A piece of NWHL news that fans have been waiting to hear was finally announced on Jun. 14, 2019. The Buffalo Beauts have named Pete Perram as the team’s new head coach. An official release was sent out by the NWHL about the Perram signing.
After Pegula Sports and Entertainment (PSE) relinquished ownership of the Beauts and returned the team to the NWHL, there was much speculation over who would take the helm behind the bench. Perram is an ideal selection, and the move has likely now put many minds at ease.
“Pete Perram is the perfect person to lead our team in Buffalo,” said Beauts general manager Mandy Cronin in the press release. “I have first-hand experience with his team leadership and bench management. He is the kind of coach that you want to work hard for, day in and day out. With his relatability and wealth of experience, I know he will be highly respected by our players, staff and fans. We are thrilled to have him leading the way for the upcoming season.”
THW takes an in-depth look at the hire and what it will mean for the Beauts and the NWHL.
Perram Has a Boatload of Experience
Perram comes to Buffalo with all of the credentials checked that you would want for a head coach, particularly one in the women’s professional game. He served as the head coach for Switzerland’s Women’s National Team between 1998 and 2001.
Additionally, from 2009 to 2015, Perram was the associate coach of the University of Ontario Institute of Technology Ridgebacks women’s hockey team. Prior to that run he coached a Senior AAA team – the Durham TELUS Lightning – which was a position he held for eight years after he returned to Canada from Switzerland. Perram also filled the role as a coach mentor for the Etobicoke Dolphins Girls’ Hockey Association, and was called upon to coach the Dolphins’ Intermediate AA program for a pair of seasons.
Cronin’s familiarity with Perram dates back to her playing days as a goaltender in the former NWHL (no relation to the current league). Her knowledge of his coaching credentials and capabilities gave assurance that Perram would be the right fit for the 2019-20 Beauts.
“I am honored to have this opportunity to coach the Buffalo Beauts and play my role in showcasing amazingly talented and dedicated hockey players,” he said in the announcement. “I look forward to working with Mandy Cronin in taking this great organization to the next level of success and to provide incredible entertainment for hockey fans in Western New York.”
What a New Coach Means for Buffalo
It has been very hard for Beauts fans to keep patient during the 2019 offseason. While the other four NWHL teams have all made player signings since free agency opened on May 15, the Beauts have yet to sign a single player. Understandably, that can be a little taxing on the psyche of the fans.
Rest assured that Beauts signings should begin to come in short order now that Perram is in place.
A Beauts Free Agent Camp is also in the works, and has been for at least a week or two prior to this hiring. THW has learned that players have already been contacted to attend such a camp. But the Perram signing had to happen first before any Beauts players could be brought on board.
Think about it logically – in order for Cronin to build a successful hockey club, there needs to be mutual buy-in between the players themselves and whoever is leading the charge in practice and for games. Now we know that person will be Perram.
From here, everyone starts with a clean slate and a fresh sheet of ice, so to speak. Perram and Cronin can assess the players together – naturally and likely, they each probably have some players in mind whom they are already familiar with – and can begin to sculpt the 2019-20 Beauts roster.
We often have a tendency to rush, rush, rush and push a sense of urgency into things. Know this – the hiring of Perram has come at the right time for Beauts hockey, and is only the start of what will culminate into a team that is enjoyable for fans.
A Beauts braintrust is in place with Perram and Cronin in tandem with one another, and it has the makings of a competitive team. It will be interesting to see which players they ultimately bring aboard.
