The defending-champion Peninsula Panthers of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League have hired Chris Driebergen as their new head coach.
Driebergen takes over as Peninsula bench boss following 14 years of coaching experience at the minor hockey levels and he won league and playoff honours this past season at the B.C. U-18 Tier 1 level as assistant coach with the Victoria Admirals. Driebergen, 42, has served the Victoria Minor Hockey Association as director of player and goalie development the past four seasons.
“Hockey has to be fun, my job is to make sure players are excited to come to the rink each day and enjoy the process,” Driebergen said in a statement.
He replaces owner and GM Pete Zubersky behind the bench. Zubersky was head coach on an interim basis last season in guiding the Panthers to their first VIJHL title since 2011.
“After closely following the Panthers last season … it was clearly evident that the culture of the Panthers organization is very important to the Zuberskys. I will look to continue and build on this tradition,” said Driebergen.
