via the Stingrays
The South Carolina Stingrays announced Wednesday that they have promoted Ryan Blair to head coach. He is the 10th head coach in franchise history.
“Ryan was instrumental in helping our team to a 44-14-4 record this past season,” said Stingrays President Rob Concannon in a press release. “I was very impressed with his work ethic and professionalism. He did a great job running our defense and developing our players. As a former player himself, he understands what it takes to be a pro, on and off the ice. All of the players I spoke to endorsed Ryan as our new head coach and he’s going to do a great job.”
“I am very excited and grateful to be the next head coach of the South Carolina Stingrays,” Blair said in the release. “This is a first-class organization that I am very fortunate to be a part of. I would like to thank Steve Bergin for trusting me and for bringing me in last year as his assistant. Bergy did an unbelievable job at teaching me the way and showing me what it means to be a Stingray. I would also like to thank Rob Concannon and Todd Halloran for believing in me from day one. I am excited to get started and can’t wait for the upcoming season.”
Blair oversaw the team’s defense and led them to a league best 2.37 goals per game. Prior to joining the Rays organization last season, Blair held the Director of Hockey Operations position with the UMass-Lowell men’s hockey team. After playing three years in the ECHL, Blair spent time as both an assistant and head coach with the Boston Jr. Rangers in the Eastern Hockey League for three years from 2015-18. During his time with the club he helped oversee a combined record of 90-25-11 that included playoff championships in 2016 and 2018, as well as a regular-season championship in 2018. After the 2017-18 season, Blair was honored as the EHL Premier Coach of the Year.
The Toronto native also lived in Ashburn, Va. before attending UMass-Lowell from 2007-11. During four seasons of NCAA Hockey with the Riverhawks, Blair appeared in 141 career games and helped the program reach the Hockey East Championship game in 2009.
The Stingrays 2020-21 schedule has yet to be released.
