Tommy Wingels Returns to Hockey to Coach the Reapers
Another homegrown asset was added to the Reapers coaching staff to jump-start its inaugural 2021 season. The Reapers were fortunate enough to secure former NHL player and Illinois native, Tommy Wingels, as a skills development coach.
In his youth, Wingels, a Wilmette, Illinois native, played for several local hockey teams including the Chicago Young Americans, The Mission, and Team Illinois. His success on the ice landed Wingels a spot on the U.S. Hockey League where he played one season with the Cedar Rapids Roughriders before beginning his NCAA career with the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks.
After three seasons with the RedHawks, Wingels was drafted 177th overall by the San Jose Sharks in 2008. In 2010, he played his first professional season in the American Hockey League with the Worcester Sharks and played five games for the San Jose Sharks in the National Hockey League (NHL) the same year. In total, Wingels played seven seasons with the San Jose Sharks.
His resume also includes 57 games with the Blackhawks and additional stints with the Ottawa Senators and the Boston Bruins. His NHL stat sheet concluded with 448 games played and 143 points total. Wingels spent the last two seasons of his career in Switzerland playing in the National League for the Genève-Servette Hockey Club.
Family First Mentality Leads to Second Career
Married with two young children, Wingles wanted to ensure his family had a home base and could put down roots. As he had already accomplished his dream of playing in the NHL, Wingels made the decision to retire at the age of 32.
“My dream was always to play in the NHL and to play hockey at the highest level,” Wingels said. “At some point, other priorities become more important than what was important to me previously.”
A few months after moving back to Chicagoland from Switzerland, Wingels was asked to join the coaching staff of the Tier 1 Reapers hockey program. Reapers President Steve Dry had a vision to provide more opportunities for children in Illinois to play youth hockey. Dry was working to assemble an extraordinary coaching staff and knew that Wingels’ credentials were a perfect match for the organization.
“After hearing him out, I pretty much agreed with everything he said,” remarked Wingels. “This is about providing more opportunities for players, it’s about giving them the best coaches, the best facility, and the best avenue and tools to help develop their game.”
Dry attempted to ease Wingels into the program slowly. He felt that a skills coaching role would be the best use of his talents while ensuring him a work-life balance. He offered a ‘walk before you run’ approach but made it clear that if Wingels wanted to add more to his plate, that option would be available to him.
Proving Himself as a Coach
It was immediately evident that Wingels’ knowledge and experience in the game of hockey was only surpassed by his natural ability to connect with the players.
“In a short amount of time, Tommy wanted to do more,” said Dry. “How the kids gravitated to him showed me that he was absolutely the right choice. Having just retired from hockey, he could tell the players specifically how each skill applies to the game, and why learning them is necessary to be able to advance to the next level.”
Wingels continues to prove himself to Dry and the organization in general. While his NHL stats and experiences affirm his expertise as a hockey player, he must show them how he will perform as a coach. Wingels said he knows it is a process that will include some trial and error.
“At the end of the day it’s me diving in here without having done it before,” Wingels said. “I’m confident in my abilities and my experience in the game and I think I can help all of these kids, not just some of them.”