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Head Coach Nick Vitucci to Return for 2010-11 Toledo Walleye Season

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Coach Returns for his Sixth Year in Toledo

Toledo, Ohio – The Toledo Walleye are pleased to announce that Head Coach Nick Vitucci will return as Toledo’s bench boss for the 2010-11 season.

Vitucci, a native of Welland, Ontario, will be starting his fifth full season as a Head Coach in Toledo when the Walleye commence the regular season on October 15th at Wheeling. On December 11, 2009, Vitucci won his 150th regular season game as a Head Coach.

"I am extremely excited to continue the work that we started a year ago with the Walleye,” said Vitucci. “I was pleased as to what we were able to accomplish last year with the exciting product we had on the ice for our fans in the first season of Walleye hockey. With a terrific organization in place, I believe we can be successful for years to come.”

In 335 games as a Head Coach, Vitucci has a regular season record of 175-132-28. Vitucci was named ECHL Coach of the Year in 2004-05 and has a 9-15 mark in the postseason with a trip to the Conference Finals in 2006. Prior to his work with Toledo, Vitucci was an Assistant Coach with the Greenville Grrrowl in the ECHL from 2000-2003.

Vitucci has won a record five ECHL championships (four as a player and one as an assistant coach) and has been involved with the league as a player and coach every season since the league’s inception. Named the post-season Most Valuable Player twice (1989 & 1996), he played 14 seasons and is the ECHL career leader among goaltenders in games (479), minutes (27,291), wins (265), 20-win seasons (7), consecutive 30-win seasons (2), and consecutive 20-win seasons (4). Nick is also the ECHL post-season record holder in games among goaltenders (80), minutes (4,841), and wins (43).

“My family and I have looked at Toledo as our home community for a number of years now,” said Vitucci. “This city is loaded with passionate fans and great people.

Nick Vitucci was named to the ECHL 15th Anniversary Team in 2003. Vitucci played in two ECHL All-Star Games and was named First Team All-ECHL in 1991-92 and 1997-98. Nick was named ECHL Goaltender of the Year in 1997-98, and he was officially inducted into the ECHL Hall of Fame on January 23, 2008 in Stockton, CA in conjunction with the ECHL All-Star Game. It was the Hall-of-Fame’s inaugural class.