Rick Emmett named assistant coach on 2015-16 Georgia Hockey coaching staff

ATHENS – The University of Georgia Ice Dogs club hockey team announced today, Tuesday, August 4, 2015 the newest addition to their 2015-16 coaching staff, assistant coach Rick Emmett.

Emmett brings over 20 years of playing and coaching experience at the elite amateur and professional levels to the University of Georgia club hockey team.

“I’m excited for the opportunity to be apart of a great brand such as the University of Georgia and the Georgia Ice Dawgs,” Emmett said. “I look forward to working with the extremely dedicated staff. From top to bottom It’s an organization that is very passionate about growing, improving and getting back to the winning ways UGA hockey came to know in the past. With our aligned vision I’m confident and look forward to getting the Ice Dawgs back to ACHA prominence.”

After spending his youth days playing at the elite AAA level, the Toronto native was drafted in the seventh round, 103rd overall, by the Peterborough Petes in the 1992 Midget Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Draft.

In two full seasons and a part of a third with Peterborough, Emmett tallied 87 points, including 18 goals in 132 regular season games with the Petes, including being the top scoring defenseman for Peterborough and in the top 10 overall during the 1993-94 season.

In the 1992-93 postseason, Emmett helped Peterborough capture the OHL’s ultimate prize, the J. Ross Robertson Cup as the Petes defeated the Sault Saint Marie Greyhounds four games to one in the 1993 OHL Championship series. Following the Robertson Cup victory, Peterborough would advance to the 1993 Memorial Cup Finals, the playoff to determine the top Canadian junior team from the champions of the Western Hockey League, Quebec Major League, and OHL.

After his final OHL season in 1994-95, Emmett advanced to the professional ranks where he would begin the first of his 11 seasons. Emmett tallied 377 points in 587 regular games including 278 assists and in 101 career postseason contests, notching 70 points.

Rick Emmett playing for Atlanta's Gwinett Gladiators
Rick Emmett playing for Atlanta’s Gwinett Gladiators. Photo Credit: Gwinnett Gladiators/Atlanta Ice Forum Hockey Association

Over the course of his career, Emmett also attended NHL training camps of the Buffalo Sabres and the Atlanta Thrashers.

Emmett enjoyed postseason success as well in the pro ranks. The defenseman won back-to-back championships in 1997 and 1998 with UHL’s Quad City Mallards, and helping the ECHL’s Gwinnett Gladiators reach the 2006 Kelly Cup Finals.

After retiring as a player with Gwinnett in 2006, Emmett took a step away from the game of hockey and became a firefighter with the Barrow County Fire Department.

After four and half years with the fire department, Emmett returned to the hockey world stepping behind the Gladiators’ bench as an assistant coach to start the 2011-12 season. After two years under former Gwinnett head coaches Jeff Pyle and John Wroblewski, Emmett was promoted to the head job to begin the 2013-14 campaign and spent 89 games over the course of two seasons with the Gladiators.

“I’m ecstatic that Coach Emmett has joined our program as an assistant coach,” UGA Hockey Vice President of External Operations Luke Dixon said. “To have someone with over 20 years of professional hockey experience as a player and coach who recognizes our program’s passion to grow and return to an elite level will be someone everyone will be able to learn from.”

In addition to his ECHL experience, Emmett has been the Head Pro Instructor the past 12 years with Pro Tech Hockey Academy Inc., an elite hockey school his father started in 2002, as well as coaching the Atlanta Jr. Thrashers youth travel program.

Rick and his wife, Danielle, have two sons, Payton and Parker.

Emmett marks the third assistant coach named to the Ice Dogs’ 2015-16 coaching staff. Be sure to check back to UGAHockey.com for updates as the Georgia Hockey club continues to put the final touches on its coaching staff for the upcoming season.

Full season memberships and single game tickets are still available for the 2015-16 Ice Dogs Hockey season! To catch the fastest game on ice in downtown Athens, fans can visit the Classic Center Box Office at 300 North Thomas Street, call the Classic Center Box Office at 706-357-4444, or visit the Classic Center’s website, www.classiccenter.com.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

LIMITED TIME ONLY

Pre-order our Military Appreciation Jersey.

Special order our Red Game Jersey.

00
Months
00
Days
00
Hours
00
Minutes
00
Seconds

Customize them with your name and number!!