NEWS: Neilson takes the reins in Glasgow
The Glasgow Clan, sponsored by Aspray Glasgow West, are delighted to announce the appointment of Corey Neilson as Head Coach and Head of Hockey Operations.
The Great Britain assistant coach returns to the EIHL after spending recent years in mainland Europe predominately in Germany, Norway and Slovakia.
The 47-year-old Canadian is excited for his new challenge as he looks to make his mark in the Elite League once again.
“I’m very excited for this opportunity to be joining the Clan” confirmed Neilson. “I have fond memories of going into that building and feeling an incredible energy from the supporters.
“Over the years we had some very good battles between the Clan and the Panthers, the job itself is certainly an opportunity I’ve been looking for over the past few years.
“After speaking with Clan’s management team and some people in the hockey world I trust, this decision to come to Glasgow was easy for me.”
Neilson is well known for his success with Nottingham Panthers, with whom he played and coached between 2006 and 2018, taking the reins initially as a player-coach in 2008 then behind the bench from 2013 onwards.
As a player and a coach, he’s won an Elite League title, seven Challenge Cups and five play-off crowns, completing a Grand Slam in 2013 plus an IIHF Continental Cup in 2017, the first British team to win a European competition.
He also led Nottingham to the knockout stages of the Champions Hockey League in 2018 after successfully negotiating the group stage.
Neilson has also served alongside another former Clan coach, Pete Russell as part of the coaching team for the Great Britain national team and has been part of the staff since 2014.
Since leaving the Panthers in 2018, Neilson has taken his career into mainland Europe, working with DEL sides Lausitzer Füchse and Kassel Huskies as well as in Norway with Manglerud in Norway and HK Poprad from Slovakia.
In November 2022, Neilson returned to the Panthers and helped them to the play-off weekend before heading back to Germany with Dresdner Eislowen.
Clan owner Michael O’Rourke welcomed his new coach to the organisation and believes his previous experience will be key to Clan’s progression.
He said: “Corey has won multiple trophies in the EIHL, an IIHF Continental Cup, and has coached in the knockout stage of the CHL.
“This experience will be vital in building a successful team on the ice for the club, and a positive direction for the future of the Clan.”
