Ian Herbers (born July 18, 1967) is a
Canadian
Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...
former professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
defenceman
Defence or defense (in American English) in ice hockey is a player position that is primarily responsible for preventing the opposing team from Goal (ice hockey), scoring. They are often referred to as defencemen, D, D-men or blueliners (the la ...
, and former assistant coach for the
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
of the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
.
Draft
Herbers was drafted in the tenth round, 190th overall, by the
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team was established in 1970, along w ...
in the
1987 NHL Entry Draft
The 1987 NHL Entry Draft was the 25th NHL Entry Draft. It was held at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan, and was the first draft held in the United States. The National Hockey League (NHL) teams selected 252 players eligible for entry into pr ...
.
Career
Herbers played four seasons in the
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior h ...
where he was coached by Graham James and played with Joe Sakic. This was followed by four seasons with the
University of Alberta Golden Bears
The Alberta Golden Bears and Pandas are the sports teams that represent the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Alberta athletics teams have won a total of 93 national championships, including 79 U Sports sanctioned sports, making ...
, where he earned a bachelor's degree in physical education and won the national championship in 1992.
He made his pro debut with the
Cape Breton Oilers
The Cape Breton Oilers were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. The team was the top minor league affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). The Oilers' organization relocated the team from Hali ...
, with whom he won the Calder Cup of the
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary Minor league#Ice hockey, developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 AHL se ...
in the
1992–93 season.
He made it to the
NHL
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
in the
1993–94 season, appearing in 22 games with the
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
.
Herbers would not find his way to the NHL again until the
1999–2000 season with the
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning (colloquially known as the Bolts) are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. They play th ...
. The Lightning then traded him to the
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ( ...
on March 9, 2000, in exchange for a seventh-round pick in the
2000 NHL Entry Draft
The 2000 NHL Entry Draft was the 38th NHL Entry Draft. It was held on June 24 and 25, 2000 at the Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, following the 2000 NHL Expansion Draft on June 23 for the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild. This ...
.
After finishing the season with the Islanders, Herbers was left unprotected in the
2000 NHL Expansion Draft
The 2000 NHL Expansion Draft was held on June 23, 2000, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The draft took place to fill the rosters of the league's two expansion teams for the 2000–01 season, the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Minnesota Wild.
Rules
2 ...
and was picked by the
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and play their home games at the Xcel Ener ...
. After spending the 2000–01 season with the Wild's
International Hockey League affiliate, the
Cleveland Lumberjacks
The Cleveland Lumberjacks were an International Hockey League (IHL) team based in Cleveland, Ohio.
Facts
:Owner: Larry Gordon
:Logo design: "Buzz"- A beaver wearing overalls holding a homemade hockey stick framed by a circular saw blade
:Divis ...
, Herbers went to
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...
. He played for the
Ayr Scottish Eagles
The Ayr Scottish Eagles were a professional Scottish ice hockey club, from Ayr, Scotland. They were formed in 1996 and played their home games at the Centrum Arena. The team competed in the Ice Hockey Superleague and the club's main (title) spo ...
of the
British Ice Hockey Superleague
The British Ice Hockey Superleague (BISL, also known as the Sekonda Ice Hockey Superleague from 1998 to 1999 for sponsorship reasons) was a professional ice hockey league in the United Kingdom between 1996 and 2003. Devised in 1995, it replaced ...
for one season and the
Guildford Flames
The Guildford Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Guildford, Surrey and they play their home games in the Guildford Spectrum. They compete in the top-tier of hockey in the United Kingdom, the Elite Ice Hockey League.
Founded in ...
of the
British National League for another. He briefly returned to North American hockey in the 2003–04 season, playing in four games for the
United Hockey League
The United Hockey League (UHL), originally known as the Colonial Hockey League from 1991 to 1997 and last known as the International Hockey League from 2007 to 2010, was a low-level minor professional ice hockey league, with teams in the Unite ...
's
Flint Generals
The Flint Generals were a minor professional ice hockey team based in Flint, Michigan. They were a member of the International Hockey League and played their home games at Perani Arena and Event Center. The Generals won two league championship ...
, before retiring.
Coaching career
Herbers became an assistant coach with the AHL
San Antonio Rampage
The San Antonio Rampage were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League based in San Antonio, Texas. The Rampage was primarily owned by Spurs Sports & Entertainment throughout the team's existence. In 2020, the franchise was sold ...
in 2004 before the lockout. From the AHL, Herbers then moved to the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in 2005. He spent two years there, before being named the head coach of the ECHL's
Johnstown Chiefs
The Johnstown Chiefs were a minor league ice hockey team located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, that played in the ECHL. The team was founded in 1987 in the All-American Hockey League, and moved to the East Coast Hockey League (now "ECHL") when that ...
in 2007. On 5 August 2009, he became an assistant coach with the
Milwaukee Admirals
The Milwaukee Admirals are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). They play in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States, at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Panther Arena. They are affiliated with the NHL's Nashvil ...
of the
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary Minor league#Ice hockey, developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 AHL se ...
. On November 28, 2011, after the departure of Kirk Muller to the
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, ...
, Herbers was named head coach of the
Milwaukee Admirals
The Milwaukee Admirals are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). They play in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States, at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Panther Arena. They are affiliated with the NHL's Nashvil ...
. In late May 2012 Herbers left the
Milwaukee Admirals
The Milwaukee Admirals are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). They play in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States, at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Panther Arena. They are affiliated with the NHL's Nashvil ...
to begin coaching the men's hockey team at his alma mater, the
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta, also known as U of A or UAlberta, is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford,"A Gentleman of Strathcona – Alexander Cameron Rutherfor ...
.
He spent three seasons as head coach of the
Alberta Golden Bears
The Alberta Golden Bears and Pandas are the sports teams that represent the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Alberta athletics teams have won a total of 93 national championships, including 79 U Sports sanctioned sports, making ...
, earning Canada West Coach of the Year honours in his inaugural season and leading the team to three Canada West conference championships and consecutive
Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) national championships in 2013-14 and 2014-15.
Herbers also served as a coach for Team Canada at the
2015 IIHF U18 World Championship, where they won a bronze medal.
Herbers was hired as an assistant coach by the Edmonton Oilers in July 2015.
The Oilers relieved Herbers of his coaching duties on April 27, 2018. Herbers returned as head coach of the University of Alberta Golden Bears hockey program on July 1, 2018.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
External links
*
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Herbers, Ian
1967 births
Living people
Alberta Golden Bears ice hockey players
Ayr Scottish Eagles players
Buffalo Sabres draft picks
Canadian ice hockey defencemen
Cape Breton Oilers players
Cleveland Lumberjacks players
Detroit Vipers players
Edmonton Oilers coaches
Edmonton Oilers players
English Premier Ice Hockey League players
Flint Generals players
Guildford Flames players
Ice hockey people from Alberta
Ice Hockey Superleague players
Johnstown Chiefs coaches
Kelowna Wings players
Lethbridge Broncos players
Milwaukee Admirals coaches
New York Islanders players
People from Jasper, Alberta
Spokane Chiefs players
Swift Current Broncos players
Tampa Bay Lightning players
Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in England
Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in Scotland
Canadian ice hockey coaches
Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in the United States