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Walker Takes the Reigns in Bellingham

By ​​​​​​​Brian Lester, 06/26/19, 8:00AM EDT

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BELLINGHAM, WA -- There is a new head coach in town in Bellingham. Geoff Walker is now at the helm of the Blazers after spending last season as the head coach in Hinton. He was also the general manager of the team. Hinton ended up going 23-19-1-2 and finishing second in the Provincial Division standings.

Walker takes over a team that reached the Thorne Cup this past season.

“I’m excited to build on the winning culture of the Bellingham Blazers organization,” Walker said. “I look forward to hitting the ground running.”

Walker certainly brings an impressive resume with him, having success as a player as well, and he seems to be the right fit for the team.

Whatcom Sports & Recreation Executive Director Marc Ronney said Walker brings an excellent resume, management style and winning attitude to the organization.

Walker played junior hockey in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League between 2004 and 2008, skating in 245 games and tallying 234 points in that time. He scored 104 goals and dished out 130 assists.

From there he went on to play a season in the ECHL and then signed with the Manchester Monarchs in the AHL. He was a part of the 2010-11 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins team that won the AHL’s Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy for fashioning the best record in the regular season (58-21-0-1).

Not only will Walker coach the Blazers, who went 34-14-0-3 and finished second in the Northwest Division standings before defeating Seattle for the division crown in the playoffs, but he will also work as Whatcom Sports & Recreation’s Hockey Director and as the Blazers’ academy director.

“I also am excited about this opportunity,” Walker said. “I’m looking forward to working with and growing the adult and youth hockey programs, camps and clinics. I’m also excited to work closely with the WWU (Western Washington University) and Whatcom Amateur Hockey Programs to support a strong hockey community not just in Bellingham but the entire county.”