Panthers appoint Gary Graham as new Head Coach

Photo: Fort Wayne Komets

Nottingham Panthers CEO Omar Pacha has made his first appointment for his new club, announcing Gary Graham as the team's new Head Coach on Friday.

Graham will be new to the Elite League and joins the Panthers from the Omaha Lancers, who play out of the United States Hockey League (USHL).

The majority of Graham's coaching career has been spent in the ECHL with the Fort Wayne Komets, starting out as an Assistant Coach (2009 to 2012) before being named their Head Coach (2013 to 2019) at the start of the 2013/4 season, along with campaigns at the Pensecola Ice Flyers (SPHL, 2012/13) & ORG Beijing (VHL, 2019/20) where he helped to build the Chinese national team that competed in the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Pacha commented on Gary's appointment: "Gary's pedigree as a coach is certainly up there but it was more the person we are really happy to have, how he is as a human being and his values, I can't speak enough about his character.

"He's the right guy for our situation, we're really happy to have Gary & I think he'll be a great fit for our organisation, and how we want to build, with his enthusiasm and his passion for the sport."