 by the then-Wolf Pack.
Famous quotes containing the word ken:
“Is America a land of God where saints abide for ever? Where golden fields spread fair and broad, where flows the crystal river? Certainly not flush with saints, and a good thing, too, for the saints sent buzzing into man’s ken now are but poor- mouthed ecclesiastical film stars and cliché-shouting publicity agents.
Their little knowledge bringing them nearer to their ignorance,
Ignorance bringing them nearer to death,
But nearness to death no nearer to God.”
—Sean O’Casey (1884–1964)