Roy Sommer


Roy A. Sommer is a former professional ice hockey player who played three games for the Edmonton Oilers of the NHL in 1981. He is currently the associate coach of the San Jose Sharks. From 1998 to 2019, he was the head coach of the American Hockey League affiliate of the Sharks, which was known as the Kentucky Thoroughblades, Cleveland Barons, Worcester Sharks, and the San Jose Barracuda throughout his tenure. He was the longest tenured head coach with the same organization in the AHL and had the most AHL wins as head coach.
Sommer grew up in the San Francisco area where he played youth hockey for Skyline High School before moving to Calgary at age 17.

Coaching career

On November 1, 2009, while with the Worcester Sharks, Sommer became just the fourth head coach in AHL history to reach 400 wins.
On February 10, 2016, while with the San Jose Barracuda, Sommer became the winningest head coach in AHL history when he reached 637 wins. He surpassed Bun Cook, who spent 19 seasons as a head coach in the AHL.
He won the Louis A. R. Pieri Memorial Award as the AHL's coach of the year in 2017 after leading the San Jose Barracuda to the best regular season finish in the AHL's Pacific Division.
On December 11, 2019, after the NHL San Jose Sharks fired head coach Peter DeBoer and his staff, Sommer left the San Jose Barracuda to serve as the Sharks associate coach under interim head coach Bob Boughner.

Personal life

Sommer and his wife Melissa have a three children together: daughter Kira, son Castan and son Marley, who has Down syndrome.

Career statistics