Drew Bannister

Drew Bannister
Bannister in 2024
Born (1974-04-09) April 9, 1974 (age 50)
Belleville, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 201 lb (91 kg; 14 st 5 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Right
Played for Tampa Bay Lightning
Edmonton Oilers
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
New York Rangers
Kärpät
Severstal Cherepovets
Espoo Blues
Nürnberg Ice Tigers
Kassel Huskies
Hull Stingrays
Braehead Clan
Coached for St. Louis Blues
NHL draft 26th overall, 1992
Tampa Bay Lightning
Playing career 1994–2012
Coaching career 2011–present

Drew Bannister (born April 9, 1974) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player who most recently was the head coach for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played in the NHL for the Tampa Bay Lightning, Edmonton Oilers, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and New York Rangers. He finished his playing career as a player and head coach for the Braehead Clan of the British Elite Ice Hockey League. Bannister was born in Belleville, Ontario, but grew up in Sudbury, Ontario.

Playing career

Bannister was selected in the second round, 26th overall, of the 1992 NHL entry draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Bannister was drafted from the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) where he won a Memorial Cup in 1993 and was chosen to the Memorial Cup All-Star team in 1992 and 1993. He also won World Junior Championship with Canada national junior team in 1994. Upon completing his junior eligibility, Bannister spent a year and a half with the Atlanta Knights of the International Hockey League (IHL), Tampa Bay's farm team.

Bannister played in the minors for most of his career but saw time in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Edmonton Oilers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and New York Rangers. His most successful season came in 1996–97, when he played 65 games, scored a career-high 18 points, and played in 12 playoff games for the Oilers.

In 2002, Bannister moved to Europe and played for teams in Finland, Russia and Germany. In the 2007–08 season, he was named best defenceman while playing for Kassel Huskies of Germany's 2nd Bundesliga, and also won the championship which promoted the team to the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.

On August 6, 2009, Bannister made a return to North America after seven seasons, signing a one-year deal with the Ottawa Senators.[1] He spent the majority of the season with their AHL affiliate, the Binghamton Senators, serving as captain. Binghamton's then-assistant coach, former AHL defenceman Mike Busniuk, happened to be Bannister's father-in-law.

Coaching career

On November 16, 2010, Bannister signed for the Hull Stingrays in the British Elite Ice Hockey League as a player and assistant coach. On July 29, 2011, Bannister was announced as a player and head coach of the Braehead Clan in the British Elite Ice Hockey League for the 2011–12 season, replacing Bruce Richardson.[2]

On June 2, 2012, Bannister was announced as an assistant coach for the OHL's Owen Sound Attack, which effectively ended his playing career.[3] On July 10, 2015, he left the assistant coaching job in Owen Sound to become a head coach for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.[4]

On June 5, 2018, he was hired as the head coach of the San Antonio Rampage in the American Hockey League (AHL), the top development team for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL).[5] In 2020, after the Rampage were sold and moved to southern Nevada, Bannister became head coach of the new Blues' affiliate in Springfield, Massachusetts.

On December 12, 2023, Bannister was named interim head coach of the St. Louis Blues of the NHL following the firing of Craig Berube.[6][7] On May 8, 2024, following the 2023–24 season, Bannister was promoted to permanent head coach of the Blues, signing a two-year contract.[8]

On November 24, 2024, the Blues fired Bannister after the team started the 2024–25 season with a 9–12–1 record.[9]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1990–91 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds OHL 41 2 8 10 51 4 0 0 0 0
1991–92 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds OHL 64 4 21 25 122 16 3 10 13 36
1992–93 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds OHL 59 5 28 33 114 18 2 7 9 12
1993–94 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds OHL 58 7 43 50 108 14 6 9 15 20
1994–95 Atlanta Knights IHL 72 5 7 12 74 5 0 2 2 22
1995–96 Atlanta Knights IHL 61 3 13 16 105 3 0 0 0 4
1995–96 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 13 0 1 1 4 — — — — —
1996–97 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 64 4 13 17 44 — — — — —
1996–97 Edmonton Oilers NHL 1 0 1 1 0 12 0 0 0 30
1997–98 Edmonton Oilers NHL 34 0 2 2 42 — — — — —
1997–98 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 27 0 6 6 47 — — — — —
1998–99 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 21 1 2 3 24 — — — — —
1998–99 Las Vegas Thunder IHL 16 2 1 3 73 — — — — —
1999–00 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 44 6 14 20 121 18 2 9 11 53
2000–01 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 73 9 30 39 143 5 0 2 2 6
2000–01 New York Rangers NHL 3 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2001–02 Cincinnati Mighty Ducks AHL 30 1 10 11 57 3 0 1 1 6
2001–02 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2002–03 Kärpät SM-l 41 2 12 14 81 14 2 0 2 42
2003–04 Severstal Cherepovets RSL 3 0 0 0 4 — — — — —
2003–04 Blues SM-l 36 2 8 10 42 9 0 3 3 26
2004–05 Nürnberg Ice Tigers DEL 46 1 12 13 97 — — — — —
2005–06 Kassel Huskies DEL 44 9 12 21 79 — — — — —
2006–07 Kassel Huskies GBun.2 43 9 32 41 109 8 1 6 7 8
2007–08 Kassel Huskies GBun.2 41 11 27 38 73 15 4 12 16 28
2008–09 Kassel Huskies DEL 34 2 15 17 84 — — — — —
2009–10 Binghamton Senators AHL 57 4 10 14 77 — — — — —
2010–11 Hull Stingrays EIHL 34 5 15 20 50 2 0 2 2 2
2011–12 Braehead Clan EIHL 55 13 42 45 114 — — — — —
NHL totals 164 5 25 30 161 12 0 0 0 30
Medal record
Representing  Canada
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 1994 Czech Republic

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
1994 Canada WJC 1st place, gold medalist(s) 7 0 4 4 10
Junior totals 7 0 4 4 10

Head coaching record

Team Year Regular season Postseason
G W L OTL Pts Finish W L Win % Result
STL 2023–24 54 30 19 5 (65) 5th in Central — — — Missed playoffs
STL 2024–25 22 9 12 1 (19) (fired) — — — —
Total 76 39 31 6     — — —  

References

  1. ^ "Bulletin:Senators sign Bannister to one-year deal". Ottawa Senators. August 6, 2009. Archived from the original on August 14, 2009. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
  2. ^ "Drew Bannister named Braehead Clan player-coach". BBC Sport. BBC. July 29, 2011. Retrieved October 5, 2011.
  3. ^ "Attack Hire Bannister – Owen Sound Attack".
  4. ^ "Hounds' name Bannister New Head Coach – Soo Greyhounds".
  5. ^ "Drew Bannister Named Head Coach of the San Antonio Rampage". OurSportsCentral.com. June 5, 2018.
  6. ^ DeFranks, Matthew (December 12, 2023). "Blues fire coach Craig Berube amid four-game losing streak". STLtoday.com. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  7. ^ "Blues relieve Berube of coaching duties". NHL.com. December 12, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  8. ^ "Bannister signs 2-year contract to remain Blues coach". NHL.com. May 7, 2024. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  9. ^ "Montgomery hired as Blues coach, replaces Bannister". NHL.com. November 24, 2024. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
Sporting positions
Preceded by Head coach of the St. Louis Blues
2023–2024 		Succeeded by