 | Sebastien Laplante (left) and Mike Van Ryn will join John Torchetti behind the Houston Aeros bench for the 2011-12 season. |
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Rich Bocchini/Aeros.com
The Houston Aeros have added Sebastien Laplante and Mike Van Ryn as assistant coaches. The pair will join Head Coach John Torchetti behind the Houston bench when the 2011-12 season kicks off in October.
HOUSTON (AUGUST 2, 2011) --- The Houston Aeros, the 2011 American Hockey League (AHL) Western Conference Champions and primary affiliate of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Minnesota Wild, today announced that General Manager Jim Mill has named Sebastien Laplante (luh-PLONT) and Mike Van Ryn (van-RIGHN) as assistant coaches.
Laplante and Van Ryn will join the Aeros along with Head Coach John Torchetti (tor-CHEH-tee), who begins his first season behind the Houston bench when the 2011-12 season kicks off in October.
“Both Sebastien and Mike have a passion for the game that will go a long way in continuing our tradition of winning and developing players,” Mill said.
Laplante, 40 (4/23/71), spent the last three seasons as an assistant coach at Northeastern University. Prior to that, he served two seasons as an assistant coach with the Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL).
As a player, Laplante posted 140 points (61-79-140) in 134 games at Northeastern from 1989 to 1993. The left-winger then embarked on a pro career that began with the Greensboro Monarchs (ECHL) in the 1993-94 season. As a rookie, he posted 35-38-73 totals in 60 games and led the league with a plus-44 rating. He also made stops with the Cornwall Aces (AHL), Amiens Somme HC (France), San Antonio Iguanas (CHL), Quad City Mallards (Colonial/UHL) and Fort Wayne Komets (IHL). In 175 professional games, Laplante averaged better than a point-per-game average (77-115-192).
A native of Cap-Rouge, Quebec, Laplante and wife Shannon have two daughters (Justine and Aryanne) and a son (Nolan).
Van Ryn, 32 (3/14/79), joins the Aeros after serving as an assistant coach for the Niagara IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League last season. He worked with the defense and penalty kill, helping the IceDogs to their most successful season in team history, finishing with a 45-17-2-4 record. His work molding young defensemen helped Dougie Hamilton become the 9th overall selection in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.
A defenseman, the London, Ontario, native played in 353 NHL contests with the St. Louis Blues, Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs. He also appeared in 105 AHL games with the Worcester IceCats and San Antonio Rampage. All totaled, Van Ryn competed in 458 pro games from 2000 to 2009 and posted 164 points (37-127-164) along with 325 penalty minutes (PIM).
Van Ryn was selected by the New Jersey Devils in the first round (26th overall) in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. He played two seasons at the University of Michigan and another with the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League prior to his pro career.
Van Ryn and his wife Amber have two children, Kaylee and Tucker.
Laplante and Van Ryn both played under Torchetti; Laplante in Greensboro, San Antonio and Fort Wayne, and Van Ryn in San Antonio and Florida. Laplante also served as an assistant coach under Torchetti in Moncton of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
Aeros season tickets can now be selected and purchased online at Aeros.com. Seats may be secured by placing a $100 deposit. Once your order is processed, an Aeros ticket representative will contact you to choose your exact seat location as well as discuss the payment option that best suits your needs.
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