The Soo Greyhounds Hockey Club announced Monday, June 22nd that Drew Bannister has been named the club’s Head Coach effective July 1, 2026.
Bannister returns to the Greyhounds on a three-year agreement, bringing with him one of the most accomplished resumes in franchise history as both a player and coach.
For more than three decades, Bannister’s hockey journey has been intertwined with the Soo Greyhounds organization.
As a player from 1990 to 1994, Bannister established himself as one of the club’s cornerstone defencemen during one of the most successful eras in franchise history. He helped lead the Greyhounds to consecutive Ontario Hockey League championships in 1991 and 1992 before capturing the Memorial Cup in 1993. Over 222 regular-season games in a Greyhound uniform, Bannister recorded 118 points while earning a reputation as a dependable leader on and off the ice.
Following a successful 17-year professional playing career, Bannister returned to Sault Ste. Marie in 2015 as head coach and quickly re-established the Greyhounds among the Ontario Hockey League’s elite programs.
Over three seasons behind the Greyhound bench, Bannister compiled an outstanding record of 136-50-13-5 while developing numerous players who would advance to professional hockey. His tenure culminated in a historic 2017-18 campaign when the Greyhounds posted a franchise-record 55-7-3-3 regular-season record, one of the finest seasons in OHL history.
The remarkable season earned Bannister both the Matt Leyden Trophy as Ontario Hockey League Coach of the Year and the Brian Kilrea Coach of the Year Award as the top coach in the Canadian Hockey League.
“Drew Bannister embodies what it means to be a Soo Greyhound,” said Tim Lukenda, President and Governor of the Soo Greyhounds Hockey Club. “His connection to this organization runs deep. He helped bring a Memorial Cup championship to our city as a player and later returned to build one of the most successful teams in franchise history as our head coach.”
Kyle Raftis, General Manager of the Soo Greyhounds, added, “Beyond his accomplishments, Drew is an exceptional leader, teacher and developer of young talent. His experience at every level of the game, including the National Hockey League and internationally, will be invaluable to our players and our organization. We are thrilled to welcome Drew and his family back to Sault Ste. Marie.”
Since leaving the Greyhounds in 2018, Bannister has continued to build an impressive coaching résumé in professional hockey. He advanced through the American Hockey League before earning the opportunity to serve as head coach of the National Hockey League’s St. Louis Blues.
Most recently, Hockey Canada selected Bannister to lead Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team at the 2026 IIHF U18 Men’s World Championship, further recognizing his standing as one of the country’s premier coaches and developers of young players.
“Returning to the Soo Greyhounds is a tremendous honour,” said Bannister. “This organization has played an important role in my life from my days as a player through my first opportunity as a head coach. The Greyhounds have a proud tradition built on hard work, character and excellence, and I am excited to be back and help lead the next generation of players.”
“The support of this community is unlike anywhere else in hockey. I look forward to reconnecting with our fans and working with our players as we pursue success on the ice and continue building young men who will be successful in hockey and in life.”
The Greyhounds will formally introduce Bannister at a media availability to be announced at a later date.
Source: Soo Greyhounds
