2011-12 MEDIA GUIDE - Carolina Hurricanes - NHL.com

CRAIG BRUSH PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER
Craig Brush, President of the Florida Everblades, along with
partners Peter Karmanos and the late Thomas Thewes, founded
the Everblades and Germain Arena in 1998. Brush, a native of
Milton, Ontario, oversees all aspects of both the hockey club and
the sports complex.
In 12 seasons, the Everblades have hosted 2,703,880 fans in
430 regular season games, average of 6,300 per game, and have
led the ECHL in attendance in five of their 12 seasons. Germain
Arena and the Everblades hosted the 2003 Compuware/ECHL
All-Star Game and have led the Kelly Cup Playoffs in attendance
six times.
The Everblades have earned a post-season berth in 12
consecutive seasons in Southwest Florida. During the 2003-04
season, Florida captured the Eastern Conference title and made
GREG POSS HEAD COACH
Poss, 46, enters his second season as head coach of the
Florida Everblades, and is just the fourth head coach in the 13year
history of the franchise. The native of Green Bay, Wisconsin,
led the ‘Blades to the playoffs in his first season with the team,
posting a 37-30-1-4 record. Poss came to Florida after serving as
an assistant coach with the ECHL’s Ontario Reign in 2009-10.
Prior to joining the Reign, Poss spent eight seasons as
a head coach in the German Elite League (DEL) with Iserlohn,
Nuremberg and Mannheim. In 2006-07, he helped Mannheim
become the first team in DEL history to finish in first place in the
regular season, win the inter-league tournament and capture the
league championship in the same year, after leading the club to a
35-9-8 record.
In addition to his club team experience, Poss has also gained
experience in international competitions. In 2009, he served as an
assistant coach with the USA Hockey team that finished second
in the Deutschland Cup. In 2004 and 2005, Poss served as head
AFFILIATIONS
its first ever trip to the Kelly Cup Finals. After capturing the 2004-
05 American Conference Championship, the Everblades became
the first team in Kelly Cup history to make back-to-back trips
to the Kelly Cup Finals. Florida was also awarded the regularseason
championship Brabham Cup following the 1998-99 and
2008-09 seasons.
Brush played hockey for three seasons at Cornell University
and was a member of the 1970 undefeated NCAA Championship
team. He has also coached in the Compuware youth hockey
program for many years.
Craig and his wife, Kyle, split time between Estero, Florida,
and Birmingham, Michigan. The couple has three sons: Matt,
Tyler and Patrick.
coach of the German Senior National teams that participated
in the Deutschland Cup and 2005 IIHF World Championships.
His first international coaching experience came in 2003, as an
assistant coach for the American team that finished first in the
Deutschland Cup. In 2004, he again served as an assistant coach
for Team USA, as the Americans won bronze at the IIHF World
Championships in Prague.
As a player, Poss played on the professional level for three
seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL) and International
Hockey League (IHL). In two seasons from 1989-91, Poss tallied
44 points (17g, 27a) and 103 penalty minutes in 109 games with
the Maine Mariners (AHL). In 1991-92, Poss skated in 18 games
with the Peoria Rivermen (IHL), earning five points (1g, 4a) and 41
penalty minutes before suffering a career-ending knee injury.
Prior to turning professional, Poss played four seasons at the
University of Wisconsin from 1985-1989, posting 25 points in 101
career games.
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