Bio
Biography
Brian Gratz is Head Coach at Indy Jr Fuel 16/18U AAA in Indianapolis, IN. Previously he was was the head coach for the Greenville Swamp Rabbits of the ECHL in Greenville, SC. The Swamp Rabbits are the ‘AA’ hockey affiliate of the New York Rangers (NHL) and the Hartford Wolfpack (AHL). Brian is originally from Fort Wayne, IN and has served as a head coach for 10 years at various levels including Double AA professional, Single A professional and the collegiate level. He has compiled an over all professional coaching record of 242 wins – 219 losses – 47 OTL with 2 post season league championships to his credit. Prior to beginning his coaching career, Brian Gratz was a contracted professional goaltender in various leagues including: AHL, ECHL, CHL, UHL and SPHL from 2004 to 2007. He graduated from Penn State University with degrees in Finance and Economics in 2004. As a goaltender at Penn State, he was a member of 4 consecutive ACHA National Championship teams from 2000-2003.
Brian Gratz began his coaching career as an assistant coach with the Reading Royals of the ECHL in 2007. The following season, he was named head coach and general manager of the Indiana Ice Miners of the Mid Atlantic Hockey League (MAHL). There he was named 2007-2008 MAHL Coach of the Year, captured the MAHL inaugural league championship. set a professional hockey record for most consecutive wins with 26 wins in a row and promoted over 30 players to higher professional leagues.
The following season, Brian Gratz was named head coach and director of hockey operations for the Jersey Rockhoppers of the Eastern Professional Hockey League (EPHL). He once again was able to capture the league championship over the Brooklyn Aces for the 2008-2009 EPHL Championship and was responsible for 15 call-ups to the ECHL, IHL and AHL.
After spending the 2009-2010 season as head goalie coach and assistant coach for the Penn State University Men’s Ice Hockey team where his goaltender was named 1st Team ACHA All American, Brian Gratz was named the head coach and general manager for the Dayton Gems of the Double AA professional Central Hockey League (CHL) for the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons. In only his first season, the Dayton Gems completed the biggest turnaround in professional hockey increasing total wins and standings points, and qualifying for the 2010-2011 playoffs. Brian Gratz was a finalist for the 2011 CHL Coach of the Year award and led the team to Community Relations Franchise of the Year and the team saw an amazing 52% increase in overall attendance from the previous year. He was named to the CHL Competition Committee in May 2011, where he aided in the CHL improvement of hockey operations on and off the ice for the duration of his time in the CHL.
For the 2012-13 season, Brian Gratz was named head coach and director of hockey operations of the Bloomington Blaze of the CHL. There he penned an affiliation with the Chicago Blackhawks/ Rockford Ice Hogs organization for player development. That season saw the Bloomington Blaze register an astounding 230 goals in 66 regular season games as well as a league best 22.7% power play success rate. Brian Gratz led the CHL in total player call-ups to the AHL and ECHL over the course of the season and led the team to the organizations highest win total and winning percentage in franchise history as well as a 15% increase in overall attendance. He continued his service on the CHL league’s Competition Committee throughout the end of the season.
In 2013-2014, Brian Gratz helped to usher in the Southern Professional Hockey League to the Bloomington-Normal area. There he aided in building corporate relationships and connected the Chicago Blackhawks organization with both the Bloomington Thunder and Peoria Rivermen to help build interest and professional hockey throughout the central Illinois region.
Brian Gratz assembled the Bloomington Thunder team and led the SPHL in total player call-ups to teams in the ECHL and CHL prior to resigning his position to pursue other opportunities such as consulting the coaching staff of the Fort Wayne Komets (ECHL) on their way to a playoff berth and 1st round series win over defending ECHL champion, Reading Royals.
For the 2014-2015 season Brian was the assistant coach for the Greenville Road Warriors, and the following season he was promoted to head coach and the Greenville Road Warriors became the Greenville Swamp Rabbits.
During the 2015-2016 season, Brian and the Swamp Rabbits led the entire ECHL in total player call-ups to the American Hockey League with 38 call-ups to 9 different AHL teams. Brian’s dedication to player development and promotion continues to lead the way among his contemporaries.
In 2016-17, Brian achieved the 2nd best regular season record in Greenville pro hockey franchise history and earned a post season playoff birth before losing to the eventual Eastern Conference champions. The following season (2017-18), the Swamp Rabbits set the franchise record for most consecutive wins under the leadership and guidance of Brian Gratz.