Peterborough Petes's Derrick Walser Hired As Red Deer Rebels Head Coach

Peterborough Petes assistant coach Derrick Walser is headed out west as he has been hired as the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Red Deer Rebels head coach, announced on Wednesday.

The Walser family has been active members of the Peterborough community since joining the Petes in 2017. Photo courtesy of the Peterborough Petes.

The New Glasgow, N.S.-born coach joined the Petes in August of 2017 as an assistant coach. He spent the last six years with the Petes and capped off his tenure with an OHL Championship and coached in this year’s Memorial Cup. Prior to joining the Petes, Walser served as a player/head coach of the UK’s Belfast Giants in the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) for two seasons.

“On behalf of the Peterborough Petes, we’d like to congratulate Derrick as he takes this exciting step in his coaching career,” said Michael Oke, Petes general manager. “Over the last six years, Derrick has been a staple on the Petes bench and has earned the opportunity to become a head coach at this level. We wish Derrick, his wife Sara and their sons Camden and Hudson nothing but the best in this transition.”

“I’m thankful to Mike Oke for bringing me into this organization six years ago,” said Walser. “Peterborough will always feel like home to me and my family. We’ve loved our time here with the Petes organization.”

Before his coaching career, Walser played nineteen seasons of professional hockey between the NHL (Columbus), AHL (Syracuse, Saint John, Albany, Toronto), ECHL (Johnstown), KHL (Chekhov), Swiss-A (Rapperswil-Jona), DEL (Berlin), and EIHL.

“I’ve learned a lot being here,” said Walser. “Working with this group, particularly with Rob Wilson, has helped shape me into the coach I am today. We had a great, close-knit crew and I will always have fond memories of my time with the Petes. Not just our OHL win and the support from our epic fans but the time behind the scenes working together towards a championship. The hardest part will be leaving the community we’ve created here.”

Walser was a defenseman for five seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with the Beauport Harfangs and Rimouski Oceanic. He tallied 82 goals, 173 assists, 255 points and 293 penalty minutes in 255 career games. He was named QMJHL and CHL Defenceman of the Year in 1997-98.

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